Discover Ehrenstetten

Ehrenstetten offers a range of ways to explore the area on your trip: sacred sites and local history, traces of medieval silver mining, and views across vineyard terraces and the surrounding countryside. Your day can take a different focus depending on what you would like to experience. The sights in the village and destinations on Ölberg each offer something distinct.

Church, Artist and Chapels

Ehrenstetten’s sights include St. George’s Church, the birthplace of the artist and architect Christian Wentzinger, and three chapels located outside the village: Streicherkapelle, Ölbergkapelle and Schächerkapelle. Together, they bring sacred sites and an artist’s life story associated with Ehrenstetten into focus.

If you are interested in local history, the church, birthplace and chapels form a distinct theme. The names of the three chapels also give you specific destinations, different from the natural scenery and mining history experiences.

Medieval Silver Mining in the Ehrenstetter Grund

The mining trail in the Ehrenstetter Grund showcases the remains of medieval silver mining. These include a large wheel chamber, a dam, open mine shafts and collapsed sections of tunnels. The trail’s stops reveal different traces of mining, from the wheel chamber and dam to the shafts and tunnel sections.

The route is also important when planning your visit. The trail starts with about 3.2 kilometres of forest path, followed by an approximately 2-kilometre loop section. Take both sections into account if the mining trail is the main focus of your day. Trail conditions can change seasonally; check them before setting out.

Views and Vineyard Terraces on Ölberg

The Ölberg circular trail offers viewpoints overlooking Staufen Bay and the Rhine Plain towards the Vosges in Alsace. On Ölberg, historic vineyard terraces meet a protected natural habitat. Here, views across the wider landscape combine with a historic setting shaped by vineyard terraces.

Unlike the mining trail, Ölberg focuses on views and scenery. When choosing your outings, you can therefore weigh up the visible traces of silver mining against the panorama from the circular trail. The two experiences cater to different interests, so you need not treat them as the same destination.

Hiking Routes in Ehrenkirchen

The Bettlerpfad and the Markgräfler Wiiwegli are well-known long-distance hiking trails that pass through Ehrenkirchen. There are also ten local hiking routes. This route overview offers a separate point of reference for planning your hikes; the two long-distance trails and the local routes complement the specific destinations on the mining trail and Ölberg.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Travel Interests

When looking for accommodation, you can start by considering what you would like to shape your stay: local history, including the church, Wentzinger and the chapels; the trail to the silver mining remains, with its two sections; or the viewpoints and vineyard terraces on Ölberg. This helps you choose based on the experiences you have planned. If you would like to combine different interests, comparing the destinations can help you decide what you want your trip to focus on.

For the main travel overview: Ehrenkirchen.