The twin city of Ulm and Neu-Ulm

As a visitor, you are usually completely unaware of the fact that the city of Ulm belongs to the State of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Neu-Ulm to the State of Bavaria. The 170,000 inhabitants who reside, work and live their lives left and right of the Danube river switch between states simply by crossing the bridges over the river. The two independent municipal authorities work hand in hand in many areas. Together, they represent the cultural and economic heart of an extensive region of east Baden-Württemberg and west Swabia. In this area, bordered by the Allgäu, the Lake Constance and the Swabian Alb, Ulm and Neu-Ulm have evolved into a single economic entity.

 
^{Skyline of Ulm at the Danube river                       Main shopping zone at night}

But there are differences, of course. The city center of Ulm is home to a mixture of proud, stone relics from its days as a free city of the Holy Roman Empire with its romantic Fishermen's and Tanners' Quarter and high-quality building with modern lines, a post-modern town house next to the gothic Münster cathedral and the historical market square behind the ancient Town Hall with its painted facade neighboring the city library in the form of a glass pyramid. In contrast, Neu-Ulm presents a more regular appearance and has recently experienced an inner-town modernization.

   
^{Historic buildings in the medieval Fishermen's Quarter}  

From the tower of the Münster cathedral you have a breathtaking view over the twin city, in clear weather actually stretching to the Alps. The Swabian Alb begins right at the city boundary and offers a wealth of experiences to enjoy: castles and caves, valleys and mountain ranges, baroque churches, abbeys and picturesque small towns. But there is a broad range of leisure activities in Ulm and Neu-Ulm itself, too - on land and on water: a walk through the Friedrichsau public park with its traditional beer gardens, Neu-Ulm's wonderful Glacis park or  through the beautiful Botanical Garden, a bicycle tour or a boat trip on the Danube river, a visit of the Ulm Museum or the fascinating Museum of Bread Culture, the "Ulmer Zelt" (Ulm Tent) featuring political cabaret, comedy, rock and jazz performances, the International Danube  Festival, the "Schwörwoche" (Oath Week) with its river parade "Nabada".

 
^{Nabada River Parade in July                                 The new city library next to the Town Hall}

^{Christmas Market}

Ulm University and the Science City

Ulm University, founded in 1967, is located on the so-called "Eselsberg" hill on the outskirts of the city of Ulm in the middle of a pleasant forest area. The many footpaths on campus make for a pleasant stroll and the beautiful Botanical Garden, which accommodates a large variety of exotic and domestic plants, is just a minute's walk away. The university can easily be reached by car or public transport (10-15 min from the city center). Its concept of a university "under one roof" means that the various departments of all disciplines (medicine, natural sciences, mathematics and economics, engineering and computer science) are accommodated in only two major buildings which are just a few hundred feet apart. This particular feature not only saves time but also facilitates interaction between the different scientific disciplines.

  
^{University main building                         Learning environment                Inner courtyard of University}

Over the years the university has served as a nucleus for the foundation of a variety of public and industrial research and development centers, as well as three major hospitals - jointly referred to as "The Science City". This rapidly growing community now consists of several specialized research institutes like the Institute for Laser Technologies in Medicine and Measurement or the Solar and Hydrogen Energy Research Institute, just to name a few. Many small start-up companies as well as major research facilities of world-famous companies like Daimler-Chrysler, Siemens or Nokia are also based there. This close proximity of academic and industrial R&D is designed to improve interaction between industrial needs on the one hand and academic teaching and research on the other. 

^{Aerial view of the University campus and the Science City}