Its domain had once extended across much of the known world: the Roman Empire. For a time, one region after another fell under its control. The Romans also conquered the lands surrounding the city of Aalen. In fact, part of their border wall still exists. Numerous traces of these former Roman occupants can still be found in Aalen today.
Facts
66,318 Inhabitants ¹
5,872 Students ²
1 Higher education institution ²
WELCOME TO AALEN
The city of Aalen is situated near the Swabian Alb and the Swabian Forest in southern Germany. It is surrounded by beautiful landscapes that are perfect for hiking or biking. For the best view of the area, we recommend climbing the observation tower. The tower itself is 26 metres high.
Two large cities, and , are located nearby. You can reach them both by train within an hour or so. Aalen also has its own public transportation system, which you can use free of charge depending on what kind of semester ticket you have. However, most places in Aalen are within walking or biking distance, such as downtown where they hold the every year. At the festival, local associations and organisations set up booths and present their cultural activities. It features games, cuisine and dances from many different countries. Aalen is a cosmopolitan city and is home to an international community of some 120 countries worldwide.
Aalen is also known for its ancient history which still influences the character of the city. The “limes”, an ancient Roman border wall, runs right through Aalen. You can sense the shadows of the past when you visit the Limesmuseum at the outskirts of town. For example, visitors can see the actual ruins of an ancient Roman fortress.
Visitors to Aalen can take a limes hiking tour or enjoy the “limes thermal baths” which are designed in an ancient Roman style. The mineral water from the thermal baths bubbles from a spring 600 metres below the surface. The thermal baths also include saunas and solariums, as well as a Roman-Irish steam bath.
They say that a visit to the former “Tiefer Stollen” mine can be beneficial to your health as well. You can take the mine train 400 metres underground and view the tunnels and mine shafts. The air down there is so clean that allergy and asthma sufferers occasionally visit the mine to find relief!
Tip
A good way to explore Aalen is by bike. There’s a “bicycle parking garage” next to the main train station which is open 24 hours a day.
The economy in Aalen is future-oriented. Tool and mechanical engineering, optical technologies and the information technology industry are among the most competitive branches in the region. New materials, manufacturing processes and electronic mobility are, among others, the central areas of study offered at the University of Applied Sciences in Aalen. The special thing about Aalen: They have courses that are rarely offered elsewhere in Germany, such as Optical Engineering.
Interview
ASU FROM CHITRAWAN, NEPAL
There are several places to go swimming in the summertime, for example, the Spiesel open-air pool in Wasseralfingen and the Unterrombach open-air pool. The Bucher reservoir in the neighbouring town of Rainau is a great place to spend the day. There you’ll find a beach with a sunbathing area, grills for barbecuing and a boat rental. You can also go sailing and windsurfing there. Or if you’re more interested in rock-climbing, you can go to the Reiner-Schwebel-Kletterhalle in Aalen.
Aalen offers plenty of recreational activities in the winter, as well. For example, there’s the Eispark Aalen which operates a mobile ice-skating rink in Greut.
On the north slope of the Swabian Alb, there are ski runs and a halfpipe for snowboarders. Situated between the ski runs, there’s a barbecue area accessible from the Langert parking lot – the perfect place to have a summertime barbecue with friends.
Another fun event is the Jazzfest which takes place every November. The festival hosts well-known musicians. But there are many other clubs and bars in Aalen where you can listen to music or poetry slams.
The is used as a performance venue for plays, fashion shows and concerts. Exhibitions, readings and concerts are staged at Castle. You can also tour the castle itself and view its art treasures.
Of course, you can go shopping in Aalen, for example, in the historic part of town with its winding streets and picturesque plazas. In 2014, Aalen was officially designated as a Fairtrade City, which means you can buy fair trade products in many shops and restaurants in town. Every Wednesday and Saturday there’s a large weekly market in the pedestrian zone – a tradition that dates back over two hundred years.
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