Editing Aalen (section)

=== Buildings ===
==== Churches ====
[[File:Johanneskirche Aalen.jpg|thumb|St. John's Church]]
[[File:St. Stephanus, Wasseralfingen.jpg|thumb|upright|St. Stephen's Church, Wasseralfingen]]
The town centre is dominated by the Evangelical-Lutheran [[Saint Nicholas|St. Nicholas']] Church in the heart of the pedestrian area. The church, in its present shape being built between 1765 and 1767, is the only major [[Rococo|Late Baroque]] building in Aalen and is the main church of the Evangelical-Lutheran parish of Aalen.

''St. John's Church'' is located inside of St. John's cemetery in the western centre. The building presumably is from the 9th century and thus is one of Württemberg's oldest existing churches. The interior features [[fresco]]s from the early 13th century.

For other churches in Aalen, see the [[#Religions|Religions]] section.

==== Historic Town Hall with "Spy" ====
[[File:Spionturm Aalen.jpg|thumb|upright|"Spy's Tower"]]
The Historic Town Hall was originally built in the 14th century. After the fire of 1634, it was re-constructed in 1636. This building received a clock from Lauterburg,<ref name="bauer82"/> and the Imperial City of [[Nuremberg]] donated a [[Carillon]]. It features a figurine of the "Spy of Aalen" and historically displayed other figurines, however the latter ones were lost by a fire in 1884. Since then, the Spy resides inside the reconstructed tower and has become a symbol of the town. The building was used as the town hall until 1907. Since 1977, the Geological-Paleontological Museum resides in the Historic Town Hall.<ref name="Citybummel">{{harvnb|City of Aalen|2013r}}</ref>

According to legend, the citizens of Aalen owe the "Spy of Aalen" ''(Spion von Aalen)'' their town having been spared from destruction by the emperor's army:

<blockquote>The Imperial City of Aalen was once in quarrel with the emperor, and his army was shortly before the gates to take the town. The people of Aalen got scared and thus dispatched their "most cunning" one out into the enemy's camp to spy out the strength of their troops. Without any digression, he went straight into the middle of the enemy camp, which inescapably led to him being seized and presented to the emperor. When the emperor asked him what he had lost here, he answered in [[Swabian German]]: "Don't frighten, high lords, I just want to peek how many cannons and other war things you've got, since I am the spy of Aalen". The emperor laughed upon such a blatancy and ''acted'' naïvety, steered him all through the camp and then sent him back home. Soon the emperor withdrew with his army as he thought a town such ''wise guys'' reside in deserved being spared.<ref>{{harvnb|Meier|2013|p=368}}</ref></blockquote>

==== Old Town Hall ====
The earliest record of the Old Town Hall was in 1575. Its outside wall features the oldest known coat of arms, which is of 1664. Until 1851, the building also housed the ''Krone-Post'' hotel, which coincided with being a station of the [[Thurn-und-Taxis-Post|Thurn und Taxis postal company]]. It has housed many notable persons. Thus the so-called "Napoleon Window" with its "N" painted on reminds of the stay of French emperor [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] in 1805. According to legend, he rammed his head so hard it bled on this window, when he was startled by the noise of his soldiers ridiculing the "Spy of Aalen".<ref name="bauer145"/> The building was used as Aalen's town hall from 1907 until 1975. Today it houses a cabaret café and the stage of the Theatre of the Town of Aalen. The town has adopted the ''Wischau Linguistic Enclave Society'' due to their godparenthood and stores their traditional costumes in the building.

==== Bürgerspital ====
The ''Bürgerspital'' ("Civic Asylum") is a [[Timber framing|timber-frame]] house erected on ''Spritzenhausplatz'' ("Fire Engine House Square") in 1702. Until 1873, it was used as civic hospital, then, later as a retirement home. After a comprehensive renovation in 1980 it was turned into a senior citizen's community centre.<ref name="Citybummel"/>

==== Limes-Thermen ====
On a slope of the ''Langert'' mountain, south of the town, the ''Limes-Thermen'' ("Limes [[Thermae]]") [[hot spring]]s are located. They were built in ancient Roman style and opened in 1985. The health spa is supplied with water about {{convert|34|to|36|C|F}}.

==== Market square ====
The market square is the historic hub of Aalen and runs along about {{convert|150|m|ft}} from the town hall in the south to the Historic Town Hall and the Old Town Hall in the north, where it empties into ''Radgasse'' alley. Since 1809, it is site of the weekly market on Wednesday and Saturday. About {{convert|10|m|ft}} in front of the ''Reichsstädter Brunnen'' fountain at the town hall, the coats of arms of Aalen, its twinned cities and of the Wischau linguistic enclave are paved into the street as mosaic.

