Esslingen's medieval town walls survive in remarkably good condition, encircling much of the historic core. The circuit includes a series of round and rectangular towers at regular intervals, several of which are intact to their full height. The walls were constructed over several centuries, with the earliest sections dating to the 12th century and the final additions made in the 15th.
The best-preserved stretch runs along the south and east sides of the old town, where the walls drop steeply down to the Neckar. Several towers have been converted into residential or commercial use, a common fate for redundant fortifications in prosperous German towns. Walking the perimeter of the old town, with the walls on one side and the half-timbered houses on the other, takes about 45 minutes and gives a good sense of just how intact Esslingen's medieval fabric remains.