Esslingen City Tours

03/02/2025

ANNOUNCING - Esslingen Church and Crypt Tour - spots available!

Esslingen Parish Church (Stadtkirche) and Crypt Tour
Date: Saturday, February 15th at 11:00 am
Location: Esslingen an Neckar - Market Square
Duration: About 95 minutes
Price: Adults: 14 Euros per person, children (10-16 years old): 11 Euros. Prepayment required to reserve your space.
Restrictions: Children must be at least 10 years old and the tour is for those who are "sure of foot" The crypt is somewhat confined and is not for someone who is claustrophobic or weak of heart. (logical -- it is a crypt with catacombs!)
Tour Description: This special tour is one of my favorites. We start out with a description and inside tour of the famous Esslingen parish church (the former Basilica of St. Dionys) This 13th century church has some of Germany's most precious stained-glass windows, a famous altar and many hidden "gems". After which we will proceed under the church into the excavation and former crypt of the previous churches. You will have a chance to learn about this history dating back over 1200 years ago! I have attached a few photos from previous tours.

More information and inquiries can be found on our website: https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours

11/01/2025

This is one of my occasional posts about historical Esslingen am Neckar

The famous stained-glass windows in the Parish Church

What is so special about stained-glass, you might ask. Well, in the former medieval city of Esslingen am Neckar, there is a treasure trove of stained glass in the Parish Church (St. Dionys Church) on the market square. As a matter of fact, Esslingen with the three churches (St. Dionys, Frauenkirche, and the Franziskanerkirche), has about 70% of southern Germany’s medieval stained glass. The only older glass art in Southern Germany can be found in Augsburg. What is special about the 280 panels in the Parish Church is the age, quantity and the incredible quality and color of the artistic glass. This glass includes a “bible cycle”, which assisted in the mostly-illiterate population to learn about their Old and New Testament through its’ pictures. Some of the glass even predates that construction of the church going back to 1280 – over 740 years!

One of my favorite panels is the Steinhoevel windows, where benefactors (Mr and Mrs Steinhoevel who sponsored them) are pictured below the scene of the “Original Sin” – with Adam and Eve.

If you are interested to see and learn more about these windows and Church, I am offering a public tour of the church (including the famous underground excavations and crypt) on February 15, 2025 at 11:00 am. Please check out my website for more information.

More information about Esslingen history and tours can be found at: Esslingen City Tours https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours

31/12/2024

Esslingen City Tours wishes everyone a very happy and healthy new year. I look forward to seeing more of Esslingen and Stuttgart with you next year!

19/12/2024

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/12/18/medieval-hot-tubs-and-fortune-tellers-esslingens-christmas-market-is-more-than-gifts-and-g

Escape to Germany’s medieval Esslingen for a festive, fun and foodie experience over Christmas and New Year.

05/12/2024

Great gift idea! A Esslingen City Tour gift certificate. Why didn't I think of it?

30/11/2024

The Esslingen Christmas Market is in full swing and we have had wonderful weather, reasonable crowds and a great atmosphere!

