Ingolstadt, Germany
A bit of history
The history of Ingolstadt on the Donau river in Bavaria, the place where I grew up, dates back to the 13th century. Germany’s first fortress became a seat of learning with a university in the 15^th^’ century and was home to such dignitaries as the theologian Johannes Eck (Martin Luther’s Catholic opponent during the Protestant reformation), the Jesuit physicist and astronomer Christoph Schreiner, co-discoverer of sunspots, and the late Baroque artist brothers Asam. Ingolstadt went back to its military roots when the university was moved to Landshut, and later Munich, in 1800, and King Ludwig I. decided to sink the city’s money into making it it a prime example of enlightened military architecture by inviting the formost builders and architects to design a fortress and other fortified defense structures, which remain as a well-preserved historical heritage. The armament industry with its foundaries and factories gave rise to Ingolstadt’s industrial area. The Audi plants, retooled for military production during the wars, repoened new factories and headquarters in 1949 and have been a driving force of the economy ever since. Since I left in 1982, the cultural backwater and industrial city I remember has turned itself into a southern hub for culture and education. Ingolstadt is home to one of Germany’s foremost business schools, the Ingolstadt School of Management, and a new and dynamic university for technology, computer sciences and business administration, the University of Applied Sciences. The city’s cultural backbone thoroughly merits the title ‘Kulturstadt’.
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| The Kreuztor, part of the city wall, is Ingolstadt’s emblem. | Parts of the city wall in the Altstadt have been turned into trendy accommodation. |
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AUDI on the mind . . . in the factories, in the streets, and in the very trendy Audimuseum.
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Famous as the city where the Reinheitsgebot – the law of purity for brewing beer (nothing but hops, malts and water) – originated, Ingolstadt abounds in beergardens, pubs and rustic restaurants. |
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| In early 2007, we went on a 2-day hike in the Altmuehltal, about 40km from Ingolstadt. As a teenager, regular weekend walks in this very scenic area seemd sooooo boring. Coming back made me appreciate the beauty of the landscape and the peace and quiet. | We spent the night at the Moierhof, a lovingly renovated farm dating back to 1025. The restaurant is a culinary destination for locals and tourists. In the summer bikers and hikers rest their weiry limbs on the beergarden benches in front of the house.
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Eye-tinnitus inducing rapeseed fields around Ingolstadt (April 2016)
First Japanese dinner with Nathalie in Munich (April 2016)
