Ettenheim: Baroque History, Gardens and Discoveries
Accommodation in Ettenheim
Discover the town’s Baroque history
Ettenheim tells the story of a profound new beginning: after being almost completely destroyed in 1637, the town was rebuilt in the Baroque style. This history gives the town a distinctive cultural focus. If you enjoy exploring historic townscapes and the stories behind them when you travel, you can choose Ettenheim as a destination for these discoveries—and look for a holiday apartment in town if you want the town itself to be at the heart of your stay.
The Prinzengarten is a striking place to start. This historic garden was laid out in the Baroque style and lies in front of the western town gate; it is enclosed by a sandstone wall. The garden and the town’s fortifications are thus linked in a specific setting. Those interested in historic gardens will find a different way to explore Ettenheim’s history here than in a museum: in one case, the garden layout and wall shape the experience; in the other, it is the exhibits.
History, Art and Music
The Ettenheim Museum is located in the vaulted cellar of the House of Associations. It displays exhibits, archaeological finds and documents relating to the town’s history. These different types of objects offer several perspectives on Ettenheim: objects and finds are displayed alongside written documents. The museum is therefore a worthwhile activity for anyone who wants to learn more about the town’s history.
Music is another cultural experience on offer: organ demonstrations take place in Ettenheim on the Ferdinand Stieffell organ at St. Bartholomew’s Church. For visitors with a particular interest in church music, this is another way to discover the town’s cultural character. These demonstrations are distinct from the historical exhibitions and activities for exploring the town.
For an exploration at your own pace, the free Actionbound app takes you through Ettenheim with 15 stops. The starting point is in front of the town hall. The set number of stops gives the digital town tour a clear structure; especially when travelling with children, an activity with individual stops can offer a welcome change from a museum visit, without requiring any particular interest.
Walking Routes and Guided Tours
The official walking routes combine nature, history and art. Among other places, they take you through the historic old town, to the Meierberg nature trail and to the Riegger fishponds. When planning, you can choose according to your preferred focus: town history, nature or a route to the fishponds. The Kaiserberg Tour starts in Ettenheim’s old town at the Prinzengarten, giving it a clearly defined starting point.
If you would rather explore Ettenheim with a guide, there are two formats to choose from. Public town tours are offered on Fridays from May to October; the meeting point is the town hall or the Tourist Information office. Private group tours can be booked individually in German, English and French and last about an hour and a half. The duration of around an hour and a half applies to these group tours. When choosing a holiday apartment in Ettenheim, you can consider whether you would like to spend your stay mainly walking, joining a guided tour or visiting individual cultural attractions.
A Glimpse into Winegrowing
The Jäger family of winegrowers’ Wine Museum offers another perspective. It displays historical exhibits relating to work in winegrowing and includes a working home distillery with parts more than 100 years old. The museum therefore complements the town’s history with insights into winegrowing and distilling. Together with the Ettenheim Museum, it offers two distinct cultural themes for a stay: the history of the town and historic work in winegrowing.
You can discover other places through the pages for Kippenheim, Kappel-Grafenhausen, Neuried, Gengenbach, Friesenheim, Rust, Seelbach and Mühlenbach.
For the broader travel overview: Ortenau District.
