Tübingen is unique. And also a bit difficult to categorize.
Tübingen is often described as "provincial". It's off the beaten path, alright, and most folks who live here like it that way. Yet Tübingen is in the heart of Europe practically equidistant from Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Paris, and Rome.
And Tübingen is one of the few remaining medieval cities in Germany. People stroll along the cobblestone streets, dropping into quaint shops and taverns for shopping or small-talk with friends. The quiet Neckar River flows gently through the town, and swans glide serenely through the shadows beneath the overarching branches.
Yet Tübingen is home to one of the world's outstanding universities. Twenty-five thousand students and professors are engaged in the exciting and challenging pursuit of excellence in scholarly research and in professional preparation and service. There is always something "on" in Tübingen.
The local stock, the Schwabian Germans, are an affable and "easy to get along with" folk, especially if you're inclined to learn their Swabian dialect! The University of Tübingen is deeply interwoven into Swabian culture and tradition. Yet Tübingen has the "air" of an international community: students, professors and researchers from around the world are gathered here, and the many cultures and traditions create an ambience that is distinctive and unique.
So Tübingen is not quite the medieval idyll depicted on picture postcards. But neither is it as hectic and fast-paced as most modern cities. Life is a bit slower, and the air is full of the flavors people like to associate with southern Germany: great beers and regional wines, quaint taverns and inns with hearty, robust meals, warm conversation and jolly and congenial German folk. There's a castle on a hill, and a venerable university that has been home to the likes of Kepler, Hegel, and Hölderlin.
Like anywhere else, Tübingen has its good points and its bad points. It's a good place to study. The pace of academic life is not so quickly, that means there will be time to do some things you've really wanted to do! Time to develop that thesis or pet project that your regular studies have prevented. Time to do some traveling and skiing and hiking. Time to meet some great new friends and make that cycling trip through Europe.
On the other hand, not everything in Tübingen is perfect. It's hard to get a tan in Tübingen, and it's difficult to find a parking place and peanut butter. But Tübingen is a good place to relax and to study and to challenge yourself. It's a good place to walk in the woods, to climb some hills, and to learn Hochdeutsch .
Tübingen is a blend of the old and the new, the urban and the rural, the academic and the idyllic. It's a good place to live and study for a year, and we believe you'll find the experience rewarding.
If you've already made the decision to come to Tübingen, "Herzlich Willkommen!"
If you're still thinking about it, "Entscheide Dich für einen Tübinger Austausch!" , and contact the International Office at your University.
We're looking forward to seeing you!
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Glossary |
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On the Origin of the Place Name Tübingen |