Pförring: Roman history, heritage trail and basilica

Roman traces and the heritage trail

The heritage trail is 19 kilometres long and leads through the market town’s medieval and Roman past. Its length makes it a distinct activity with a clearly defined historical focus. The Celeusum fort is also one of the market town’s most important historical monuments; it was opened to tourism in 2009.

A small selection of Roman finds is on display in the entrance area of Pförring Town Hall. These include clay vessels and bronze spoons. Those interested in the Roman past can encounter it both as the subject of the heritage trail and through tangible objects. These are two different ways of experiencing history: a longer route and a small display in the town hall.

Basilica and exhibition in the market tower

The parish church of St. Leonhard is a Romanesque, three-aisled basilica with two eastern towers. It was built around 1180 and dedicated to St. Leonhard at that time. Its construction date and dedication give the building a specific place in Pförring’s history; its three-aisled layout and two eastern towers define its architectural character.

The exhibition of the Kleinhäusler family is housed in the market tower. Visits must be arranged by appointment with Pförring Town Hall. Visitors are expected to organise themselves into a group; individual visits are only possible in special cases. Arrange your visit in advance with the town hall. This allows you to include the exhibition in your plans while keeping its visiting conditions in mind.

A nature feature nearby

Those wishing to explore a geological feature as well as historical sites will find the Kelsbach spring near Ettling in the surrounding area. It is a large spring basin fed by several inflows. Most of the springs there are typical karst pool springs; their water comes from greater depths. The spring and nearby ruin are on private property, and permission is required to visit. If you plan to visit the spring, arrange permission beforehand.

More to explore in the wider Eichstätt destination

The wider Eichstätt destination also offers its own historical and natural-history highlights. The Jura Museum Eichstätt focuses its exhibition on fossils from the Solnhofen Plattenkalk limestone; it also displays the original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx. In Eichstätt itself stands Willibaldsburg Castle, built in 1355 by Bishop Berthold Burggraf von Zollern. It served as the bishop’s residence until 1725. Among the features that remain of the 420-metre-long castle are walls and bastions, the armoury, the 63-metre-long gate hall and the Gemmingen building with its two towers.

Willibaldsburg Castle in Eichstätt is also home to the 1,500-square-metre bastion garden. There, the Hortus Eystettensis, destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, was brought back to life after 400 years; visitors can discover many of the original plant species. Families may also enjoy the Eichstätt Fossil Trail, described as a moderately difficult, nine-kilometre circular route. By comparison, the Pförring heritage trail is 19 kilometres long; the moderate difficulty rating and family designation apply to the Fossil Trail.

Discover more destinations: Gaden bei Pförring, Denkendorf, Mindelstetten, Mörnsheim, Großmehring, Wellheim, Böhmfeld, Altmannstein.

View the overview of the wider destination: Eichstätt.