Meersburg, Medieval wine town on Lake Constance, Germany.
Meersburg is a wine-producing town on the northern shore of Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, set on a hillside that drops sharply to the water. Half-timbered houses line the cobblestone lanes, with rows of vines filling the terraced slopes between the old town and the lakefront.
The town's most prominent medieval structure, the Altes Schloss, is considered one of the oldest inhabited castles in Germany, with origins going back to the 7th century. When the Prince Bishops of Constance made it their main residence in the 16th century, the town grew into a regional seat of church authority until the bishopric was dissolved in 1802.
The vineyards running down from the old town toward the water are still worked by local growers who harvest by hand on the steeper plots. Wine from those same slopes is served in small taverns along the lanes, where the bottles carry the names of nearby parcels.
Walking is the most natural way to get around the old town, and sturdy shoes are a practical choice given the steep, uneven cobblestones. The paths between the upper town and the lake can become slippery after rain, so it is worth checking the weather before heading out.
The poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff spent the last years of her life in Meersburg and died there in 1848; her rooms in the Neues Schloss are preserved and open to visitors. Her connection to the town is still visible in street names and on the old 20-mark banknote, where her portrait appeared for decades.
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