Weiterdingen lies at the eastern foot of the Hohenstoffeln massif, partly in a hollow and partly on a gentle slope. Two different themes can help shape your travel plans: a moderately difficult hike up Hohenstoffeln and a varied architectural history featuring the castle, St. Mauritius and the Holy Sepulchre Chapel. The landscape and historic buildings offer different focal points for your stay.
Hohenstoffeln and the Landscape
The hike from Weiterdingen to Hohenstoffeln is 7.86 km long and rated as moderately difficult. It takes around 2 hours and 6 minutes and starts at the car park by the sports ground on WiesentalstraĂźe. The route is in good condition; check conditions before setting out. The distance, difficulty and approximate duration help you plan the hike as a separate block of time in your day.
After climbing from Weiterdingen, you can see impressive column-like formations of black volcanic rock in the disused quarry on the north side of Hohenstoffeln. While the hiking details give you specific guidance on distance and time, here the focus is on the geological form of the rock.
South of Weiterdingen, in the Mark area near the Holy Sepulchre Chapel, lies a deep calcareous fen. It is a different type of landscape from the black volcanic rock formations on Hohenstoffeln, adding another distinctive feature to the surrounding landscape.
Castle, Church and Chapel
Weiterdingen Castle was built in 1683 by Baron Balthasar Ferdinand von Hornstein zu den drei Hohenstoffeln und GrĂĽningen. The building has four storeys and nine bays, and is topped with a gable roof; all floors are fully developed. On each of the long sides, a three-bay central avant-corps projects from the facade. The floor plan is cross-shaped. Today, the castle is used for events.
The Catholic Church of St. Mauritius stands right next to it. It is counted among the fortified churches and has a Late Gothic tower. The tower is square, has a gable roof and features Late Gothic sound openings dating from 1485. Inside are a family crypt belonging to the Hornstein family and numerous gravestones. In 1885, the church was redesigned in the Neo-Gothic style.
The Baroque Holy Sepulchre Chapel lies between Hilzingen and Weiterdingen, near Kapellenhof on the old Roman road. Baron Karl Balthasar von Hornstein (1649–1723) endowed it in 1694. It is a faithful replica of the Holy Sepulchre in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The chapel thus links a specific founding date with a named architectural model.
St. Peter and Paul in Hilzingen
Hilzingen is home to the Late Baroque pilgrimage church of St. Peter and Paul. Peter Thumb of Bezau in Vorarlberg (1681–1766) is generally considered its architect. Much of the church’s original fabric has survived from the time of its construction; it is regarded as a notable example of the art and enthusiasm for building of the 18th century. An exhibition about Peter Thumb is on display in the café of the Hilzingen Civic and Agricultural Museum.
For the full travel overview: Hilzingen.
