Explore Köngen through different aspects of its history and everyday life: Grinario Fort, Ulrich Bridge and the Jupiter Column provide tangible links to its Roman past. The Cultural Days and weekly market add recurring events and a regular market day to the mix. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus mainly on exploring historic sites or also plan your time around local events.

Roman Traces in Köngen

Grinario Fort in Köngen was built by the Romans between 90 and 95 AD and abandoned in 155. Afterward, its materials were used, among other things, to build a Roman bath. The park with a museum at Römerpark Köngen was inaugurated in 1988. These key dates trace the fort’s history from its construction and later abandonment to the story of Römerpark.

The Jupiter Column at the entrance to Köngen is evidence of Roman settlement in the first centuries AD. Its lowest section, a four-sided stone depicting four deities, shows four different gods. The octagonal stone depicting the gods of the days of the week bears a relief of Victoria, the goddess of victory; its other seven sides show the gods of the days of the week, starting with Saturday. The two types of stone offer different details to look for when viewing the column.

Walking Tour and Ulrich Bridge

A digital walking tour, using the free DigiWalk app, follows 15 stops from Ulrich Bridge to the Roman fort and takes about two hours. You can split it across several walks; the texts can be read or listened to on your smartphone. Before your trip, check whether the app is available, as its features may change.

Ulrich Bridge is a landmark of the municipality and closely associated with the history of Duke Ulrich of Württemberg; it has also achieved literary fame. Since 1975, it has been reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. At this structure in Köngen, a historical connection thus goes hand in hand with a clearly defined use for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

Art History and Cultural Days

There are art-historical attractions beyond the Roman history, too. The so-called Knights’ Hall in Köngen Castle is now of great art-historical significance. The castle also displays Renaissance portraits of Roman and German emperors. St Peter and Paul’s Church contains tombstones belonging to the Thumb von Neuburg family, as well as a Renaissance winged altarpiece with Gothic carvings.

The Köngen Cultural Days have been held regularly at the Zehntscheuer since 1988. The programme includes cabaret, chamber music, theatre, music and talks, among other things. If you would like to combine your trip with an event, check the dates for your preferred period; the recurring event series does not indicate any specific current date.

Saturdays at the Köngen Weekly Market

The Köngen weekly market takes place every Saturday in the pedestrian zone. Market hours are 08:00 to 12:00; from April to September, it starts at 07:00. Vendors and producers from the region come on Saturdays. Residents and visitors can buy fruit, vegetables, eggs and pasta, among other things. Other goods on offer include flowers, baskets, brushes and wooden goods, haberdashery, craft supplies and leather goods; clothing is not sold.

The market offers a different way to plan a Saturday in Köngen than taking the digital walking tour or attending an event during the Cultural Days. As market hours may change and the vendors and their stock may vary, it is best to check the information locally before your visit.

Esslingen in Regional Context

Esslingen district is one of ten districts in the Swabian Alb Geopark. Six distinct landscapes shape the district: Schurwald, Schönbuch, Fildern, the Neckar Valley, the foothills of the Swabian Alb and the Albtrauf escarpment. The district’s meadow-orchard landscape is also part of this regional picture and includes 1.5 million fruit trees.

Discover more destinations: Wendlingen, Bissingen An Der Teck, Nellingen, Neuffen, Filderstadt, Esslingen, Dettingen unter Teck, Plochingen

Go to the main travel overview: Esslingen.