Reutlingen, Administrative center in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Reutlingen is a district town at the foot of the Achalm, a hill within the Swabian Alps, south of Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg. The Echaz river flows through the town center, and the old quarter sits in a shallow basin surrounded by gently rising hills and wooded ridges.
Emperor Frederick II granted town rights to the settlement in the early 13th century and elevated it to a free imperial city. This status lasted until 1802, when the town became part of Württemberg and lost its direct subordination to the emperor.
The city takes its name from the old settlement name Ruithelingas, which refers to a founder called Rutil or Reutil. Inside the Marienkirche, medieval frescoes cover the walls, and visitors walk past simple wooden pews toward the rear chapel that holds the replica of the Holy Sepulchre.
The old town is easy to explore on foot, and most narrow streets lead toward the market square. Visitors who want to climb the Achalm will find hiking trails at the edge of town that reach the summit after roughly an hour of walking uphill.
Spreuerhofstraße is the narrowest alley in the world with a width of just 31 centimeters (12 inches), officially recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Passersby must turn sideways to squeeze through, and in some spots the two house walls nearly touch each other.
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