22/11/2024

This is one of my occasional posts about historical Esslingen am Neckar - The girl who saved Esslingen
This is one of my favorite Esslingen fables, which I shared during my Halloween tours. During the 9 years war, the French were waging bloody battle in Southwestern Germany, invading and destroying many cities in their quest for expansion. The famous leader of this war was General Melac. During this time, a pastor from Hochdorf had his beautiful young daughter Anna Catherina sent to Esslingen, believing that she’d be safe behind the imperial city’s strong walls. He sent her to stay at a tavern called the Golden Eagle - where she worked to pay for her lodging.
But shortly after conquering Heidelberg, Melac came to Esslingen. The city council decided to surrender rather than having their city burnt down, and Melec and his top officers were ordered to be given hospitality at the finest inn in town - the Golden Eagle, where Anna worked.
The young girl drew the general’s attention, and he began to make advances, which she always rebuffed. After weeks of this, a frustrated Melec grabbed her one night and said through gritted teeth that she’d meet him at the watchman’s tower on the city fortress that night, or he’d set Esslingen ablaze.
Anna panicked. If she gave in to Melec, she’d surely be exiled from the community as a traitor and forced to become nothing but a poor camp slave. But she couldn’t let the city burn. So she met Melec that night, and as he drew her in, she revealed a dagger and shoved it right at his chest.
Melec looked stunned for a moment, but only for a moment as a loud clang rang out. Melac had anticipated that Anna might try something heroic, and wore his armor under his shirt. Enraged, he grabbed the knife and stabbed her, only coming to his senses as blood pooled on the floor under Anna’s lifeless body. Even the brutal Melac was horrified by his actions, and he fled the scene. The next day at dawn, he left the city with his soldiers. Anna Catherina had saved the city, at the expense of her own life. The real story – Anna had a child who later died after Malec was in Esslingen, but later married the proprietor of the Golden Eagle and had a family. How much of the story is true?
More informationabout Esslingen history and Christmas Market Tourscan be found at:Esslingen City Tours https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours
Gift Certificates are also available.

16/10/2024

Getting ready for the Esslingen Halloween Tours!

Public Tour: October 31st at 19:00 (7:00 pm) Spots still available!
https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours/halloween-tour

03/10/2024

https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours/halloween-tour

20/09/2024

The special Esslingen "Secrets of Esslingen" Tour is tomorrow (Sat. Sept. 20th) at 11:00 am! If you are interested, feel free to join us. (we meet at Marktplatz 16)

02/09/2024

Secrets of Esslingen public tour is in less than 3 weeks. The winner of the trivia question gets a free beer / beverage in the beer garden afterwards!

Historical walking tours of the beautiful medieval city of Esslingen in English or German

07/07/2024

Secrets of Esslingen Series – The “Grave” problem in Medieval Esslingen This is one of several articles in this series about the hidden parts of Esslingen am Neckar
Life for most people in the medieval times was short, brutish and miserable. Due to the plague, poor nutrition and water quality, lack of medical care for the nonaristocractic,the average age was about 29 years. Naturally, being in a walled city, there was very-limited space for burials in the cemetery, which was in the church yard around the Parish Church in Esslingen. Most of these graves had tombstones, but they were positioned horizontally, not vertically like today’s tombstones and were actually embedded directly into the ground so that one could walk on them. Of course, this caused them to wear out more quickly, but the wear was intentional and meant to symbolize transience (short duration) of life. And then in the 13th and 14th centuries Esslingen grew enormously as the economy was flourishing and the city was literally bursting at the seams. In 1344 a measure was taken to ensure that all graves where the proper size and one can see this evidence of this on the south wall of today's choir in the town church, including the carved inscription: “IS DIU LENGI/BRAITI THE GRAPSTAIN”, which was then on the outside wall next to the cemetery (photo). The undertakers were therefore able to make measurements directly on site for the grave and tombstone sizes and the grave length measurement is exactly 3.5 cubits, or about 63 inches.
One can see the remains of many graves, which are now embedded and preserved in the church exteriors walls. (photo).
For more information, see Esslingen City Tours https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours

04/07/2024

I feel very fortunate to have such kind guests as these. Thanks for the feedback!
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g641898-d15373419-Reviews-Esslingen_City_Tours-Esslingen_am_Neckar_Baden_Wurttemberg.html

07/05/2024

Secrets of Esslingen Series – The “Neidkopf”
This is one of several articles in this series about the hidden parts of Esslingen am Neckar

One of the objects that many of my guests notice during our walking tours is the “Neidkopf” on the Webergasse in Esslingen. This is one of Esslingen’s oldest streets and has many interesting buildings and history. On one particular house, there is a model of a wolf (or dog) chained to the building and one of the few remaining “Neidkopf” (see picture) What is a Neidkopf you may ask? It comes from an old high German word “Neid”, which means hate, anger or envy and would roughly translate in English as “grotesque mask” They were mounted on house gables, city walls, or doors on medieval buildings and might have been used to ward off evil spirits, or the owners might have decorated their houses with them eliciting a range of emotions from funny to erudite, from beautiful to horrifying to grotesque. The wolf on its corner, is presumably there to keep predators or evil spirits away.

