Haus der Stadtgeschichte

The Haus der Stadtgeschichte is Ulm's main archive, the place where the city keeps its memory. It ranks among the oldest of its kind in Germany. Its home is the Schwörhaus, a municipal building raised in 1613 as a statement of civic power.

Inside, a permanent exhibition follows that history from its beginnings to the present day. Behind the scenes, the shelves hold more than six thousand metres of files and over ten thousand medieval documents. A unique collection of Gothic architectural drawings sits among them. Around 150,000 photographs and 450,000 negatives add a visual record of the city. Staff here evaluate and preserve documents of lasting value, and they make them available for research and public interest. The archive also publishes on local and regional history, and it offers scholars its resources and expertise. Renovated in 2007, the building doubles as a cultural and educational centre. Guided tours, workshops and interactive exhibitions make the past engaging whether you come as a student or just out of curiosity.

The Schwörhaus carries a ceremonial role as well. On Schwörmontag, a celebration that reaches back to the Middle Ages, the house returns to the centre of Ulm's cultural life. The tradition is older than the walls that hold it.