Herbertingen

Herbertingen, part of the Sigmaringen district of Baden-Württemberg, has a population of around 5,000 and is located in the Upper Danube Nature Park.

City Highlights

Herbertingen itself isn't actually located on the Danube. Only its pretty outlying village of Hundersingen can make that claim. But that shouldn't deter you from paying Herbertingen a visit. It was once a seat of Celtic princes and is thought to be the oldest town in central Europe. The archaeological finds, which are on display at the Heuneburg Museum and the Celtic settlement open-air museum, are indeed of great importance. So too are various relics from more recent history, such as the many chapels in the area. These include the Lourdeskapelle on Hungerberg hill, the Angerkapelle, the Jakobuskapelle in Mieterkingen, the Blindenkapelle, the Schaupenkapelle, Herbertingen Cemetery Chapel and the Nikolauskapelle on the river Krähenbach. The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Mieterkingen is also well worth a visit. It was restored in 1763 in the rococo style but still has its beautiful ceiling frescoes from around 1520. By contrast, St. Martin's Church in Hundersingen, a neo-Romanesque basilica, was built over a hundred years ago, in 1906, but contains a much older rococo pietà. Clearly there is much to gain from a tour of the local chapels and churches, and afterwards you can relax in one of the town's many traditional inns. There's no better place to try specialities such as zwiebelrostbraten beef with homemade spätzle noodles or original Swabian schweinebraten pork.

The village of Hundersingen is home to the Heuneburg Museum and Heuneburg open-air museum. They explore the Celtic history of the Heuneburg hillfort and look at what life was like there more than 2,500 years ago. Since the mid-20th century, meticulous research has been carried out at the hillfort and it has been possible to recreate large parts of the Ice Age settlement. Archaeological finds confirm the extensive trade network of the Celts that extended into the Mediterranean region. Recent discoveries also support the theory that the Heuneburg was the first central European settlement north of the Alps. You don't have to be a history teacher or archaeology buff to enjoy the open-air museum. The reconstructed Celtic ruler's house together with vivid documentation of how people lived and worked at the Heuneburg hillfort make a visit a real experience.

At the Heuneburg Museum, original finds from years of excavations at the Heuneburg hillfort are supplemented by informative text panels and impressive displays, giving an exciting insight into the day-to-day lives, art and extensive trading network of the Celts.

An archaeological walk starts at the Heuneburg Museum in Hundersingen. It follows an 8km trail, passing many sites from the time of the Celtic settlement including the Hohmichele tumulus, one of the highest burial mounds in Europe.

On 27 June 2011 UNESCO awarded World Heritage status to the transnational 'Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps' . Of the 111 European sites, 18 are in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Of these, Upper Swabia is represented by six sites, and four of those are on the shores of Lake Federsee.

Accommodation and restaurants in Herbertignen

The restaurants in Herbertingen tend to be traditional inns, often furnished in a cosy, rustic style and serving excellent food that is mostly from the Swabia region. A typical example is Gasthof Adler in Hundersingen, which offers a wide selection of Swabian dishes along with draught beers from its own brewery. The Zoll Haus restaurant and café offers something for everyone: traditional breads and pastries from its artisan bakery, delicious breakfasts, and hot food throughout the day. It also has a pretty beer garden with seating for 60 people, and ample parking for cars and coaches.

Activities in Hundersingen

The Swabian Alb Association has devised a circular walk that features seven of the chapels in the Herbertingen area. Allowing time to visit the chapels, it takes about four hours to complete the 14km trail. Local guides can accompany you on request.

If you want to cycle the Danube Cycle Route, there are two alternatives in Herbertingen. From the Danube bridge in Hundersingen, you can either ride upriver towards Sigmaringen and Beuron, home of the famous abbey, and catch a train back from there; or head downriver towards Riedlingen, passing below the Heuneburg hillfort on your way to Binzwangen. In Riedlingen, it's worth making a detour to Mount Bussen, the 'Holy Mountain' of Upper Swabia, which offers magnificent panoramic views of the region – from its summit you can look across to the spire of Ulm Minster on one side and across Lake Federsee to the Swiss and Austrian Alps on the other.

When Lake Federsee was formed some 400,000 years ago, it was probably around 30 square kilometres in area. Although the lake today is only around 1.5 square kilometres in size, it is set amid a unique moorland landscape with a rich variety of flora and fauna. In its open-air grounds, the Federsee Museum displays archaeological finds and twelve Stone and Bronze Age houses, offering a rare opportunity to get a detailed picture of what life was like in prehistoric times.

Inside the museum, you can marvel at fascinating discoveries from regional excavations. On the open-air site, you can see reconstructed buildings that vividly illustrate the 3,500-year-history of local pile dwellings. The discovery trail, which starts at the museum, takes in the moorland settlements on the southern marshes. Here you can find out all kinds of fascinating facts about the natural and cultural history of Lake Federsee by way of detailed information panels and partial reconstructions of buildings and palisades.


Contact:

Gemeinde Herbertingen (Herbertingen Council)
Holzgasse 6
88518 Herbertingen

Tel.: +49 (0)7586 92080
Fax: +49 (0)7586 920 860

info@herbertingen.de
www.herbertingen.de

Opening times:

Monday: 8am-12 noon, 2pm-4.30pm
Tuesday: 8am-12 noon
Wednesday: 2pm-6pm
Thursday: 8am-12 noon, 2pm-4.30pm
Friday: 8am-1pm

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