Roman history, pottery and routes through the landscape give Sindringen its distinctive character. The town lies in the Kocher valley; its townscape includes a weir, the town mill and a fully preserved town wall. For planning, the main attractions can easily be considered separately: the church and castle represent the town’s history, the pottery trail focuses on the craft, and cycling and hiking trails explore the surrounding area. You can therefore make your choice based on whether you want to focus on historical themes, pottery or outdoor activities.
Roman Traces and Local History
The Holy Cross Church is the oldest building in Sindringen. It was built around 1100 on the foundations of a small Roman fort. During the interior renovation of 1963/64, frescoes from the 14th century were uncovered. The church thus brings together Roman foundations, a building dating to around 1100 and later-discovered wall paintings. The small fort at the site of today’s town served to monitor the Kocher and the Roman imperial frontier crossing it. The foundations of a Roman watchtower can be seen above the junction of Salltalstraße and Kochertalstraße. The Upper German-Raetian Limes passed Sindringen and runs via Öhringen into the Jagst valley.
Sindringen Castle was first mentioned in a document in 1328. It was once a castle and was probably the seat of the Lords of Sindringen. The town mill reveals another side of local history: the “good room” and, in part, the kitchen of the last miller family, the Kuhns, have been preserved in their original form. While the church, fort and castle tell the story of buildings and borders, the preserved living quarters draw attention to a particular miller family.
Pottery on the Trail and at the Market
The pottery trail is more than two kilometres long and has 15 stations dedicated to pottery. Visitors to the Sindringen Pottery Market can expect a varied selection of handcrafted pottery from up to 70 potters. During the market, a pottery exhibition with changing themes is also on display in the former town hall. The two formats have different focuses: the trail connects the subject to a route, while the market focuses on its stalls and exhibition. If the market is important to your travel plans, check the event dates in advance.
The Kocher Landscape and Trails
Sindringen lies in the Kocher valley. The weir, town mill and town wall form part of the townscape; numerous hiking trails in the surrounding area offer views of woodland, fields and the Kocher valley. For cyclists, the town is on the 332-kilometre Kocher-Jagst Cycle Route and also on the Limes Cycle Route. The length of the Kocher-Jagst Cycle Route and the pottery trail’s distance of more than two kilometres refer to different scales: the total length of a cycle route and the length of a local themed trail. The Kocher at Sindringen is navigable at least for canoes. Alongside historic sites and crafts, cycling routes, hiking trails and the option of canoeing offer different activities to consider when planning your stay.
Discover more destinations: Künzelsau, Bretzfeld, Pfedelbach, Ingelfingen, Waldenburg, Forchtenberg, Niedernhall, Schöntal
For the full travel overview: Hohenlohe.
