Discover Göggingen: Chapel and Tradition

The palace chapel in Horn and the Cattle Festival in the municipality of Göggingen represent two distinct aspects of local culture: one has a specific year of construction, while the other is a tradition that has been celebrated for more than 300 years and continues to this day. Together, they offer different ways to explore local history and customs.

Baroque Chapel in Horn

Built in the Baroque style, the palace chapel was constructed in 1758 outside the palace walls. Its construction date and location provide a clear point of reference for the site. The interior is also richly appointed, with art treasures, stucco work, frescoes, stone Rococo figures and an image of the Madonna on the altar. The building offers a chance to appreciate both Baroque architecture and a range of interior features.

Tradition and Getting Your Bearings

The municipality of Göggingen has celebrated the Cattle Festival for more than 300 years, and continues to do so today. Unlike the chapel, with its specific construction date, the Cattle Festival represents a tradition that has endured for centuries. Visitors interested in the area can thus explore it from two different perspectives: architectural history and a local custom that is still observed today.

For help finding your way, free town maps and the Grüner Pfad cycling map are available at the town hall. The map shows a variety of routes in the Leintal valley and on the Frickenhofer Höhe, as well as local points of interest. The Ostalb district also offers the “grüner pfad – Erlebnistour Rund ums Leintal und Frickenhofer Höhe” (Green Path – Experience Tour Around the Leintal Valley and Frickenhofer Höhe). Ask at the town hall during your visit whether the materials are currently available.

More Experiences in the Ostalb District

The Ostalb district offers other distinct attractions for those interested in culture and nature. At Limes Park Rainau, a reconstructed watchtower affords panoramic views of the Ostalb region. The Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes runs through the municipality of Rainau, in the districts of Buch, Schwabsberg and Dalkingen, for about six kilometres; it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Another way to explore the area is the Limes circular hiking trail near Rainau: it is about 11 kilometres long and takes approximately 2.5 hours on foot. Signposted, it runs from the Limes wall and the Limes tower between Buch and Schwabsberg through Mahdholz forest, following the Limes to the southern edge of Schwabsberg. The watchtower’s panoramic views and a longer hike along a described route offer different kinds of outings.

Lorch Monastery offers another way to explore the history of the Ostalb district. It was founded in 1102 by Frederick I, the first Hohenstaufen, and his wife Agnes of Waiblingen as a burial place. The complex includes a medieval church, the cloister, utility buildings and the Marsilius Tower, with views of the monastery grounds, the herb garden, the sensory garden and the surrounding area. The permanent exhibition covers 900 years of monastery history, including through the richly decorated Lorch choir books.

Those seeking nature experiences will find a different focus in the Wental valley. A hike towards Steinheim is particularly suitable for families; along the way, visitors can discover gnarled trees and bizarre rock formations in which, with a little imagination, they may make out fairy-tale characters and animals. A nature trail in the Wental offers insights into the primeval landscape of the ancient river valley.

A visit to the Tiefer Stollen visitor mine takes you underground to another aspect of regional history. The mine train passes through mineral deposits and small stalactites into sandstone chambers covering 2,500 square metres, 100 metres underground. There, a multimedia show introduces the history of ore mining in the Aalen area. A circular route through the mine’s tunnels leads to former underground mining areas with shafts, loading points and ore-mining chambers. Check the current visiting conditions before planning a visit.

These examples range from hikes and monastic history to mining. Check the location of any specific attraction against the visits you are planning.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ellwangen, Stödtlen, Hüttlingen, Täferrot, Obergröningen, Rosenberg, Waldhausen, Neuler.

Go to the overview of destinations for the wider area: Ostalb district.