Eichstätt: Fossils, Baroque and Trails

Eichstätt combines impressive architecture with unusual insights into the history of the Earth and a range of ways to spend time outdoors. At the Jura Museum, you can see the original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx; the town also offers several perspectives on its architectural history, including the cathedral, Residenzplatz and Willibaldsburg Castle. Cycling tours, hiking trails and boating on the Altmühl provide an active counterpoint. When planning your stay, you can decide whether culture, fossils or outdoor activities should be your main focus.

Fossils and history at Willibaldsburg Castle

Willibaldsburg Castle is home to the Jura Museum and the Museum of Prehistory and Early History. The Jura Museum focuses in part on fossils from the Solnhofen Plattenkalk; it also displays the original Eichstätt Archaeopteryx. This brings together two specific interests in one place: an exceptional find and the fossils for which the Solnhofen Plattenkalk is known.

The history of the castle itself can also be read in its buildings. It was built in 1355 by Bishop Berthold, Burgrave of Zollern, and served as the bishop’s residence until 1725. The 420-metre-long Willibaldsburg Castle still has its walls and bastions, the arsenal, the 63-metre-long gate hall, and the Gemmingen building with its two towers. Anyone interested in medieval history will find further points of interest here alongside the museums.

Cathedral Square and Baroque architecture

Eichstätt Cathedral, together with the cloister and the two-aisled Mortuarium, ranks among Bavaria’s most important medieval architectural monuments. The imposing buildings on Cathedral Square continue to shape the townscape almost unchanged and impress with their harmonious unity. Cathedral Square is located on the oldest settled ground in the town. Residenzplatz offers a different architectural accent: it is considered one of the most beautiful Baroque squares in southern Germany and an architectural ensemble of international standing. The medieval buildings and the Baroque square therefore offer culture lovers different focal points for their time in Eichstätt.

Gardens, plants and fossil hunting

The 1,500-square-metre bastion garden at Willibaldsburg Castle features exotic or endangered plants. The garden follows in the tradition of the historic Hortus Eystettensis: destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, the garden was brought back to life after 400 years and reopened in 1998. Visitors can discover many of the original plant species there. This makes the garden a destination in its own right for anyone interested in plants as well as the historic walls.

The fossil quarry on Blumenberg hill near Eichstätt offers a different kind of discovery. Amateur collectors can search for fossils there themselves. Check local access conditions before your visit.

On foot, by bike or on the water

Eichstätt is a starting point for numerous cycling tours, including routes on the Altmühltal Cycle Path. The town also lies on the Altmühltal Panorama Trail, the Altmühltal Cycle Path and the Altmühl boating route. Hiking, cycling and boating offer different ways to spend time outdoors.

The Eichstätt Panorama Trail runs around the episcopal town, following the surrounding slopes and ridges. It starts at Eichstätt Stadt station or at the Tourist Information office at Domplatz 8. Another hiking option is the Fossilienpfad Eichstätt, a moderate 9-kilometre circular trail for families. The two routes can therefore be distinguished by their described focus and, in the case of the Fossilienpfad, its specific length. Check local conditions before hiking.

A culinary highlight

Several times a year, Eichstätt’s Genuss-Wirte (culinary hosts) offer special dishes under the motto “Eichstätt kocht...” (“Eichstätt cooks...”). These include, for example, savoury Altmühltal lamb dishes. If you would also like to make food a focus of your trip, this recurring offer is another aspect to consider when planning; check specific dates in advance.

Which accommodation suits your plans?

First, consider what you would like your days to focus on: museum visits and architecture, gardens and fossils, or hiking, cycling and boating. For families, the moderate 9-kilometre circular trail offers a hiking option with clearly specified details; other travellers can base their choice more on culture or the other activities.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Walting, Wasserzell, Mörnsheim, Lenting, Böhmfeld, Dollnstein, Pförring, Beilngries.

Return to the main travel overview: Eichstätt.