Both towns are situated on the edge of the middle Black Forest in beautiful surroundings. In past times they were centre of watch industry, for which the Black Forest is internationally known. The history of watch production is exhibited in a very interesting watch museum from the beginnings up to present days.

Villingen got in 999 by emperor Otto III the rights of coinage and of customs as well as to hold a bazaar. For 500 years Villingen belonged to the house of Habsburg and thus to Austria. In the 19th century it became administrative town in the Grand Duchy of Baden.

In Villingen you can stroll in a picturesque old town with its town walls and old military pile works. In the middle the two towers of minister of „Unsere liebe Frau“ rise up to the sky. Very interestingly curved metal gates open into the inside of this late Romanesque 13th century church.

TIP

Particularly worth visiting is Villingen during Fasnet time. Impressive events and crazy parades take place and transform the town into a stronghold of witches and jesters.

Interesting facts

Customs and traditions of fasnet have outlasted both centuries with plague, wars and famines as well as the bans authorities remitted over and over again. In 1326 Duke Albrecht of Austria moved to Villingen accepting tributes of his citizens. The town received a letter of confirmation of traditional rights and freedoms and also the right to celebrate Fasnet in such a way it has been usual since the late tenth century.

Central figure is the Narro of Villingen. Narro wears a white Häs (costume) decorated with animal, fertility and spring symbols. They symbolise the fight of the upcoming spring with parting winter. Narro’s job is to reprimand those who had bad luck during the past year. Like the court jester of the Middle Ages the Narro enjoys the right to reprimand and tell the truth in a funny and sometimes even impolite way.

Further information: http://www.villingen-schwenningen.de/

Photo: Jürgen Wackenhut/Shutterstock