Offenburg between urban history and nature

Discover urban history and culture

More than 10,000 objects at the Museum im Ritterhaus tell the story of archaeology and urban history. Exhibits include archaeological finds and historical records of the city from the Middle Ages to the present day. The “Forest, Land, River” section adds a natural-history perspective on the region, with exhibits from the Ortenau’s natural and geological history. Designed as a family museum, it offers children more than 60 educational courses to choose from, and they can also celebrate their birthday there. Temporary exhibitions and an events program expand the museum’s offerings.

The Salmen brings together two important chapters in Offenburg’s history. Its permanent exhibition explains the context surrounding the proclamation of the “13 Demands of the People” on 12 September 1847. A second exhibition room in the front building tells the story of Offenburg’s Jewish community: from the pre-war period through persecution and annihilation during the Second World War to Jewish life in Offenburg today. The restored Salmen is considered one of the cradles of German democracy.

The Kulturforum also showcases Offenburg’s cultural life. On Platz der Verfassungsfreunde stands the 20 m-high aluminum sculpture “Freedom – Male/Female” by American artist Jonathan Borofsky. It recalls the city’s important role in the German democracy movement. The site of a former parade ground is also home to the municipal library, music school, art school, adult education center and Reithalle. Those interested in the city’s older history can learn about it on a two-hour tour through underground Offenburg, visiting four typical vaulted cellars; the cellars date back to the Middle Ages.

Water, forest and trails

The 19 ha Lake Gifiz includes the designated Gifiz lido. Visitors can hire boats, row, swim, sail and surf there. The options range from activities on the water to swimming. If you’d like to include experiences like these in your stay, you can take Lake Gifiz into account when choosing the kind of trip you want.

For outdoor activities on land, the urban forest has hiking and cycling trails, as well as fitness and educational trails. A longer route is the Gustav-Weg, a circular trail of just under 48 kilometers that connects Offenburg’s city center with its eleven districts. Along the way, it passes through three types of landscape: the fertile Ried, the foothills with their many viewpoints, and the Black Forest with its quiet trails. The See-Wiesen-Ried tour is easy to cycle, mostly flat and family-friendly. You can choose between a circular route through varied landscapes and a tour described as easy.

The woodland areas also differ in location and size. The floodplain forest lies to the west and northwest of Offenburg and covers 1,569.6 ha. The 625.7 ha mountain forest is located in the Black Forest foothills at an elevation of 170 to 680 m. If nature and trails are the main focus of your trip, you’ll find different landscapes to include in your holiday plans.

Getting here and finding your way

Offenburg is on the Hamburg–Basel ICE route and the Offenburg–Paris TGV route. The centrally located station makes the city center easy to reach on foot; opposite it is the central bus station, with connections to the urban bus service and regional routes. For visitors planning to travel by train and bus, these are useful reference points when choosing where to stay.

Free guided city tours are offered on Saturday mornings from March to October, with additional Wednesday evening tours from early June to early September. Depending on when you travel, you can include a guided introduction to the city’s history in your plans.

More places to discover: Seelbach, Ringsheim, Kappel-Grafenhausen, Ortenberg, Ohlsbach, Seebach, Fischerbach and Hornberg.

For the broader travel overview: Ortenaukreis.