Asbach-Bäumenheim: Nature, Water and Architectural History

Nature, Water and Cycling Route

The tree trail in the Schmutterwald forest invites visitors to learn about native trees and shrubs. Hamlar quarry lake is a swimming lake with a sunbathing lawn and beach volleyball court in the Hamlar quarry lakes recreational area. Another highlight is the Via Claudia Augusta cycling route, which runs through the municipality. These activities cater to different interests: learning about nature, spending time by the water or cycling.

St. Anthony’s Chapel and Its Architectural History

St. Anthony’s Chapel in Asbach-Bäumenheim brings together different phases of construction. Its three-sided closed choir dates to the 15th century; the nave is clearly distinct, and its construction began in 1687. Three altars and several ceiling paintings also date from this period of construction. The architectural contrast between the older choir and the later-started nave gives the chapel a distinctive historical character.

More Highlights in the Wider Donau-Ries Destination

In the wider Donau-Ries destination, the Ries Geopark is a tourist attraction, with the Ries Crater formed by a meteorite impact. The Kühstein Geopark educational trail explains the impact processes that took place 14.5 million years ago at eight information stations. From Buchberg, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Ries and its inner and outer crater rims. These stops focus on the landscape’s origins and formation.

In Wemding, the Geopark information centre uses several display boards to provide an overview of locations from which the crater structure is particularly easy to see in the landscape. It also explains how the Nördlinger Ries was identified as a meteorite crater: the nearby Otting quarry and the Suevite rock examined there played a role. Along the Legends Trail, a total of 11 scientifically researched information stations provide details about geology, history and stories.

In Nördlingen, the medieval town wall is completely preserved and fully accessible. The town museum displays a collection over 150 years old across four floors. It explores the lives and beliefs of the people of Nördlingen, changes during the Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War and the 1634 Battle of Nördlingen. A model featuring around 6,000 tin soldiers illustrates the battle. The Ries Crater Museum focuses on geology, displaying meteorites, fossils and a piece of real moon rock, as well as information panels and multimedia exhibits. The asteroid impact, its cosmic background and its effects up to the present day are also among its topics. The Ries event is depicted in a carefully restored medieval barn dating from 1503.

A range of historical topics offers further regional insights. Maria Brünnlein Pilgrimage Basilica is a Rococo church built to plans by Franz Joseph Roth between 1748 and 1782 in response to the growing flow of pilgrims. Its miraculous altar is a fountain altar featuring the miraculous Madonna by Johann Joseph Mayr, dating from 1755; Ernst Steinacker created the altar table with its fountain basin in 1953. Pope John Paul II elevated the basilica to the status of a minor basilica in 1998; around 150,000 pilgrims visit it each year. A tour of Harburg Castle brings almost 900 years of history to life through its Baroque castle church, loopholes, prison cells, gates and towers. South of Mertingen, the former Roman fort of Burghöfe, also known as Submuntorium, stands on a protected promontory.

Discover more destinations: Asbach, Wallerstein, Mertingen, Oettingen In Bayern, Ehingen Am Ries, Nördlingen, Wemding, Harburg.

To the overview of the wider destination: Donau-Ries.