In the town of Gomaringen in the center of Baden-Württemberg, life centers around the castle.
No, I don’t mean in the old Feudal system sense of it. Peasants toiling in the fields all under the watchful eyes of the Knights, sworn to protect their Baron, Duke or whatever title someone was lucky enough to have been born with.
No, life around the Gomaringen Castle is a cultural event, a date night with your spouse, or a place to go when you want to learn something.
Let me explain. Castle Gomaringen houses the Gustav-Schwab Museum, a literature museum. Herr Schwab was a pastor in Gomaringen in the mid-19th century and went on to write a biography of German Poet Friedrich Schiller, also meeting Johann Goethe on his travels. The castle is also an adult education center, a testament to a man who loved books and knowledge.
Castle Gomaringen also acts as the town’s community center, concert hall for the symphony, an outdoor cinema, and wedding venue. Not too shabby for a 700 year old century castle, wouldn’t you say?
As much as I love our German castles, I don’t want to be caught up in one all day (oh, even worse, stuck in the dungeon ha-ha). Good thing I can get out to play a game of tennis, take some bratwurst & beer to the BBQ grill huts, or hear kiddies running around at the playground.
Now, that’s my idea of a good time.
Some people (women?) think a day of shopping is a good time. Well, Gomaringen can help you do that. The Weekly Market is held Fridays starting at 7:30am, closing by 1pm. Winter’s not too off from there when the market starts at 8am sharp!
What? Don’t you know us Germans by now; we’re prompt if nothing else. ;-)
Oh, back to the markets. They’ve got an Easter Market (held about 3 weeks before the holiday) and the obligatory Christmas Market is always on the 1st weekend of Advent.
More shopping is available at Gomaringen’s Krämersmarkt, held “only” three times a year; once on the last Thursday of March, third Thursday in July, and October 9th (unless it’s a Sunday, then the market is held the next day).
Oh, maybe life in Gomaringen doesn’t just center around the castle; sounds like there’s a whole lot going on the markets, too!
