iCyclades - Cyclades Discovery Guide

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The visit to the Burg is paying and immerses you in a medieval adventure which presents the daily life of the time, the world of knights and even the justice practised in the torture chamber... From April to October, there are also exciting 20-minute thematic tours at no extra cost, which can be combined with the self-guided tour.

The Meersburg castle ("Burg") overlooks the lower part of this very picturesque and touristy medieval town. According to an old legend, it was built in the 7th century by the Merovingian king Dagobert I, but it probably dates back to the 12th century. It is guarded by a guy disguised as a knight (who takes off his armour if it's hot...), and you have to pay to enter.

In front of the Neues Schloss, a large esplanade offers a magnificent view of the façade of the "New Castle" and of the old fortified castle, the lower town and Lake Constance. On the horizon, you see in the foreground the large Bodanrück peninsula with the city of Constance (Konstanz) at its tip, and in the background the Swiss shore of the lake.

Turning our backs to the lake, we can see the arched passageway that connects this pretty little cobbled square with the Schlossplatz (Castle Square). On our right are the city's wine shop and the Reithof. The view of the lake and the Rieschentreppe stairs leading down to the harbour are behind us.

This is the facade of the restaurant Winzerstube zum Becher, whose name means approximately Winegrowers' Hall "at the Goblet", run by the descendants of the founder of the Meersburg Winegrowers' Association. One can only wish to enter but unfortunately the place remained closed for renovation during the whole year 2022...

We are here on Kirchstrasse (Church Street), which leads down to the Marktplatz (Market Square) from Stettener Strasse, the road that runs from the ferry landing around the old town. The Tourist Information Office is located in the former Dominican convent on the left.

Here we are in the pedestrian zone of Meersburg. The old town is almost car-free, with only delivery vehicles (from 7am to 11am), residents and owners of private parking spaces allowed to drive around.

The Glatter Stein square offers a beautiful view of the lake, with a restaurant terrace on the corner of the Reithof. From this vantage point, the Rieschentreppe stairs lead down to the lower town and the BSB (Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe) terminals. Please note: the ferry terminal is on the other side of the lower town.

To the south of the Market Square stands the Town Hall, built in the mid-16th century, with an arched passageway leading directly to the Schlossplatz (Castle Square). To the north the square opens onto Kirchstrasse (Church Street) and continues to the north-east towards the Obertor, the former town gate.

At the moment when vans were cluttering up the square as the market was closing, we just had to look up to dive in the town's past, as here with the turret of Hotel Bären, a building dating from 1250, and the top of the Obertor, the old town gate.

To the northeast, the market square extends to the Obertor ("upper gate"), which was built around 1300, when the town was expanded, to control the trade route to Ravensburg. To the left of the gate is a dead-end alleyway which seems to have emerged straight from the Middle Ages.

The construction of the baroque "New Castle" in Meersburg began in 1710 and it has been the seat of the Prince-Bishop of Constance until the confiscation of the church property in 1803. It was then used as a school, a prison, an institute and even, after World War II, as barracks for French troops. Today, it houses a museum which presents the life at the court of the prince-bishop in the 18th century.

The Upper Gate (Obertor), built around 1300, controlled the trade route to the city of Ravensburg, some 30 km north-east of Meersburg. In the Middle Ages, town gates played a very important role in controlling all travellers and collecting road taxes and "gate fees".

Beyond this arched passageway is the pretty Glatter Stein square, from which you have a view over the lake. On this small square you will find a restaurant with a terrace, the city's wine estate and the start of the stairs leading down to the harbour and the lower town.

To the north of the Castle Square, the arched passageway of the Town Hall leads to the Market Square. To the left, the Höllgasse leads to the Burg, the old fortified castle. Behind us, the large cobbled square is bordered by the impressive 18th century baroque "new castle".

The Reithof was built around 1760 and, until the confiscation of the church's property, housed a riding school, an armoury, carriage houses, stables and accommodation for the court counsellors. After reconstruction at the beginning of the 20th century, the Staatsweingut, the city's wine estate, moved in. Part of the building is now occupied by the grammar school.

Castle Square is the heart of Meersburg's old town, where you can take a break before continuing your tour. Walk through the castle and you will arrive on its beautiful esplanade. Go north and you will arrive at the town hall and its vaulted passageway, which you can see here in the distance. Go south and you will find another arched passageway, leading to the nice Glatter Stein square.