Aftholderberg: Church on the Watershed

Aftholderberg combines a striking geographical feature with church architecture, religious tradition and a cycling tour that passes through the village. St. Eulogius Church stands on the watershed between the Rhine and Danube; a festival with a horse blessing is also part of village life every July. There are several ways to shape your travel plans: explore the church and local history, follow a specific cycling stage, or discover other cultural and natural attractions in the wider destination of Herdwangen-Schönach.

St. Eulogius Church and the Watershed

St. Eulogius Church in Aftholderberg has Gothic foundations. It was enlarged in 1824, and restorations followed in 1892 and in the 1980s. Its location is also special: rainwater from one side of the roof flows toward the Rhine, while water from the other side flows toward the Danube. The building brings together several construction phases and a clear geographical feature.

Festival Traditions, Cycling and Hiking

Each July, at the invitation of the St. Eulogius Association of Aftholderberg, a festival featuring a horse blessing and a solemn church service is held in honour of St. Eulogius, patron saint of horses. If this event is an important part of your travel plans, check the specific dates in advance.

The cycling tour from Pfullendorf through the Ruhestetter Ried passes through Aftholderberg. It covers 30.22 km and takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Blue P1 route labels mark the tour on the region-wide green-and-white cycling signs. As route information may occasionally be updated and signs changed or replaced, check both before setting off.

For a hike, consider the section of the hiking trail along the European Rhine–Danube watershed from Tautenbronn to Straß. It is classified as an easy hiking route and is 9.24 km long. Check surface and access conditions before setting out. The 30.22 km cycling tour, which takes about two and a half hours, and the easy 9.24 km hiking stage offer different options for your itinerary.

More to Discover in Herdwangen-Schönach

The wider destination of Herdwangen-Schönach has more historical and cultural highlights to explore. On Ramsberg, St. Wendelin Chapel incorporates structural remains from the high medieval castle complex of the Counts of Ramsberg and Pfullendorf, dating to the 11th century. In 1908, residents of Großschönach built a Lourdes grotto in the Ramsberger Tobel. The church in Großschönach is dedicated to St. Anthony and was built around 1384; the Lourdes grotto in Großschönach attracts many worshippers to devotions, particularly in May. At Hüttenbrühl, a Lourdes grotto is dedicated to the Virgin Mary; it was built in 1890.

Another cultural venue is the Kleinschönach Art Hall in the district of Großschönach. It is a studio collective of various artists and has developed into a regional cultural centre through its exhibitions and events.

The landscape has its own attractions, too: the wet meadows, sedge mires and reed beds of the Ruhestetter Ried nature reserve provide a valuable habitat. The Linzgau Way of St. James is part of the extensive network of hiking trails in Herdwangen-Schönach. Traffic-calmed roads and cycle paths around Herdwangen-Schönach make for varied cycling tours.

If you enjoy hiking with others, consider joining the open “Tuesday Hikers” group. From spring to late autumn, the group meets every Tuesday afternoon for a hike and welcomes guests, both residents and holidaymakers. The municipality publishes the latest meeting details in its newsletter; check these before joining a hike.

Discover more destinations: Kleinschönach.

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