Visitors choosing Pleidelsheim for a trip of discovery will find two distinct themes: the town’s history, particularly its tobacco and asparagus heritage, and the landscape of the meadow valley along the Old Neckar. This makes Pleidelsheim an interesting destination for travelers who want to combine architectural history with time outdoors.
History in the Old Town Center
St. Mauritius Church was built in the 14th century on the site of a Carolingian church. As a fortified church, it was given a massive choir tower with a ribbed vault. Inside are gallery parapet paintings with unusual subject matter, an organ with a Baroque case and a crucifix. The Old Town Hall was built in 1613/14 as a half-timbered building on a tall solid-ground floor in the form of an arcade. Its originally open round-arched ground-floor arcades served as a market hall. The Kelter, also known as the New Mill, was built in 1511 under Württemberg rule and is one of Pleidelsheim’s oldest buildings.
The Historic Village Walk leads through the old town center and past numerous half-timbered houses with their gables facing the street and solid-ground floors. The many surviving tobacco-drying sheds are also part of the town’s distinctive appearance. Tobacco cultivation played a particularly important role in Pleidelsheim in the past and continued until 1991. Historic buildings and the history of local agriculture thus offer different perspectives on the town’s past.
Tobacco, Asparagus and Local History
Opened on May 16, 2010, the Tobacco, Asparagus and Local History Museum explores the town’s tobacco and asparagus heritage, as well as life in homes and on farms in the past. It contains around 1,300 exhibits. The Evangelical Church Museum Pleidelsheim also displays historic objects: a church door from 1787 and parts of the cornice of the old pulpit, dating from 1613.
Another chapter in the town’s history is addressed by the “Russian Cemetery” memorial in the municipal forest. It is connected with the history of prisoners of war and forced laborers. The Asparagus Fountain is a sculptural fountain put into operation in 1988 and created in the workshop of Pleidelsheim stonemason and sculptor Jörg Failmezger; it commemorates the local asparagus-growing tradition. The Frog Fountain on Friedrichstraße, in turn, is historically connected with the former local street name “Frog Lane” and the frogs in nearby Riedbach.
Meadow Valley and Recreation
The broad meadow valley, with the green ribbon of the Old Neckar, invites visitors to walk and cycle. The Old Neckar and Pleidelsheim Meadow Valley are designated nature reserves. Parts of the “Neckar between Freiberg and Heilbronn” Natura 2000 site lie within Pleidelsheim’s municipal area and are identical to the “Wiesental” and “Altneckar” nature reserves. Pleidelsheim Wood is another recreational area in Pleidelsheim.
There are several themes to choose from when planning a visit: architectural and local history, tobacco and asparagus, or the walking and cycling opportunities mentioned above. The meadow valley and the wood are among Pleidelsheim’s natural attractions; they are not features of its historic buildings. This makes it possible to plan around your own interests without committing to a fixed itinerary.
Getting There and the Regional Setting
Pleidelsheim is connected to the road network via its own exit on the A81 motorway between Stuttgart and Heilbronn. This is a useful point of reference for anyone planning to travel via this motorway.
The broader regional destination is Ludwigsburg. Terraced, steep-slope vineyards along the Neckar and Enz rivers shape the district’s landscape. Ludwigsburg Residential Palace itself is one of Europe’s largest surviving Baroque buildings preserved in its original form. These regional themes complement the picture of Pleidelsheim without replacing its local highlights.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Steinheim an der Murr, Walheim, Freudental, Kornwestheim, Großbottwar, Möglingen, Affalterbach, Markgröningen
Return to the overview of the wider region: Ludwigsburg.
