A Day in Esslingen: Medieval Charm, Stunning Views, and Cozy Corners

Most people, after such a long (but epic) Halloween night that ended at 5 a.m., would have retired to their beds, nursing a hangover. Not me, of course. I was tired from lack of sleep, but a new place was calling my name. Because never something like sleep depravation was going to be a barrier to my exploring Esslingen from my list of places to visit. This trip had actually been long-planned with a friend of mine, and nothing, not even my feelin’-like-a-zombie mentality, was going to dampen my enthusiasm. After a mere four hours of restless sleep, I caught the U-Bahn to Hauptbahnhof, then connected to the train to Esslingen.

Esslingen’s old town is wonderfully walkable, the sort of place where you can wander without a plan and reach all the key sites on foot. It’s the ideal setting for a day of exploring, photographing, and absorbing the ambiance of a medieval town.

Schelztorturm

Our first destination was the famous Schelztorturm, a tower that exudes a rich history from the the first glance. Esslingen is a place that is renowned for its rich medieval heritage dating back to the centuries, and to be honest, this place truly lives up to its reputation. This place is one that I had long been eager to pay a visit to, given all that I had read about this magnificent place. It is the Schelztorturm that first drew me to its charm, exuding this unique sense of a place rich in history.

We strolled through the cobblestone streets that surrounded the tower, absorbing the ambiance and occasionally snatching a quick picture now and then. Honestly, the whole town is a natural work of art. It’s as if each and every one of these buildings was featured on a postcard of medieval villages. You could take a picture of that corner, or that wall, or that window, and you get absolutely perfect scenery. It’s a quality that’s truly difficult to come across, but Esslingen gets it right. Without a doubt, Esslingen is one of the prettiest places that I have ever visited.

Agnesbrücke - The Agnes Bridge

And so, as we walked on, we arrived at the Agnesbrücke, a really gorgeous bridge. When you Google Esslingen, this is basically what shows up, along with pictures of buildings along the Neckar river that flows beneath this iconic structure. Honestly, I was really eager to see if this lived up to its legendary reputation. And god, was I pleasantly surprised.

One of the buildings on the bridge appeared to be ‘floating’ on the water, and this was actually a restaurant called Fuji Sapa, offering a fusion of both Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine. How cool is that?

The bridge exudes this soft, almost romantic ambiance. It’s just there, existing, without being overbearing or trying to be attention-seeking. It’s just there, radiating effortless beauty. We hung around for a short time, leaning on the railing, taking photos, and gazing at the flowing water. It’s actually one of those instances where you just have to take a step back and absorb the experience.

Stadtkirche St. Dionys - The City Church

Our next destination was Stadtkirche St. Dionys. It literally means “city church.” And you can see why. I have always loved visiting churches, from the architecture to the ambiance, to the feeling that you get transported to another world. It’s even more remarkable to know that this church dates back to the 13th or 14th century.

St. Dionys is a classic example of a Gothic architecture, where pointed arches, high windows, and vertical lines captivate your attention. It is its iconic twin towers that make St. Dionys such a recognizable church. These towers actually began as two separate buildings, joined by a bridge.

On entering in the church, the ambiance is completely different. Like most churches, here you get cool, silence, calmness, and a good dose of therapy. It was a cloudy day, but a little light was filtering through the stained glass windows. That is what makes the interior of a Gothic church so famous. The way the lights stream through the colourful glass windows. The exterior is impressive, as well, with the sandstone carvings typical of the Esslingen area. What I found most interesting is that there is a crypt beneath this church, dating back to the 10th century. It is among the oldest parts of this structure.

St. Dionys, through the course of such a long period, has undergone multiple expansions, renovations, damages, and repairs and from witnessing the craftsmanship of the medieval periods to that of the modern era, this church continues to exude a timelessness that is difficult to ignore.

Esslingen Altstadt - The Old Town

After all this exploring, we decided to take a short break and munch our packed snacks. We had had nothing since that morning, and although we were going to have a proper lunch at one of the cute cafes, we felt the need to take a break. We found a place in the heart of Esslingen Altstadt, or what is known as the Old-town.

Honestly, a walk through Altstadt is much like entering a medieval film set, but the fact that this is all real, makes this experience even more breathtaking. The authenticity is enchanting. These timber-framed buildings give the impression that they date back to the beginning of time. Of course, the cobblestone streets mean that you can’t hurry along here, that you must take your time and really take in all that’s around you. Every window, every carved door, every minute detail speaks of a story. Doors that look as if they weigh a ton, but around every corner is something of such exquisite craftsmanship that you can’t help but be impressed.

What I enjoyed most is that Esslingen appears to be a place that is dedicated to maintaining its identity. Nothing seems to be forced or updated to make way for modernization. This is a place that has maintained its identity from centuries ago, and this is apparent.

And, to add to the excitement, the place is lined up with gorgeous automobiles! These range from old classics to modern sportscars. It was one of those instances where all of these, from the architectural structure to its heritage, to its minute details, to its automobiles, seemed to be in harmony.

Frauenkirche - The Virgin Mary's Church

After a short break, we moved on to our next destination, the Frauenkirche. It literally means “Women’s Church.” It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Like most historic buildings of Esslingen, this is also a very old church. It was constructed towards the end of the 13th century, finishing in the 14th.

What makes this church so interesting is that it was constructed by the people of Esslingen, through funding provided by the rich residents of the town. It was basically a statement project. Even though Esslingen was a small town, its inhabitants wanted to prove that even they could erect a magnificent church, one that could rival those of the larger cities.

Despite being around for so many centuries, the Frauenkirche has managed to withstand wars, fires, and politics, and its original Gothic architectural plan is impressive for being so unchanged. When you walk around this magnificent structure, you can’t help but feel the ambition, the pride, and the dedication of the people who constructed this structure all those years ago.

Esslinger Schloss - The Esslingen Castle

Our last destination was the Esslingen Castle, and I won’t deny that this was the most physically strenuous part of our day. So, you have to climb a lot of steps to reach the castle. It's over 300 steps and the climb is quite steep and tiring. And me, who was sitting at home for the past six months with like zero to negative physical activity, I was totally not prepared for this. Even so, each time we took a break, the scenery became even more breathtaking.

The effort to get to the castle's terrace was well worth the sweat. And from this angle, Esslingen was a meticulous model of a perfect town. Red tile roofs, cobblestone streets, the Neckar River curved through the town in a happy, swooping motion. It was perfection, a tiny, twinkling world. Of course, the rest of the castle is now a ruin, so here, the concentration is on the gardens and the panorama. And standing there, feeling the wind on my face, I felt as if I was at the pinnacle of the world, gazing across at a town that had managed to retain its soul.

Wrapping Up

What impressed me most about Esslingen apart from the history or architecture, was the atmosphere. Every corner, every alleyway, every structure seemed to have a story to tell. It is a place that encourages you to take your time, to look up, to take note of the details that most places make you hurry to get through. The cobblestone roads, the timber-framed buildings, the bridges arcing over the gently moving rivers, the towering churches, all mesh to form a perfect whole. Despite walking for hours, clicking pictures, and hiking up scores of stairs, I felt that I had merely scratched the surface of this place. Esslingen is actually a place that is not loud or ostentatious, but quiet, elegant, and timeless.

Special thanks to my sweetest tour guide @bighungrypanda who planned everything and made an entire map for us on where to go!