Discover Kuppenheim: History, parks and trails

Kuppenheim combines a long history with green spaces and trails through varied landscapes. The town was first documented in writing around 1095. Parts of the former town wall have survived, after most of the fortifications were dismantled in the early 19th century. Historical traces thus meet excursions that can be chosen according to your interests and preferred level of activity.

Town history and Jewish heritage

The Kuppenheim local history museum tells the story of the town and its social development. Twelve themed areas offer different ways to explore it. Those interested in the history of Jewish life will find a place of remembrance at Synagogenplatz: it commemorates Jewish life in Kuppenheim and the town’s synagogue, which was burned down during the 1938 pogrom. The Jewish district cemetery is also part of this historical theme. It was first mentioned in a document in 1694; its role as a district cemetery extends beyond Kuppenheim to Mittelbaden.

Another window onto the town’s history is its nickname, “Knöpflestadt” (“Knöpfle town”). A legend links the name to the cooking of Knöpfle—a type of spätzle—during the Thirty Years’ War. The story turns a familiar dish into part of local folklore and adds a culinary tradition to the town’s historical sites.

Bürgerpark, woodland and trails

Bürgerpark, next to the Murg, offers a place for families to relax and has a modern playground. It also features a scale model of the Murg from source to mouth, with explanatory stops along the way. This lets you combine a visit to the park with a closer look at the river. As park facilities can change, it is worth checking the latest information before your visit.

For a hike in the Fichtental valley, you can choose routes of 4.4 or 8.5 kilometres. They pass through meadows and woodland, as well as the Harsbachtal valley. The difference between the two distances can help you plan your time. Kuppenheim’s municipal forest offers a different perspective on the landscape: the deciduous woodland lies on the ridge between the Fichtental and Murgtal valleys, with views on both sides.

Cyclists will also find a range of route ideas. The Tour de Murgtal is a 61-kilometre family cycling route from Baiersbronn to Rastatt. One route option from Kuppenheim involves taking the S-Bahn to a starting point in Baiersbronn and then cycling back to Kuppenheim. The S-Bahn also connects Kuppenheim with Rastatt, Karlsruhe and the Black Forest as far as Freudenstadt. As timetables can change, check connections for your travel dates. An athletics facility is located on Großaustraße.

In the wider destination of Rastatt

The wider destination of Rastatt encompasses varied natural and cultural landscapes to explore on numerous cycling and hiking trails. Its cultural history ranges from the Rastatt Town Museum to castles with very different stories. The town museum is housed in a Baroque town palace opposite the Residential Palace. Its permanent exhibitions cover Rastatt’s history over the past 300 years, as well as prehistoric and early history. Rastatt Palace was the first Baroque residence built on German soil and was modelled on Versailles. Favorite Palace, in turn, is Germany’s oldest and only porcelain palace preserved in its original form. Eberstein Castle was built in 1272 and is a popular excursion destination high above the town of Gernsbach.

The Memorial to the Freedom Movements in German History presents milestones in the development of freedom and democratic traditions from the early modern period to the present day. Exhibits, models, pictures, caricatures and contemporary texts illustrate the revolutionary struggle of women and men across Germany in 1848/49, which ended with the fall of Rastatt Fortress.

The wider destination also offers plenty of ways to enjoy active days. The toboggan run at the Mehliskopf leisure and sports centre has a 1,000-metre descent featuring four steep forest bends, seven steep meadow bends and eight water crossings. The Murgtal/Bühlertal winter sports area in the district of Rastatt offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledging and snowboarding; it also has ten ski lifts and a 110-kilometre network of cross-country ski trails. At the Iffezheim barrage, a viewing room at the fish ladder lets visitors watch fish swim step by step through the fish passage.

The PAMINA cycle route also passes through several municipal areas in the Rastatt destination: its original route through Rastatt, Steinmauern, Elchesheim-Illingen and Au am Rhein can be used again. Check current trail conditions before setting off.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Muggensturm, Weisenbach, Ötigheim, Lichtenau, Iffezheim, Hügelsheim, Steinmauern, Bühl.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Rastatt.