A Trip to the Pretty Little Town of
Stein am Rhein
Stein Am Rhein – A Quaint Swiss Town
If you love quaint little Swiss towns and villages, full of character with chocolate box houses and pretty little squares, then do make sure to take a trip to the beautiful town of Stein am Rhein.
Stein Am Rhein Directly On The River Rhine
Located directly on the river Rhine in north eastern Switzerland in the Canton of Schaffhausen, the town is just over an hour from Zurich by car or by train and is definitely worth a visit. It is also not far from the Bodensee or Lake Constance if you’re coming from that direction and though small, it has a lot to offer the visitor.
Beautiful Painted Half Timbered in Stein Am Rhein
With its chocolate box good looks and cobbled streets, it is full of well preserved, half-timbered medieval houses with painted facades. The centrepiece is the Rathausplatz in the old town, which could be part of a film set transposed from the Medieval Ages. In fact, it is often described as Switzerland’s most beautiful town square! There are houses with antique signs and guild symbols, with beautifully carved and hand painted box windows and nearly all of the houses have murals and paintings.
Stein Am Rhein A Former Fishing Village
This former fishing village, prospered with the abbey in the early 11th century and over the next few hundred years the town grew significantly in wealth, benefiting from its strategic position along the major trade route of the Rhine. The town has survived all sorts of mishaps over the ages but it still retains its medieval look today.
The Old Town Walls
Stein am Rhein Old Town was originally encircled by town walls and although there are two impressive town gates, the Untertor and the Obertor still to see, the walls themselves now form part of the ring of townhouses.
Situated Along The Rhine
Take a stroll through the centre of the town to admire all the beautiful murals and fine architecture then why not wander down to the waters edge. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can sit outside and take in the views.
St George’s Abbey & Hohenklingen Castle
Other places of note to visit whilst you re there are St. George’s Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery with a museum. The 11th Century abbey was strategically located close to the Rhine by Emperor Henry II and was completely rebuilt in the 1400s. It’s now a museum with Banquet Hall which boasts some magnificent murals. Located atop a hill overlooking the town, is the Hohenklingen Castle which dates back to the Middle Ages. Burg Hohenklingen it’s the perfect spot for getting an eagle eyed view of the town. You can also stop at the lovely restaurant there and enjoy some very good cuisine.
Museums To Visit
Other museums in Stein am Rhein include the Lindwurm Museum (highlighting daily life in the mid 19th Century). Krippenwelt or Cribs World Museum, is about everything related to baby’s cribs. It is filled with exhibits of cribs from all over the world to the nativity scene. Further upstream is the Sankt Otmar im Werd island monastery which is splendidly scenic perched on a little island with the river flowing either side of it.
Short Video of Stein Am Rhein
See a short video of Stein Am Rhein here:
Stein Am Rhein
For Google directions to Stein Am Rhein click here.
For a Google Map showing where Stein Am Rhein is in relation to Zurich see below:
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