Seniors Visit One Of Germany’s Oldest Towns
This visit takes senior travelers to an old town called Regensburg located on the banks of the Danube River and dating back to the stone age. This area has lived and prospered by the easy access of the mighty Danube River.
Roman ruins can still be seen today fused together with the newer style architecture. Founded by the Romans in 179 AD as Casta Regina, meaning Fortress by the River Regen, makes Regensburg one of Germany’s oldest towns.
The city is the political, economic, and cultural center of Eastern Bavaria. Modern yes, but Regensburg is home to the largest medieval old town north of the Alps with nearly 1,500 preserved sites. Lord Norman Foster, a famed British architect, called Regensburg “One of the most beautiful cities in the world.”
Seniors Enjoy A Medieval Town
In this UNESCO medieval town, senior visitors will find many buildings of exceptional quality that testify to its history as a trading centre and to its influence on the region from the 9th century. A notable number of historic structures span some two millennia and include ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic buildings.
Near the center of the city seniors will find the famous stone arched bridge, which was built in the 12th century and stands very sturdy yet today. This bridge was a crucial access point for the crossing of the Danube River by the Knights of the 2nd and 3rd crusades as they made their way to the Holy Land.
Next to the Old Stone Bridge, is “The Old Sausage Kitchen” which is the oldest restaurant in Germany, opening in 1135 AD. Today the “The Old Sausage Kitchen” serves great sausage and a lot of it.
Seniors Enjoy Gothic Cathedral
Regensburg is best known for its High Gothic Cathedral (founded in 1275 and completed in 1634), whose high twin towers dominate the city. TripAdvisor rates the Alte Kapelle and the Cathedral high on their list of places to visit.
Regensburg is a prosperous city of about 137,000 inhabitants, 3 universities and many landmarks, most dating to the Middle Ages (e.g. the Cathedral of St. Peter, Old City Hall and Imperial Diet, and the Stone Bridge). Lonely Planet writes that “though big on the historical wow factor, today’s Regensburg is a laid-back and unpretentious sort of place, and a good springboard into the wider region.”
Regensburg has so much to offer senior travelers that you will leave with many fond memories. -jeb