Gottlieben combines its setting on the Seerhein with local history, literature and culinary experiences. This small settlement, with its distinctly urban character, lies at 400 m above sea level, northwest of Kreuzlingen on the Seerhein’s left bank, where the Dorfbach flows into the river. A trip to Gottlieben can therefore take different forms: a mapped tour of the village, a visit to the Bodmanhaus and its memorial site, or a focus on architectural history and chocolate experiences.
Local History and Routes
The historical tour provides information about the village’s history at seven locations shown on a map. The Thronfolgeweg, by contrast, leads from Gottlieben to Diessenhofen and is lined with monuments and witnesses to that era. In the Gottlieben section, the Gottlieber Leselounge next to Literaturhaus Thurgau invites visitors to read the books provided. The offerings thus differ in scope: the tour brings Gottlieben’s history together at mapped stops, while the Thronfolgeweg connects the village with historical sites along the route to Diessenhofen. As routes and local facilities may change, check the current route and whether the reading lounge is open before setting out.
Literature at the Bodmanhaus
The restored Bodmanhaus opened in April 2000 as Switzerland’s second literature house. At the heart of the memorial site is a restored study, which gives visitors a deeper insight into the everyday life of the poet couple Clara and Emanuel von Bodman. The Bodmanhaus and Bodman Room can be visited during events, when the bookbinding workshop is open, or by appointment. If you are planning a visit, check in advance which of these options suits your schedule.
Architectural Heritage and History
The Drachenburg is one of the Thurgau region’s most richly decorated half-timbered buildings and a landmark of Gottlieben. Its timber frame is reinforced with oak, and it is distinguished by two onion-domed oriel windows.
Gottlieben Castle houses a double-block prison in the west tower, shaped like a large wooden cage. From late March to early June 1415, the Bohemian reformer Jan Hus was held in the wooden oriel of this tower; from June 3, the deposed Pope John XXIII was imprisoned there for several days. The castle passed into private ownership in 1808 and was remodeled in the Neo-Gothic style in 1837. Gottlieben’s church was built between 1734 and 1735.
Culinary Experiences
A guided tour of Gottlieber HĂĽppen ends with a generous wafer-tasting buffet; advance booking is required. In the chocolate workshops, participants fill and decorate truffles under the guidance of specialists, and mold and decorate chocolate bars. Each person makes nine truffles and three chocolate bars; workshops also require advance booking. The experiences have different focuses: the tasting is the finale of the tour, while the workshop centers on making truffles and bars yourself.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Tägerwilen, Langrickenbach, Salenstein, Ermatingen, Güttingen, Wäldi, Lipperswil, Lengwil.
Back to the main travel overview: Kreuzlingen.
