Leibertingen

Leibertingen has around 2,200 inhabitants and is part of the Sigmaringen district in Baden-Württemberg. Perched on the Heuberg mountain at the southern edge of the Swabian Alb some 600 to 850 metres above the Danube valley, it's about 22km from the town of Sigmaringen und 24km from Tuttlingen. Below Wildenstein Castle lies a historical dreiländereck, or 'three-state corner', where the counties of Württemberg, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Baden once met.

City Highlights

The village of Leibertingen gives its name to the wider district that also encompasses Altheim, Kreenheinstetten and Thalheim. Kreenheinstetten's most famous son is Abraham a Sancta Clara, the most celebrated preacher in the German-speaking world in the 17th century. Born in July 1644 in the Traube inn (which still exists today), he delivered his sermons in the vernacular of the people, making the message of the gospels not just understandable, but enjoyable too. A deeply felt religious feeling is also suggested by Leibertingen's churches, such as the early baroque St. Peter and Paul parish church, with its precious Leibertingen Madonna of 1525. Other examples include the St. Pancras village church in Altheim (a former pilgrimage church) and St. Michael's in Kreenheinstetten with its high-baroque altar, its two further altars in late rococo style and its neo-baroque ceiling frescoes. Just a few minutes away to the north of Leibertingen is one of the best-preserved fortresses of the medieval period, Wildenstein Castle. A number of outworks, today no more than ruins, testify to the might of the castle. This is an unmissable destination for those wishing to travel back in time to the days of belligerent monks and aristocratic knights errant, even if, from today's perspective, the knights of yore can sometimes seem less than noble.

Accommodation in Leibertingen

Leibertingen is small place with a great gastronomic tradition. The Adler Inn, for example, said to date back to 1478, is Leibertingen's oldest building after the presbytery. The inn has been kept within the same family since 1852, while the Zur Traube country inn and guesthouse in Kreenheinstetten, where the famous preacher Abraham a Sancta Clara was born, has been in the same family for three generations. A wood-burning stove from Sancta Clara's time, which is still working today, can be seen in the dining area. These are just two of the many country inns in Leibertingen, which also boasts a range of restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, holiday lets, private lodgings and farmstays. Plus there's a campsite, youth campsite, youth hostel, a hiking lodge and even a renowned spa clinic.

Wildenstein Castle towers about 200 metres over the Danube on top of a steep cliff, not far from Beuron. Originally built in the 13th century, it was reconstructed between 1512 and 1554 in typical late-medieval fortress style. In 1971 a youth hostel was established within the walls of this beautifully preserved castle. Wildenstein has all the features one would expect from a classic castle: a 74-metre-long bailey, two round turrets, moats, a drawbridge, a principal bastion with lookout tower, casements, gunpowder magazines, a courtyard with a cistern, a castle chapel, battlemented parapet, and, of course, a palas building with a banqueting hall.

Activities in Leibertingen

Between Leibertingen and Wildenstein Castle there is a forest trail with a woodland aviary, which offers sightings of eagle owls and other species and attracts around 10,000 visitors a year. The 1.2km trail is for the most part accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs. A smaller separate trail is somewhat trickier to negotiate but those who do make their way along it are rewarded with a fantastic view. Along the trail there are three designated barbecue sites, one of which provides seating for large groups, and a wooden play castle. There are also various stopping-off points that engage all your senses in order to teach you about the woods.

The Donaubergland is a magnificent landscape that has been shaped over millions of years by the Danube and its tributary valleys. Deep ravines and lofty peaks make this region a top destination for walkers. The best time to come here is between spring and autumn. In winter, the high altitudes make hiking conditions much more challenging.

In Thalheim, just ten minutes from the Danube valley, an open-air pool has recently opened on sunny, south-facing slopes, offering not just great swimming but panoramic Alpine views.

Contacts

Gemeindeverwaltung Leibertingen (local council)
Rathausstrasse 4
88637 Leibertingen
Tel.: +49 (0)7466 92820
Fax: +49 (0)7466 928 299
info@leibertingen.de
www.leibertingen.de

Opening times:
Monday to Friday: 8.30am-12 noon
Monday: 1.30pm-7pm
Tuesday, Thursday: 1.30pm-5pm

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