Kinding: Fortified Church, Stone Bridge and Hiking Trails

Kinding’s history is reflected in two distinctive structures: the late medieval fortified Church of the Nativity of Mary and the Stone Bridge. Walking paths, a cycling route and hiking trails also offer their own highlights. When planning your trip, it makes a difference whether you want to focus on architecture, a walk or a bike ride. The starting points for several routes and the seasonal bus service offer practical guidance.

Fortified Church and Stone Bridge

In the northern part of Kinding, the Church of the Nativity of Mary sits against the hillside. This very well-preserved late medieval fortification is the largest fortified church in the Diocese of Eichstätt. The cemetery and parish church are open to visitors free of charge during the day. A visit lets you take in both the building’s historic character and its location within the town.

Kinding’s Stone Bridge is a five-arched, late Baroque structure built from local Jura stone. The Kinding Castle Trail begins at the parking lot opposite the bridge, which was built in 1784. Hikers can also join the long-distance Altmühltal Panorama Trail and the Castle Hiking Trail from the bridge. The bridge is therefore not only a landmark, but also a named starting point for hikes.

Protected habitats lie around the Stone Bridge. Visitors can watch birds and discover unusual plants there. If you enjoy nature observation as well as architectural history, you can do both right by the bridge.

A Walk, Cycling Route or Hiking Trail

The Sommerleite walking path begins at the village fountain in Kinding’s market square. The Anlautertal loop, a cycling route, starts at the Tourist Information Office. The Altmühltal Panorama Trail, meanwhile, passes right through Kinding. Their different starting points and route types make it easier to choose between a walk, a cycling loop and a longer hike.

The Kinding Castle Trail includes some natural, narrow footpaths and uphill sections; it is easy to walk with sturdy footwear. At the edge of the forest, the Ottilienkapelle offers panoramic views of Kinding. The trail also passes the Klause, a rocky cave once inhabited by a hermit, and burial mounds from the Hallstatt period in the area around Kinding. The route combines scenic views with traces of early settlement.

Getting There and Planning Your Stay

Kinding (Altmühltal) regional train station is located directly on the ICE line between Nuremberg and Munich. From May to September, the leisure bus stops at the station and takes day-trippers—and, where applicable, their bicycles—to various places and sights in the Altmühltal Nature Park. If you plan to use the bus for your excursions, check the timetable for the May-to-September period before setting off.

When choosing your accommodation, you can take your planned priorities into account: the fortified church and bridge, walking tours or a cycling loop. Traveling by train and continuing your journey by seasonal leisure bus can also be part of your plans. This way, your choice can reflect the kind of stay you want to enjoy in Kinding.

In the Wider Eichstätt Destination

In the wider Eichstätt destination, the Jura Museum complements architectural history with natural history. Its main exhibition focuses on fossils from the Solnhofen Plattenkalk limestone, and visitors can also see the original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx. Bishop Berthold Burggraf von Zollern built Willibaldsburg Castle in 1355, and it served as the bishop’s residence until 1725. Of the 420-meter-long complex, surviving features include walls and bastions, the armory, the 63-meter-long gate hall and the Gemmingenbau with its two towers.

In the 1,500-square-meter bastion garden at Willibaldsburg Castle, the Hortus Eystettensis, destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, was brought back to life after 400 years. Visitors can discover many of the original plant species there. Eichstätt’s Cathedral Square also offers a historical landmark: it occupies the oldest inhabited ground in the city.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Enkering, Großmehring, Mindelstetten, Titting, Dollnstein, Beilngries, Altmannstein and Pförring.

Back to the main travel guide: Eichstätt.