The Donauquelle, the symbolic source of the Danube, lies in the park of the Fürstenberg Palace in the centre of Donaueschingen, just behind the Church of St John. It takes the form of a round stone pool of clear spring water, enclosed by a wrought-iron railing and surrounded by allegorical sculptures designed by Adolf Heer in 1895. The composition shows the Baar, the limestone plateau on which the town sits, as a mother figure pointing the young Danube on her way to the sea. The water itself feeds a small stream called the Donaubach, which runs underground through the park and emerges near the so-called Danube Temple before joining the Brigach a short distance away. It is a modest, almost intimate sight, and that is precisely the charm of it.

The site has been considered the source of the Danube since Roman times, though the title has been the subject of one of the more unusual geographical disputes in Europe. Hydrologically, the longer and higher of the two streams that form the Danube is the Breg, which rises near Furtwangen in the Black Forest, about forty kilometres to the northwest. For decades, Furtwangen and Donaueschingen contested the right to call themselves the river’s birthplace, until in 1981 the state government of Baden-Württemberg formally recognised Donaueschingen’s pool as the official Donauquelle. Furtwangen is often described today as the scientific source, while Donaueschingen holds the symbolic one — and for travellers, it is the symbolic source that has the statues, the park, and the history.

A short walk east of the town centre, the two small rivers Brigach and Breg finally meet in a quiet meadow, and from that confluence the river is called the Danube for the first time. The spot is marked but deliberately understated, with paths along both banks that make it easy to reach by foot or by bike. There is a German rhyme that locals still repeat to children, Brigach und Breg bringen die Donau zuweg — Brigach and Breg bring forth the Danube — and standing at the meeting of the two streams it is hard not to feel the weight of what begins there. From this point the river flows almost 2,800 kilometres east through ten countries to the Black Sea.

The town around the source is shaped above all by the House of Fürstenberg, one of the great noble families of southwestern Germany. In 1723, Prince Joseph Wilhelm Ernst moved his court here and laid the foundation for the Baroque residence that still stands today. The present appearance of the palace dates largely from a thorough rebuilding between 1892 and 1896 under Prince Karl Egon IV, who gave the façade its central projection and dome in a French Baroque Revival style. The palace remains in private ownership and is still inhabited by members of the family, though parts of it can be visited on guided tours during the warmer months, alongside the Princely Fürstenberg Collections of art and historical furnishings.

Beyond the source and the palace, Donaueschingen is also known for a few cultural traditions that punctuate its quiet year. The Donaueschinger Musiktage, held every October since 1921, is one of the oldest and most respected festivals of contemporary classical music in the world and draws composers and audiences from across Europe. In late summer, the CHI Donaueschingen international equestrian tournament brings a very different kind of crowd to the parklands around the palace. The Fürstenberg Brewery, with roots reaching back to 1283, still produces beer in the town and operates a tavern within walking distance of the source, which makes for a fitting place to raise a glass either at the beginning or the end of a long ride along the Danube.

Donaueschingen’s main station is small but sits within easy reach of the town centre, with the Fürstenberg Palace, the park, and the Donauquelle all a short ride away. Cycling infrastructure in the town is generally good, and the flat terrain makes moving between the station, the park, and the source straightforward.