Calw offers two distinct cultural highlights: Hermann Hesse’s literary legacy in the town and Hirsau’s medieval monastic history. When planning your trip, you can first decide which theme interests you most. In Hirsau, the monasteries and their history take centre stage; in Calw, routes and landmarks lead you to Hesse’s life and work. The wider Calw destination also offers hiking and culinary experiences.
Monastic history and scenery in Hirsau
Hirsau Abbey lies in the Nagold Valley, among the densely forested heights of the Black Forest. The former Benedictine monastery of St Peter and Paul was the most important German reform monastery north of the Alps within the Cluniac Reform Movement in the 11th and 12th centuries. French troops destroyed it in 1692 during the Nine Years’ War. The three-aisled, exceptionally long Basilica of St Peter and Paul was consecrated in 1091 and is among the largest Romanesque churches in Germany dating from the 11th century.
On guided tours of the monastery, guides show visitors St Peter and Paul, St Aurelius and the monastery museum, sharing the monasteries’ more than 1,000-year history. Details may vary depending on the date, so check the schedule before making plans. Numerous information panels also invite you to explore the monastery complex and its history independently.
Hermann Hesse in Calw: routes and places
The Hermann Hesse Trail runs past 37 steles, from the Hermann Hesse Museum via the market square and historic town centre to the town park. The steles feature historical images and text with quotations from Hesse’s works. Selected poems are presented in the town park; the former Waldcafé and the Dr Emil Schüz memorial stone are also featured along the trail. In this way, literary texts meet places around town, rather than exploring Hesse’s work only through individual stops.
Guided tours of Hermann Hesse’s hometown offer further insights. They share anecdotes, raise questions and fill gaps in visitors’ knowledge. Check booking options and dates in advance. Places, streets and buildings in Calw mentioned in the “Gerbersau Stories” cycle can still be discovered today, bringing Hesse’s childhood and youth to life in the 21st century. This gives you a choice between two different experiences: the trail leads through named stops to the town park, while guided town tours explore Hesse’s hometown through anecdotes and questions.
Hiking and regional discoveries
The Hermann Hesse Hike around Calw through the Northern Black Forest offers a different literary perspective. It follows in the footsteps of Knulp, Hans Giebenrath and the young Josef Knecht. The route leads through forests and small hilltop towns, accompanied by legends steeped in history. This sets it apart from the Hermann Hesse Trail: the hike covers a wider regional area and follows literary characters. Check current availability before planning a hike.
Across the wider Calw destination, a wealth of well-signposted paths and routes in and around Calw let you explore the Black Forest Central/North Nature Park on foot. Another option is the Schömberg Barefoot Park, with a course about 800 metres long and more than 20 different materials; check opening times in advance, as operation is seasonal. The Ebhausen Bakehouse Festival adds a distinct culinary touch: it takes place every year on the first weekend in May, and the programme may give visitors the chance to sample onion tart and wood-fired bread baked in the local bakehouses. Confirm the date for your chosen year.
Discover more destinations: Stammheim, Bad Wildbad, Bad Liebenzell, Wildberg, Rohrdorf, Oberreichenbach, Nagold, Altensteig.
Back to the wider travel overview: Calw.
