Wimpfen Imperial Palace, Bad Wimpfen, Germany

The largest fortified Stauffer palace north of the Alps was built at the end of the 12th century by the Staufer emperors, which included Frederick I (Barbarossa) in Bad Wimpfen. Even from a far one is impressed by the striking silhouette with the two keeps, named the Red and the Blue Tower, the palace chapel, the arcades of the Stauffer palace and the stone house. Stauffer ladies in historical costumes give guided tours of the imperial palace every Sunday at 2 pm.

The Blue Tower was built about 1200 and served as the high watch tower well into the 19th century. The tower watchmen were hired particularly to look out for fire. The tower watchman tradition – probably the oldest in Germany - has continued for centuries up until today. From 32 meters above one can enjoy a splendid view of the Neckar River valley and the Old Town, which is a listed site, or listen to the tower trumpets on Sundays at 12 am during the season.

The Red tower was also built around 1200. This would have been the last refuge of the lord of the castle it was elaborately equipped (Romanesque fireplace, sanitary fittings). Nearby is the Nürnberger Türmchen, a small tower serving as a reminder of the help renderd by the Free Imperial City of Nürnberg after the Thirty Years` War.

The Steinhaus was the largest residential building in the palace, built after 1217. Probably originally the women´s apartments in the Staufen palace, it is the largest Romanesque dwelling in Germany. Late Gothic stepped gable and seven-sectional window. On the first floor there are valuable medieval and Late Gothic mural paintings. The building now houses the Bad Wimpfen Municipal Museum of History (devoted mainly to prehistory, early history, the Staufen medieval period and the art of stonemasonry).

The Staufen Imperial Palace Chapel (ca. 1160) was dedicated to St. Nicholas with imperial gallery at the entrance from the palace hall. Converted in 1837 into a farmhouse with a barn and stables, the building was restored to its original state after 1908. Today it houses the Bad Wimpfen Municipal Museum of Ecclesiastical History with exhibits from the treasure vaults of the town`s monasteries and churches.

References:

Burgenstrasse

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Olaf van der Hee (2 years ago)
Nice climb and great views over the Neckar and the old town. Worth the 3,- euro you pay at the top to the Türmerin.

Io Lo (2 years ago)
More than 850 years old and, after the restoration, is still such a beautiful and such a young tower, the blue tower. Amazing top view point- if you are in the city and the tower is open, just visit it.

Jobi Thottungal (5 years ago)
Temporarily closed due to construction work

Hanka Tyrolová (5 years ago)
Tower is closed for reconstruction but the old town is really nice.

Rare Changüi (5 years ago)
Such a beautiful place.

Wimpfen Imperial Palace

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Church of St Donatus