Welden

Welden combines sacred art with stories from the region and trails that offer different ways to explore. The Parish Church of the Annunciation and the Chapel of the 14 Holy Helpers represent different historical layers; the Lindenallee, the former railway line and interactive stations add further points of interest.

Church art and history in Welden

The Parish Church of the Annunciation stands on the site of a Romanesque church. Its foundations, including those of the choir and tower, still bear witness to it. A surviving bell is dated to around 1250, bears the names Lucas, Marcus, Matheus and Johannes, and is one of the oldest bells in the district. The ceiling painting is also impressive in scale: it measures 13.5 metres in diameter. Matthäus Günther created it in 1732 for 300 gulden. The building history, bell and painting each offer a distinct perspective on the history of the church.

The late Gothic Chapel of the 14 Holy Helpers stands prominently on a hill in the middle of Welden cemetery. Built in 1495, the chapel served people from Welden and the surrounding area as a place of pilgrimage in times of illness and hardship. In 1680, it received a Baroque altar, Baroque furnishings and a ceiling fresco depicting Welden. The Baroque altar was destroyed by fire in 1967. The chapel thus brings together its historic use, late Gothic architecture and Baroque imagery.

Welden also offers a chance to explore the Ganghofer story. The Ganghofer Centre Welden, which opened in 2005, is located in the Gasthof Hirsch. Its permanent exhibition, “Living Spaces – the Ganghofers in the Swabian Holzwinkel,” is devoted to the family’s life and work in and around Welden. Check current visiting arrangements before your visit.

On foot and along the former railway line

Linden trees line the footpath to Thekla Church on Theklaberg. The district forester at the time, August Ganghofer, planted the avenue in 1869; it is designated a natural monument. Another route leads through forests and fields: the Weldenbahn cycle path follows the foundations of the Weldenbahn, built in 1903, and runs away from roads to Aystetten, Horgau, Adelsried and Welden. Welden therefore offers both a footpath to Thekla Church and a cycling route along the former railway line for different kinds of day trips.

The Ludwig-Ganghofer-Lausbubenweg tour passes Burgstall Schneeburg. The Ludwig-Ganghofer-Lausbubenweg has five interactive stations: among other things, you can dig up Ludwig’s lost treasure, steal eggs like Ludwig and look out over the forest from a viewing tower. If you are planning a trip with children, the activities offer a concrete way to judge whether an outing with interactive stations suits your group’s interests.

More hiking ideas in the wider Augsburg destination

Those also considering the wider Augsburg destination will find further hiking ideas there. The LandArt Art Trail Bonstetten is a 5.65-kilometre circular hiking route. Along the art trail, the artist Hama Lohrmann personally explains his sculptures. Another themed route is the three-kilometre Meditation Path from the Oberschönenfeld Cistercian Abbey to Weiherhof on the edge of the Schwarzachtal forest. Art and meditation offer different themes to consider when planning more activities in the Augsburg destination.

Choose Welden as your search destination if these local themes shape your travel plans. The mix of culture and activities you are looking for gives you a clear guide when choosing a base for your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Heretsried, Lechfeld, Fischach, Kutzenhausen, Diedorf, Dinkelscherben, Altenmünster, Königsbrunn.

To the overview of the wider destination: Augsburg.