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WIZZ MAGAZINE
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2012
It’s the town where time has
stood still. With traditional
enjoyments such as fine wine
and good food, it’s just as well
STEPPING
BACK
IN TIME
FEATURE
MEMMINGEN
F
LY INTO MEMMINGEN ON A CLEAR
day and you are in for a treat. The views
of the Allgäu Alps are a delight every
time. The distant mountains, coated in a fresh
dusting of snow, appear so much closer than
they actually are, as if they had been painted
in the background to perfect the already
picturesque view. In light of this the town is
often referred to as the gateway to the Allgäu.
With around 42,000 inhabitants, Memmingen
is the fifth largest town in Swabia, its origins
going back as far as the Roman Empire.
Small it may be, but the Old Town, with
its many courtyards, towers, gates, churches
and fortifications, is one of the best preserved
in southern Germany. Some of the old,
wooden walls have been restored and you
can walk along them. Every four years, the
Wallensteinfestspiel celebrates the brief period
of stability during the 30 Years War when
Czech military leader Albrecht von Wallenstein
arrived in 1630 and turned Memmingen into
an imperial city, bringing peace and prosperity.
With some 4,500 participants, it’s one of the
largest historical reenactments in Europe – this
year it takes place from 29 July to 5 August.
Today, Memmingen has a cosmopolitan
vibrancy, with more than 150 bars and
restaurants. On a hot summer ’s evening
Words R P Mustikay