Reutlingen
Although Pirna and Reutlingen do not have an official twin town agreement, the friendship of the two towns is clear to see in many regards.
With around 115,000 inhabitants, Reutlingen is located at the foot of the Achalm in Baden-Württemberg and is also known as the gateway to the Swabian Jura. The first official reference to the town goes back to 1089. The old town is filled with an abundance of half-timbered Fachwerk houses from the Middles Ages, such as the Spendhaus and the Königsbronn Abbey, which now houses the local history museum. There are also Gothic religious buildings mixed with modern urban architecture.
Visitors in Reutlingen are met with an eclectic yet endearing mix of architectural styles, from St. Mary's Church, built from 1247 to 1343 and forming one of the most beautiful historical buildings in Württemberg, to the ultramodern town hall, to a street which, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, has been the narrowest street in the world since 2007. The well-kept, narrow streets create a unique shopping atmosphere and as you wander around, you’ll gain glimpses of the numerous ornate fountains which decorate the old-town squares. Daniel Friedrich List carries word of the town far and wide, a well-known economist born in Reutlingen in 1789. Today’s Reutlingen is a modern town with a wealth of industry and trade.
Milestones in the history of the towns’ friendship
1990 | Pirna und Reutlingen start their friendship |
ab 1990 | “Music & Art” student meeting Reutlingen allows school choirs from Pirna to take part in the Saxony-Baden Württemberg choir gathering |
1990 – 1995 | Pirna is provided with administrative assistance |
2010 – 2011 | “abc des Ostens” touring exhibition from the documentation centre “Alltagskultur der DDR” in Eisenhüttenstadt to celebrate the 20-year friendship with Pirna and the 20th anniversary of the reunification at the Reutlingen local history museum |
2015 | 25-year anniversary of the towns’ friendship |