Emmendingen: Discover castles, wine and trails

Castles, museums and the history of Emmendingen

Hochburg is one of the largest castle complexes in Baden. It was first mentioned in writing in 1161. The Association for the Preservation of Hochburg Ruins operates a museum there and offers guided tours. Kastelburg tells a different story: it was first mentioned by name in 1289 as the place where a document issued by the Lords of Schwarzenberg was displayed. The design of its keep suggests it was built around the middle of the 13th century. Those interested in castles can therefore explore two different historical dates and accounts.

Several museums in Emmendingen focus on different subjects. The Hirsmüller Photography Museum presents the company and family history of Emmendingen’s Hirsmüller photography store from 1861 to 1993. The Psychiatry Museum at the Center for Psychiatry uses historical photographs, documents and medical equipment to show the living, housing and treatment conditions of earlier times. The exhibitions therefore have distinct focuses: the history of a photography store in one, and the development of living and treatment conditions in the other.

The Leonhardt property is located on the market square and is the oldest surviving farmhouse belonging to a farming family in Emmendingen. The ensemble includes the main house, the “Old Butcher’s Shop,” the “Storehouse” and a barn; it is a cultural monument. Courtyard concerts under the direction of Frank Goos are held regularly in the inner courtyard. Another event combines history and exercise: the costumed walking tour “Cornelia Schlosser” leads visitors through Emmendingen and portrays Cornelia Schlosser, the younger sister of Johann Wolfgang Goethe, as a historical figure. If you prefer music to storytelling, free pavilion concerts are also held in the municipal garden every Sunday in July from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Hiking, cycling and winter days

The district as a whole has 900 kilometers of cycling and hiking paths, including 250 kilometers of signposted routes. This gives cycling visitors a concrete sense of the options available when looking for suitable tours, though it does not indicate any specific route or level of difficulty. Hiking is also well served, with an extensive network of 800 kilometers of trails and hiking tours. In Emmendingen, the Tourist Information Office and the Emmendingen branch of the Black Forest Association have signposted five circular hiking trails.

Families with children can also consider the family-friendly tours in the Elz and Simonswald valleys; they are often suitable for strollers, too. Winter activities take center stage on the Kandel, the highest mountain in the Emmendingen district at 1,242 meters: options include downhill ski slopes, cross-country trails, a snowboard fun park, toboggan runs and snowshoeing. This makes the area’s winter offerings quite distinct from its circular hiking and cycling routes.

Wine-growing and regional events

Wine-growing in the Emmendingen district is part of the Kaiserstuhl and Breisgau wine-growing areas and covers around 2,300 hectares. A special date for wine enthusiasts is the Breisgau Wine Festival, held every year on the third weekend in August in Emmendingen’s old town. More than 15 Breisgau winegrowers’ cooperatives and wineries showcase local wines, sparkling wines and new creations there. If you would like to combine your trip with regional wine culture, this weekend is a clear reference point for planning your dates.

More local pages: Bahlingen, Freiamt, Rheinhausen, Biederbach, Vörstetten, Endingen am Kaiserstuhl, Riegel Am Kaiserstuhl, Teningen, Sasbach Am Kaiserstuhl, Winden Im Elztal, Weisweil, Wyhl Am Kaiserstuhl, Simonswald, Waldkirch, Sexau, Malterdingen, Kenzingen, Herbolzheim, Gutach Im Breisgau, Emmendingen, Forchheim, Denzlingen and Elzach.

For the broader travel overview: Baden-Württemberg.