Weil der Stadt: Kepler, Old Town and Fasnet
Accommodation in Weil der Stadt
The Kepler Museum, Planet Trail, half-timbered old town and Fasnet offer different highlights in Weil der Stadt: science can be explored as a theme for an outdoor excursion as well as through exhibitions, while the old town and carnival bring local history and customs to life. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on outdoor activity, astronomy or urban history.
File:Marktplatz, Rathaus, Keplerdenkmal Weil der Stadt 20220625 0018.jpg
Photo: Tilman2007 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Planet Trail: discover the solar system on the move
The Kepler Society created the Planet Trail in spring 2012 together with the town of Weil der Stadt, following a scenic hiking route in the northern Würm Valley. The information boards about the Sun and the inner rocky planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are within the municipal area of Weil der Stadt. Further boards extend into named districts and a neighboring municipality. The trail is 10.1 kilometers long; walking time, not including breaks, is about 2¾ hours. Its endpoint at Neptune is in the neighboring municipality of Tiefenbronn.
The route length and approximate walking time, excluding breaks, give you a concrete basis for planning your day. You can also explore the Planet Trail by bicycle. This lets you choose between a longer hike and a cycling trip without changing the subject: along the route, the trail conveys the scale of the solar system.
Kepler, the town chronicle and carnival
The Kepler Museum is located in the birthplace of astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571–1630). Some of his major works are on display, mostly in original editions. Modern presentation techniques, computer simulations and video screenings explain scientific fundamentals. Historical works and engaging ways of presenting them offer different approaches to Kepler’s subjects.
The Weil der Stadt Town Museum presents the town’s history as an immersive chronicle, with 15 rooms spread across three floors. It is located in the former Schützhaus on the market square. The ground floor focuses on the political history of the imperial city of Weil: the exhibition spans the Middle Ages through to the end of its status as an imperial free city in 1802. This offers a clearly defined historical period in which to explore the town’s history.
The Carnival Museum explores the Weiler Fasnet and its cultural roots. The museum explains why Weil der Stadt has been considered a stronghold of fools since the 17th century, and how Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht blended with Rhenish-Franconian carnival. Life-size figures illustrate the different groups of the Weiler Fasnet. Meisterin Eva’s Puppet Room displays more than sixty hand puppets from the Hohnstein Puppet Theatre. There, the carnival guild “Weiler Clowns” regularly performs plays written by Rudolf Karl himself. Check the current program before visiting.
Old town and living Fasnet traditions
In the historic old town, narrow lanes and attractive half-timbered houses cluster around the Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul. The townscape complements the museum visits by offering a sense of the historic urban landscape. Visitors can also experience Weil der Stadt’s long-standing Fasnet traditions, another way to discover local culture.
When choosing a holiday apartment, your preferred focus for the trip can be a helpful starting point: a long day on the Planet Trail offers a different experience from an itinerary centered on the Kepler Museum, Town Museum, Carnival Museum and old town. Those who want to explore several cultural themes will find not only town history but also local customs and historic architecture; those who want to spend time outdoors can explore the Planet Trail on foot or by bicycle.
More trails in the wider Böblingen destination
The wider Böblingen destination offers more hiking trails of varying lengths and themes. The 13.7-kilometer Herzog-Jäger Trail in Waldenbuch is a premium hiking route with numerous highlights and interactive stations. The 23-kilometer Heckengäu Adventure Trail runs around Aidlingen and features a soil education trail, sensory area and low ropes course. The Böblingen Forest Adventure Trail in Böblingen’s municipal forest is 4.5 kilometers long and has 14 stations.
The approximately 65-kilometer main route of the SCULPTOURA also offers a different perspective: it runs from Waldenbuch via Weil der Stadt to Leonberg and combines nature, art and activity. Compared with the 10.1-kilometer Planet Trail, it is a considerably longer regional route. These examples help you distinguish between a single trail in Weil der Stadt and other hiking options across the Böblingen destination.
Discover more destinations
Schafhausen, Hausen an der Würm, Aidlingen, Waldenbuch, Sindelfingen, Bondorf, Nufringen, Steinenbronn
Back to the wider travel overview: Böblingen.