If you are interested in Esslingen history, check out the new “Secrets of Esslingen Tour” at https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours

02/03/2024

This is one of my occasional posts about historical Esslingen am Neckar.

Franciscan Church St. George (Franziskanerkirche)
One of the important medieval churches in Esslingen that we don’t always see on our classic walking tour is the Franciscan Church, located in the eastern part of the old town. The church which towers above its' surroundings, gives you an idea of the strong sense of mission the Franciscan Order had when this church was built between 1270 and 1290. The stained-glass windows in the chancel are of great value and is an important example of early gothic architecture. Unfortunately, large parts of the cloister were pulled down and in 1840 the nave was demolished. The present-day parish hall was built in its place in 1929/30.

The Franciscans came to Esslingen in 1237 -- the so-called “bare footers” (because of their dress and wearing of sandals) quickly make themselves popular in the city: poor and rich like to visit their church, and many Esslingen residents become Franciscan monks. The monastery is also a center of education: it was here in 1290 that a monk began writing the world chronicle called Flores temporum.

After the Reformation, the facility was used, among other things, as an emergency quarters for the University of Tübingen, as a weapons store and a teacher training college.

More information about Esslingen history and tours can be found at: Esslingen City Tours https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours

06/02/2024

A few spots are available for the Church and Crypt tour on March 16th. Contact Tom on our website for more details.

23/01/2024

BOTH TOURS SOLD OUT! An additional "Tour 1" (Church and Crypt Tour will be offered on March 16th at 11:00. Contact Tom if you are interested! Esslingen City Tours

I only offer these tours once a year as public tours. They always sell out. Please contact me to reserve your spot.

Tour 1 - Esslingen Parish Church (Stadtkirche) and Crypt Tour
Date: Saturday, February 10th at 11:00 am
Location: Esslingen an Neckar - Market Square
Duration: About 90 minutes
Price: Adults: 14 Euros per person, children (10-16 years old): 11 Euros
Restrictions: For children 10 years old and over and those who are "sure of foot" The crypt is somewhat confined and is not for someone who is claustrophobic or weak of heart. (logical -- it is a crypt with catacombs!)
Tour Description: This special tour is one of my favorites. We start out with a description and inside tour of the famous Esslingen parish church (the former Basilica of St. Dionys) This 13th century church has some of Germany's most precious stained-glass windows, a famous altar and many hidden "gems". After which we will proceed under the church into the catacombs, excavations and former crypt of the previous churches. You will have a chance to learn about this history dating back over 1200 years ago! I have attached a few photos from previous tours.

Tour 2 - The "3Cs Tour" Crypt, Cellar & Cistern Tour - 1st Time offered as a public tour by Esslingen City Tours!
Date: Saturday 17th at 11:00 am
Location: Esslingen an Neckar - Market Square
Duration: About 125 minutes
Price: Adults: 16 Euros per person, children (10-16 years old): 13 Euros
Tour Description: This tour, all in underground Esslingen with each site requiring a qualified guide and a key. We start out the hidden, underground water cistern at the Esslingen Castle (Burg) followed by a short walk back into the town where Tom will show you a typical, underground medieval cellar. Next, the highlight of the tour -- The Crypt (see description above) followed up by the Bone House (Ossuary). I have attached a few photos from previous tours. The tour has about 1500 (paces) with several flights of stairs.
Restrictions: For children at least 10 years old, and those who are "sure of foot" The crypt and cistern are somewhat confined and is not for someone who is claustrophobic or weak of heart.

For those who are interested, contact me at Esslingen City Tours https://thomasleytonhale.wixsite.com/esslingencitytours