Walker42

I personally have loved reading the various "here" or "there"? threads as they bring out some great opinions. This one is perhaps a bit more obscure than most, but it is the choice I face on the last day of our three week car-tour through Belgium, France and Germany. We're a family of 4 with 2 teen boys.

I've seen various photos and videos of the two towns and we would enjoy either, I'm sure. But for our last half day in Europe from about 4-9pm, which will give the strongest sense of immersion in "Old Germany," whether medieval or Gothic? Any opinions on why one may leave a stronger impression than the other? Basically looking to walk and relax around town for the evening.

Mars123

Visited both last year though Hann Münden was just for a few hours in the afternoon and stayed overnight in Marburg for two nights. Marburg might give you more to do in the evening with it being a university town there's a lot of young people around.

You could perhaps make a game of figuring out the fairy tales that are represented by the various public art pieces spread throughout the old town. If your kids like Spiderman they can even find him hanging around in the upper town.

Both are very scenic in their own way so I think whichever you choose you'll enjoy your time.

quokka

Marburg is bigger and livelier. Marburg has a castle on top of the town, Hann. Münden does not. OK I am biased towards Marburg because I spent an important part of my life there. Anyway, I think your family will find more to do in Marburg.

Please note that the middle ages ended around 1500, and the era of the gothic style shortly after. Except large stone buildings like churches and castles and the occasional tower and bit of city wall, hardly anything authentic has survived the centuries after with their destructive wars and many fires. Cobblestone alleys aren't medieval - in medieval cities the streets were unpaved and consisted of mud and garbage. Half-timbered houses from before 1500 are rare beasts. A few exist, but the vast majority is younger, hence early modern i.e. renaissance or baroque, or 19th century historism. Your idea of "medieval" is probably the usual romantic one, shaped by 19th century romanticism and neo-gothic style, which has little to do with historic reality. Abandon the term "medieval" and enjoy the beautiful old town.

Walker42

Mud and garbage? Then I will definitely take the romantic version with the cobblestones!

Yes, it could be a toss up, as we'll have seen plenty of both castles and romantico-medieval houses by then. It will depend on whether we feel like "doing" or not by that point.

dfourh

I haven't been to either for a few years, but Hann. Muenden seemed good for a couple hours (streets and streets of gingerbread houses, with not a lot of variety beyond the impressive line-up of fachwerk), whereas Marburg has more character and dynamic, owing to its towering edifices and stark physical geography. Have a look at each place on Google Images.

By the way, Quokka, you left out the rivers of excrement.

quokka

I also didn't mention the rats. Didn't want to shock them too much. ;-)

Aramis

If you mention the rats you have to mention the plague and other assorted deadly diseases.

As they often say; "There were no 'good old' days."