If you’ve never heard of Blaubeuren before, you’re in for an amazing treat. If you have heard of it, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t visited it sooner.
Blaubeuren isn’t a place with discos, or slick amusement parks. No, it’s a place for cave explorations and walking in the footsteps of Neanderthal and Middle Age man.
That same Neanderthal man called the caves of Blaubeuren home and many ancient artifacts were found in the cave known as the Large Grotto. Actually, a lot of artifacts were found in all the surrounding caves, enough to fill an entire museum.
Look for the exhibit on a flute made out of swan bones, it’s one of the oldest musical instruments ever found ANYWHERE.
Just as the caves make for a fantastic outing, so does just wandering around the Swabian countryside which just further enhances the town’s natural beauty. It’s not rocket science to see why some 13th century baron built the Burg Günzelburg high on a rock plateau — it’s probably pretty simple to fall in love with the view.
If you’ve got an itch to see another castle, then look no further than the ruins of Castle Rugge. All that remains of the 11th century Burg are some of its original walls. Though, the panoramic views from both the ruins will have even the most seasoned traveler at a loss for words.
Blaubeuren Abbey (opened back in 1085) will have you at loss for words, too. Maybe that’s why the grounds of the monastery are calm and peaceful despite now being a boarding school. The monk’s bathhouse is a museum of sorts and gives a look into the life of a medieval monk.
Jumping ahead a few more centuries, Blaubeuren has a World War I memorial in the form of a huge stone cross (known as Ruckenkreuz) that was built here in 1926.
Other than that, Blaubeuren is your typical town in the Swabian Alb on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route and the German Framework Road.
Actually, that’s not typical at all and is exactly what makes Blaubeuren heads above the rest.
