Kempten (Allgäu): Roman History, Churches and Cycle Paths

Kempten (Allgäu) combines visible Roman history, significant church interiors and a wide range of opportunities for cycling and nature experiences. Anyone planning a trip can choose between cultural and historical discoveries, independent exploration and excursions into the countryside. These different focuses can help you find the right holiday apartment as a base for planning your own days.

Experience Roman History and the History of the City

The Kempten Museum in the Zumsteinhaus presents the city’s history in detail, from Roman times to the present day, across eleven themed rooms. This provides an opportunity to learn about Kempten’s development in a coherent exhibition. The Archaeological Park Cambodunum offers a different approach to the Roman past. The open-air museum presents the archaeological remains of the former Roman city of Cambodunum in what is now the Kempten urban area.

At the Archaeological Park, you can see Roman remains in three visitor areas: the Gallo-Roman temple district, the Small Baths and the Forum with its basilica. The interactive circular trail with 15 activity stations and a virtual reality app allow you to explore the park independently. This combination of preserved traces, informative stations and digital interpretation is particularly interesting for a varied day focused on culture.

Church Art with Different Accents

St. Mang’s Church is Kempten’s oldest church and is now the city’s Evangelical Lutheran parish church. It was extended in the Gothic style from 1426 to 1428, during which time the tower was raised to its current height of 66 metres. The Basilica of St. Lorenz offers a different historical and artistic focus. It is regarded as the first major church built in southern Germany after the Thirty Years’ War.

The interior of the Basilica of St. Lorenz is particularly impressive, with elevated and partly fully sculptural stucco work by Giovanni Zuccalli. It also features stucco marble panels by a “Frau Stuckhatorin”, probably Barbara Hackl, as well as frescoes by Andreas Asper. Anyone interested in church interiors, architectural history and Baroque design will find specific details here that go beyond simply viewing the exterior.

Independent Exploration and Special Presentations

In the Erasmus Chapel exhibition space, the walls are presented through atmospheric lighting, projections and audio scenes. A multimedia show explores almost eight centuries of the city’s history. This experience complements traditional museum and church visits with a theatrical form of historical interpretation.

There are also various ways to spend time outside the historic buildings. Engelhalde Landscape Park is a restored gravel pit with a pond, wetland habitat, adventure playground and the largest bike park in the region. For an outing with children, the adventure playground provides a specific destination; anyone looking for physical activity can make the bike park a separate focus of the day’s plans.

Include Cycle Paths and Travel Options in Your Planning

The Iller Cycle Path and the Allgäu Cycle Path run through Kempten. There are also opportunities for cycling along the Iller, in the urban area and through the Allgäu countryside. When choosing accommodation, this allows you to consider whether cultural destinations or cycling tours should be the focus of your trip. The mix you want—museum visits, church art, parks and physical activity—is a useful basis for choosing your location, without requiring you to commit to a single type of traveller.

The “Kempten: In Kneipp’s Footsteps” tour is easily accessible by car and train. This may be particularly relevant to your plans if you want to organise your journey and individual days out in different ways. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Kempten (Allgäu), you should therefore first decide which experiences you want to include regularly: the Roman past, the churches and their art, the cycle paths or the natural attractions in the landscape park.

Compare More Destinations

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Kempten (Allgäu), you can find additional destinations here: Lauben, Wildpoldsried, Balderschwang, Haldenwang, Betzigau, Blaichach, Buchenberg and Oy-Mittelberg.

To the higher-level travel overview: Oberallgäu.