===== Market fountain =====
[[File:Marktbrunnen Aalen.jpg|thumb|Statue depicting [[Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph&nbsp;I]] at the market fountain]]
In 1705, for the water supply of Aalen a well casing was erected at the northern point of the market square, in front of the Historic Town Hall. It was a present of duke [[Eberhard Louis, Duke of Württemberg|Eberhard Louis]]. The fountain bore a statue of emperor [[Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph&nbsp;I.]], who was enthroned in 1705 and in 1707 renewed Aalen's Imperial City privileges.<ref name="bauer82"/> The fountain was supplied via a wooden pipe. Excessive water was dissipated through ditches branched from Kocher river. When in the early 1870s Aalen's water network was constructed, the fountain was replaced by a smaller fountain about {{convert|100|m|ft}} distant. In 1975, the old market fountain was re-erected in baroque style. It bears a replica of the emperor's statue, with the original statue exhibited in the new town hall's lobby. The [[cast iron]] casing plates depict the 1718 coat of arms of the Duchy of Württemberg and the coats of arms of Aalen and of the merged municipalities.

===== Reichsstädter Brunnen =====
The ''Reichsstädter Brunnen'' fountain ("Imperial Civic Fountain") is located in front of the town hall at the southern point of the market square. It was created by sculptor [[Fritz Nuss]] in 1977 to commemorate Aalen's time as an Imperial City (1360–1803). On its circumference is a [[frieze]] showing bronze figurines illustrating the town's history.<ref name="Citybummel"/>

==== Radgasse ====
The ''Radgasse'' ("Wheel Alley") features Aalen's oldest façade. Originally a small pond was on its side. The buildings were erected between 1659 and 1662 for peasants with citizenry privileges and renovated in the mid-1980s. The namesake for the alley was the "Wheel" tavern, which was to be found at the site of today's address ''Radgasse 15''.<ref name="Citybummel"/>

==== Tiefer Stollen ====
[[File:Eingang Besucherbergwerk Tiefer Stollen heute.JPG|thumb|''Tiefer Stollen'' tourist mine]]
The former iron ore pit ''Wilhelm'' at Braunenberg hill was converted into the ''Tiefer Stollen'' tourist mine in order to remind of the old-day miners' efforts and to maintain it as a memorial of early industrialisation in the Aalen area. It has a mining museum open for visitors, and a [[mine railway]] takes visitors deep into the mountain. The Town of Aalen, a sponsorship association, and many citizens volunteered several thousand hours of labour to put the mine into its current state. As far as possible, things were left in the original state. In 1989, a sanitary gallery was established where respiratory diseases are treated within rest cures.{{clarify|date=April 2013}} Thus the Aalen village of Röthard, where the gallery is located, was awarded the title of "Place with sanitary gallery service" in 2004.<ref>{{harvnb|Pfeifle|2004}}</ref>

==== Observatory ====
The Aalen Observatory was built in 1969 as school observatory for the Schubart [[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]]. In 2001, it was converted to a public observatory. Since then, it has been managed by the ''Astronomische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Aalen'' ("Aalen Astronomical Society"). It is located on Schillerhöhe hill and features two [[refractive telescope]]s. They were manufactured by [[Carl Zeiss AG]] which has its headquarters in nearby Oberkochen and operates a manufacturing works in Aalen ([[#Economy and infrastructure|see below]]). In the observatory, guided tours and lectures are held regularly.

==== Windpark Waldhausen ====
[[File:Windrad Waldhausen 02.JPG|thumb|Wind turbine at Windpark Waldhausen]]
The ''Windpark Waldhausen'' [[wind farm]] began operations in early 2007. It consists of seven [[REpower]] MM92 wind turbines with a [[nameplate capacity]] of 2 MW each.<ref name="windpark_waldhausen">{{harvnb|Windpark Waldhausen|2013}}</ref> The hub height of each wind turbine is {{convert|100|m|ft}}, with a rotor diameter of {{convert|92|m|ft}}.

==== Aalbäumle observation tower ====
[[File:Aalbäumle.jpg|thumb|upright|''Aalbäumle'' observation tower]]
The {{convert|26|m|ft}} tall ''Aalbäumle'' observation tower is built atop ''Langert'' mountain. This popular hiking destination was built in 1898 and was remodelled in 1992. It features a good view over Aalen and the Welland region, up to the Rosenstein mountain and Ellwangen. Beneath the tower, an adventure playground and a cabin is located. A flag on the tower signals whether the cabin's restaurant is open.