Merklingen

Merklingen offers several different reasons to visit: a bakehouse that combines traditional baking culture with modern facilities, a church with a high altar from the Ulm School, and two cycling loops that pass through the town. There is also the “Merklinger Nudel,” which originated in the bakehouse. Depending on your interests, you can discover Merklingen through its local food culture, history or a longer bike ride.

The Bakehouse and the Merklinger Nudel

The “Merklinger Nudel” originated in Merklingen’s bakehouse. Its name therefore refers to a specific part of the local baking culture. The bakehouse is in the town center and combines traditional baking culture with modern facilities and opportunities to get together. This gives your trip a distinctive local connection: both the noodle and the bakehouse are part of Merklingen’s culinary character.

The bakehouse rooms can be rented by individuals, associations, businesses and groups. They can be used separately or in combination. This option is therefore suited to different kinds of communities and gatherings. If you are interested in a town’s social and culinary life, the bakehouse offers another facet alongside its historic sights and cycling routes.

Church History and the Former Linen Weaving Industry

The Church of the Three Kings in Merklingen was built in 1452. Its high altar is from the Ulm School and dates to 1510. The two dates refer to different parts of the church: 1452 to its construction and 1510 to the high altar. Visitors interested in church art and the town’s history will find a tangible link to the past here.

The Bleichhäusle commemorates another aspect of the town’s history. It represents Merklingen’s former linen weaving industry, which, with more than 100 looms, was one of its more significant sources of employment. The church and the Bleichhäusle thus point to different themes: the town’s religious and artistic heritage on the one hand, and its former textile trade on the other. If you are planning a culture-focused stay, you can explore both as distinct parts of Merklingen.

Two Cycling Loops Through Merklingen

If you would like to include Merklingen in a longer bike ride, you can compare the details of two circular routes. Tour 1 is 45 kilometers long and runs from Laichingen via Aufhausen, Nellingen and Merklingen, returning to Laichingen. Tour 4 covers 51 kilometers; it runs from Westerheim via the Filsquelle, Merklingen and Laichingen, returning to Westerheim.

Both routes pass through Merklingen, but differ in length and course. Tour 1 starts and ends in Laichingen; Tour 4 starts and ends in Westerheim and also lists the Filsquelle as a stop along the way. Tour 4 is six kilometers longer than Tour 1. These route details can help you choose a loop based on the overall distance you want to cover and the places listed. The distance alone is no substitute for assessing the route for yourself: when planning your day, take the full length of the chosen loop into account.

Another Special Feature

A model railway in Merklingen is described as “Europe’s most beautiful model railway.” This makes it another of the town’s special features, alongside the bakehouse, church and Bleichhäusle. If you are traveling with your family and want to take different interests into account, you can treat these themes as different ideas for planning your trip rather than reducing Merklingen to a single attraction.

Discover More Places

Other places to discover include Öpfingen, Börslingen, Langenau, Blaustein, Bernstadt, Öllingen, Rammingen and Staig.

For the overview of the wider area: Alb-Donau District.