Discover Wemding

On the edge of the Ries Crater, Wemding combines a medieval old town with art, pilgrimage sites and trails through forests and countryside. The contrast between the town’s history and nature experiences gives your stay a variety of options: you can explore historic buildings and museums or focus on longer trails and geological features.

Old Town, Architectural History and Art

The annual Fuchsia and Herb Market adds a distinctive splash of colour. It transforms picturesque Wemding Old Town into a large, flowering garden and is described as Germany’s only fuchsia market. The historic setting also includes the 14th-century town wall. Amerbach Gate is now a 30.5-metre-high gate tower and the only surviving gate of the former fortifications. Until the 19th century, this site was occupied by a mighty gate castle with a barbican, an outer ward and a drawbridge.

The twin-towered parish church of St. Emmeram also tells the story of several phases of construction. It originated in a vow made by Mangold I of Wörth; construction of what was probably a three-aisled, cruciform basilica began in 1030. Alterations and extensions were added over the centuries. The Baroque high altar by Augustin Manasser was created between 1630 and 1633. For a very different view of the old town, visit the birthplace of Leonhart Fuchs, the building on the market square known as the “Dwarf’s House”: its façade facing the market is 1.50 metres wide, while the side façade measures nine metres.

The museums explore a range of themes in art and local history. The KunstMuseum Donau-Ries displays, among other works, paintings and sculptures by Ernst Steinacker, Prof. Caspar Schlötter and Annette Steinacker-Holst. A multimedia room introduces new forms of artistic expression; as an art and cultural project, the museum also offers guided tours, concerts, readings and theatre. The local history museum focuses on prehistory, early history and the town’s history, as well as clothing, traditional dress, crafts and religious folk culture. Its exhibits range from individual works of art to the ways of life that have shaped the town’s history.

Forest Trails, Views and the Ries Landscape

East of Wolferstädter Straße, four designed places for forest bathing offer a chance to rest in a forest officially designated by the Bavarian Forest Administration as a “Forest of Special Importance for Recreation.” The Wemding Forest Adventure Trail is an approximately 3.5-kilometre circular route in the Schneetal Nature Forest Reserve, one of Bavaria’s first nature forest reserves. Along the trail, you can experience the forest and nature with all your senses. The four rest areas and circular trail offer different ways to spend time in the forest.

Trail distances and durations can also help you plan your day. The historic town walk takes about an hour and is around two kilometres long; a dedicated flyer describes individual sights. At 14 kilometres and about four hours, the Legends Trail is considerably longer. It starts at Johannisweiher, follows a sculpture trail lined with fruit trees through the old town, and returns to the starting point. Whether you’re looking for a short circuit or a longer themed trail, these details make it easy to compare your options. The Way of Reflection connects the historic old town with the pilgrimage basilica “Maria Brünnlein zum Trost”; six devotional stones dating from 1983 accompany the final stretch.

More places to discover lie in the forest and countryside: Schwefelbrünnlein is set in a romantic woodland clearing in Wemding Forest and serves as a rest stop for walkers and cyclists. The Wemding Rose Garden displays historic roses in a historic setting. From the Wemding Plateau, a hilltop on the northern edge of town, enjoy panoramic views of Wemding and the Ries. The old limestone quarry near Lake Wemding makes it possible to see the effects of the Ries catastrophe.

The short town walk and the approximately four-hour Legends Trail offer options for different time budgets. This makes it easier to plan the pace of your days away together.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Fünfstetten, Asbach-Bäumenheim, Oberndorf Am Lech, Harburg, Nördlingen, Marxheim, Monheim and Ehingen Am Ries.

Back to the main travel guide: Donau-Ries.