Ochsenhausen

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Ochsenhausen

Ochsenhausen is a city in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located between the city of Biberach and Memmingen. As of 2002 it has a population of 8,916. The mayor of the town is Andreas Denzel.

[edit] History

For many centuries, up until 1806, Ochsenhausen Abbey (Reichskloster Ochsenhausen), first mentioned in 1093, was an ecclesiastical state within the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the abbot. In 1806 the territory was annexed by the Kingdom of Württemberg, which in 1871 became part of the German Empire.

The abbey still dominates the town from a hill. Ochsenhausen is someitmes called a "Baroque paradise" ("Himmelreich des Barock") because of the monastic architecture.

[edit] Attractions

Former Reichsabtei of the Holy Roman Empire

A big attraction in Ochsenhausen is the annual Öchsle-Fest, named after a small old train called Öchsle. You can visit a museum, where you can see the history in pictures, models and articles. Another museum is the "Klostermuseum", which has a floor area of about 500 m². If you want to go out, you have a big choice of restaurants. A restaurant or club young people can go to is for example the "Contrast". For older people who want to go out in the evening and have some coffee there is the Citycafe Hampp. In the summer you can go swimming in a little lake called "Ziegelweiher". There is a restaurant, too, where you can sit to drink something. In Ochsenhausen there is a famous ice cream parlour called "Rino" where you can buy very good ice-cream. Unfortunately Ochsenhausen lacks attractive shopping facilities.