The Early Gothic St. Ottilie’s Chapel and the Art Nouveau railway station date from very different periods; between and alongside them, the fortified church, Renaissance half-timbered buildings and thoughtfully designed urban spaces shape the character of Plochingen. The town also offers discoveries in its landscape park and an annual art event.
Medieval Buildings and Architecture
St. Ottilie’s Chapel dates from 1328 and is the oldest surviving building in Plochingen. Around 1380, it was decorated with frescoes: 15 scenes each depict the Nativity and the Passion of Christ. The two picture cycles place different emphasis on religious imagery and complement the chapel’s early architectural history.
The late Gothic fortified church of St. Blasius stands on Kirchberg and was completed in 1488. A defensive wall encloses the church, which is considered a landmark of Plochingen and is visible from far away. Its stained-glass windows are also part of the building’s more recent history: the renowned glass artist Hans Gottfried von Stockhausen created them in 1999.
Another point of architectural and historical reference is the FrĂĽhmesserhaus, dating from 1594. It is considered a rare example of Renaissance half-timbered architecture in southern Germany. Plochingen railway station represents a much later style: it was built between 1905 and 1907 in the Art Nouveau style, based on designs by architect Theodor Fischer. The buildings mentioned here thus display medieval, Renaissance and Art Nouveau features, without being reduced to a single period.
Distinctive Buildings and Art in Public Spaces
The “Wohnen unterm Regenturm” complex is a popular attraction in Plochingen. The 33-metre-high Regenturm rises above the building and is crowned with four golden spheres. Tomi Ungerer’s “les toilettes” features a different design language: this colourful building is located in the central town centre, between Marktplatz and Schorndorfer Straße, right by the pedestrian zone.
At Kulturpark Dettinger, industrial heritage meets contemporary use: the industrial monument includes artists’ studios and club rooms. The “Lange Kunstnacht” takes place there once a year. For the event, the resident artists open their studios. The event date is therefore key when planning a visit; the studios open as part of this annual event.
Landscape Park and Views
In Bruckenwasen Landscape Park, the miniature railway runs along a 1.2-kilometre track. Its scale-model locomotives are powered by steam or diesel. The meadow maze in the same park follows the classical original design: seven circuits lead around a central point marked by an oak tree. The types of locomotives and the maze’s design offer two distinct, tangible ways to explore the park.
From the Swabian Alb Association’s observation tower in Plochingen, views extend over the Swabian Alb, the Schurwald and the Neckar Valley. Three distinct visible landscapes feature in the panorama: the Alb, the wooded area and the valley. The view adds geographical context to the buildings and park features.
Food and Transport
As a culinary addition to a trip to Plochingen, a guided tasting of Plochinger Hansen wine can be booked. It is available only in conjunction with a guided town tour. If you plan to choose this option, consider it as part of the tour rather than as a standalone offering.
Plochingen’s rail connections are also worth considering when choosing where to stay: the town is the terminus of the S-Bahn line to Stuttgart. One of Germany’s busiest railway lines also runs through the town. These details describe two aspects of the rail connections; they are no substitute for checking your specific route and travel time.
Discover more destinations: Köngen, Weilheim An Der Teck, Owen, Kirchheim Unter Teck, Deizisau, Nellingen, Neidlingen, Beuren.
Back to the main travel overview: Esslingen.
