Discover Schwandorf

Rock cellars: discover Schwandorf’s underground world

The rock-cellar labyrinth in Schwandorf is Bavaria’s largest. The first cellars were built in the last quarter of the 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century, around 1500. Originally, the cellars were used for fermenting and storing beer. Tours therefore cover not only the underground chambers, but also the history of Schwandorf’s underground world and the “cellar thieves” of the 1930s.

Visits are possible only as part of a guided tour. Advance registration or booking with the tourism office is essential; you can reach them on 09431 45 550. If you’re interested in this unusual experience, make sure to include a guided visit as a fixed part of your plans for Schwandorf. The cellars offer a different way to learn about the town’s history: not just through exhibits, but in spaces that once served a specific purpose.

Local history, art and culture

The Schwandorf Town Museum presents a new permanent exhibition on the history of the town and surrounding communities. It is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, and Thursdays from 12:00 to 6:00 pm. Additional appointments are available on request and by arrangement. The museum offers its own perspective on Schwandorf’s history, while the rock cellars bring a particular chapter of the town’s past to life through their former purpose and underground form.

The Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus in Fronberg, a district of Schwandorf, regularly presents current work by artists from the region and beyond. The programme includes artist talks and guided tours. The Kultursommer in the Spitalgarten also plays a part in local cultural life: the town’s cultural office holds it every two years in the courtyard in front of the town hall and Schwandorf’s Spitalkirche. The historic Blasturm is considered the town’s landmark, and visits to it are included in town tours. There are several ways to explore, from art and exhibitions to a guided view of the town.

Pond landscape in the wider region

If you’d like to experience a landscape of water and birdlife alongside the town’s cultural attractions, the Charlottenhof pond area lies in the wider region. Covering 833.0 hectares, it forms a biotope network of around 15 larger ponds and more than 80 medium-sized and small ones. The area is nationally significant for breeding birds. Species found here include osprey, white-tailed eagle, bluethroat, spotted crake, woodlark and western marsh harrier.

The Upper Palatinate Lake Trail and the Way of St James pass through the Charlottenhof pond area. Guided tours are also regularly offered, with knowledgeable guides sharing information about the landscape. This gives you a clear choice when planning your trip: focus on Schwandorf’s architectural and local history, or set aside time for nature and the ponds in the surrounding area.

Getting your bearings in Schwandorf

The certified tourism office in the historic Pfleghof building is the first point of contact for visitors and residents. There you can pick up cycling and hiking maps, as well as brochures about tourist attractions and activities in the region. When choosing where to stay in a holiday apartment in Schwandorf, your group’s different interests may determine the location: would you mainly like to explore the town and its culture, or also plan trips into the surrounding countryside? The options described offer different areas of focus, without needing to replace one another.

More places to discover: Schwarzenfeld, Stulln, Wernberg-Köblitz, Maxhütte-Haidhof, Bodenwöhr, Oberviechtach, Trausnitz and Pfreimd.

Go to the main travel overview: Schwandorf.