Herrenberg

In Herrenberg, medieval architecture, bell history and public art come together. You can focus your visit on the collegiate church or combine several discoveries: the Jerg Ratgeb Sculpture Trail leads from the railway station through the historic old town, past the church and up to the castle hill. If you are interested in half-timbered houses, the old town also has its own trail with 24 stops.

Collegiate Church and Bell Museum

The collegiate church was built in two phases: from 1276 to 1293 and from 1471 to 1493. It is considered the first completed Gothic hall church in Württemberg. Its distinctive features include the oldest rose window in Swabia. The choir contains choir stalls created by Heinrich Schickhardt in 1517.

The Herrenberg Bell Museum is also housed in the collegiate church. Its collection includes bells from nine centuries. The large bell chamber contains more than 30 bells that can be rung and a 50-note carillon. On your visit, you can therefore explore various aspects of bell culture, from historic collection pieces to an instrument with many voices. The church makes a good focal point for planning your trip if you want to combine architecture, decorative arts and bell history.

Old Town, Sculpture Trail and Views

The half-timbered house trail offers a different focus. At 24 stops, you can learn more about the history and construction of the houses in Herrenberg’s old town. The stops make the buildings themselves the subject and complement a visit to the collegiate church with a closer look at how people built and lived in earlier times.

The Jerg Ratgeb Sculpture Trail connects several stops along its route: it begins at the railway station, passes through the historic old town and by the collegiate church, and continues to the castle hill. There are 25 works along the way to the castle hill observation tower. The tower stands on the stump of the former powder tower; from the top, the view extends to the Swabian Jura. This lets you complement your exploration of sculpture and local history with a viewpoint. When choosing a holiday apartment in Herrenberg, you can use these different interests to help plan your days without limiting your visit to a single theme.

Art and Cultural Events

The Herrenberg City Gallery presents contemporary art in the fields of painting, graphic art, photography and sculpture. Its wide-ranging programme offers several ways to engage with art, from paintings and prints to photographic and three-dimensional works. Classical music enthusiasts can find concerts in the programmes of the music school and Herrenberg’s church musicians.

Festivals also shape the city’s cultural life at different times of year: the “Sommerfarben” cultural festival takes place every year in early July and involves numerous cultural organisations from the city. The “Jazzin’ Herrenberg” jazz festival takes place in spring. In summer, the “Feschtiiwaal” rock and pop festival is aimed primarily at a younger audience. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, take its season into account when choosing your dates; the three events each have different musical and cultural focuses.

Discover More Places

Kuppingen is another place in the municipality of Herrenberg to include in your plans: Kuppingen. For more ideas, explore Leonberg, Merklingen, Weissach, Böblingen, Ehningen, Gäufelden and Nufringen.

Back to the broader travel guide: Böblingen.