Brombachtal: Fountain Festival, history and circular trails

The Fountain Festival and history in Kirchbrombach

The village fountain, built in 1873, stands on Höhenstraße, on the way towards Böllstein. During the Fountain Festival, held on an evening in July each year, the street becomes a festival site. Guests gather over strawberry punch, beer, “Weck and Worscht” (bread rolls and sausage), and music. The fountain and the festival offer different points of interest: one is a structure that forms part of the local streetscape; the other turns the street into the setting for an evening spent together. If you want to plan your visit around the festival, check the exact date in advance.

The gallows stones on Galgenberg, between Kirchbrombach and Hembach, tell a different story. They are thought to be the remains of a wooden gallows with three beams, which belonged to the jurisdiction of the Zent Kirchbrombach. The oldest known record of the gallows is on a map dating from 1610. Public executions at the gallows on Galgenberg ceased in the mid-19th century. These dates connect an early cartographic record with the later end of this practice, giving this historical trace a specific timeframe.

Choose circular trails by starting point

The circular trails can first be sorted by their respective starting points. Circular Trail B 1 (Müllertsweg) begins in Birkert, B 3 (Panoramaweg) in Kirchbrombach, B 5 (Russeneiche Weg) in Langenbrombach, and B 6 (Höller Weg) in Hembach. The Eichelsrundweg and Circular Trail B 4 (Brombach-Weg) also start in Kirchbrombach. This means that three of the trails listed begin there; the others start in Birkert, Langenbrombach and Hembach. When planning your walks, you can start by choosing the starting point that best fits your day’s plans.

The XXL bench in Langenbrombach offers a scenic perspective, with panoramic views reaching into the Odenwald. This gives you a choice between different interests: a named circular trail with a specific starting point, or a viewpoint overlooking the landscape. The starting points provide an easy way to find your bearings, while the view from the bench makes it a destination in its own right for nature and landscape enthusiasts.

More discoveries in the broader destination of the Odenwald

For those looking beyond local history, the broader destination of the Odenwald is also home to important architectural and archaeological monuments. Breuberg Castle has a history of more than 850 years and is one of the largest and best-preserved castles in southern Germany. The Breuberg Museum is located in the castle. The adventure trail leads uphill to the castle from the historic market square in Neustadt and features viewing platforms and a large slide. The Roman Villa Haselburg near Hummetroth illustrates a different historical period: it is an excavated and reconstructed villa rustica from the 2nd century AD.

Natural history and Roman traces come together at the Felsenmeer in Lautertal. Geological processes that began more than 340 million years ago formed the Felsenmeer; numerous relics of Roman stoneworking from the 3rd and 4th centuries give it additional historical significance. The Felsenmeer Information Centre provides information about how the Felsenmeer was formed, Roman stoneworking, the Siegfried Spring and the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geopark. Guided tours and talks on geological development, stoneworking, legends, and the wildlife and habitat of Felsberg can be booked through the centre. Check availability in advance if you plan to take part in one of these activities.

The geology of the Odenwald also offers a distinct way to explore the region: the crystalline Odenwald contains intrusive rocks such as gabbro, diorite, granodiorite and granite, as well as metamorphic rocks. The latter provide evidence of a continent-continent collision that took place between 400 and 320 million years ago. These topics in natural history complement the local stories and circular trails with a look at how the landscape was formed.

Plan your stay around your interests

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you want to focus on: an evening at the festival and historical traces in Kirchbrombach, a circular trail with a named starting point, or other attractions in the broader destination of the Odenwald. Then compare the locations of specific accommodation options with your own plans. This way, your choice of location is guided by the experiences you want to discover during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Mossautal, Beerfelden, Lützelbach, Fränkisch-Crumbach, Erbach, Hesseneck, Breuberg, Brensbach.

Go to the overview of the broader destination: Odenwald.