Maselheim combines a local section of St James’ Way with monastic and church architecture, the Öchsle Museum Narrow-Gauge Railway and a public bathing area. This offers a range of options for planning your trip: you can focus on the pilgrimage route, architecture or outdoor activities.
St James’ Way, the Öchsle Railway and outdoor activities
St James’ Way passes through Äpfingen and Laupertshausen; map extracts show it running through the municipality of Maselheim. Another notable feature for travellers is the Öchsle Museum Narrow-Gauge Railway, which reaches Maselheim via Äpfingen and Sulmingen. Its 19-kilometre route runs from Warthausen to Ochsenhausen. A well-maintained path along the Öchsle Railway line is suitable for walking and cycling. So, in addition to the pilgrimage route, you can choose to focus on the railway line and outdoor activities along the way when planning your trip. If you would like to include the heritage railway, check the timetable for your travel dates.
Monastic history and church architecture
The former Cistercian convent of Heggbach was founded in the mid-13th century by a community of Benedictine nuns. The former convent church of St Mary and St George is an elongated hall church with a three-sided choir and a nuns’ gallery. These three features describe different aspects of the church’s design: its layout, the shape of the choir and the gallery. Heggbach also has a long tradition of cultural activities in painting and design, music and theatre.
The parish church of St Blaise in Äpfingen was built in 1726 and has a late Gothic tower. Its features include Baroque ceiling stucco and a Baroque crucifix. The church also contains a chalice-shaped baptismal font. The parish church of St Dionysius in Sulmingen offers a different architectural highlight: its late medieval roof structure above the nave and choir was built in two stages.
The parish church in Laupertshausen is dedicated to St James and St Pelagius. Its furnishings date from the High Baroque period, while its tower dates back to the late Gothic period. The organ gallery features five panel paintings depicting stories and legends about the patron saint of pilgrims. Together with St James’ Way through Laupertshausen, this provides a specific religious and historical theme. For an art-historical comparison, you can contrast the late medieval and late Gothic architectural elements with the Baroque features of the churches’ furnishings.
Getting there and seasonal planning
Maselheim is in the DING Danube-Iller local transport network area. The network offers an integrated local transport service comprising buses, trams and trains, as well as a unified fare system across state borders. This describes the network’s services; for your specific journey, check the connection, timetable and fare for your travel date.
Ellmannsweiler has a public bathing area, which is open for the bathing season. It adds a seasonal focus to the cultural and outdoor activities. Include it in your plans for the bathing season.
Another cultural attraction in the Biberach travel destination
In the wider Biberach travel destination, the Upper Swabian Museum Village of Kürnbach presents six centuries of history. More than 30 historic buildings offer insights into everyday life in times past. The museum village provides a distinct cultural and historical perspective on the Biberach destination, while the churches mentioned above, St James’ Way and the Öchsle Railway are defining features of Maselheim.
Discover more destinations: Ertingen, Kirchberg an der Iller, Altheim, Rot an der Rot, Gutenzell-Hürbel, Kanzach, Schemmerhofen, Uttenweiler.
Go to the overview of the wider travel destination: Biberach.
