The Main-Tauber District invites you to explore a wide variety of reminders of its history: a former Cistercian monastery, a Renaissance castle with a knights’ hall, a castle above the old town and collections ranging from religious orders to the Neolithic period. Wine and events are also part of the experiences on offer: at Bronnbach Monastery, you can book a wine tasting and enjoy a cultural programme. This lets you choose the focus of your trip, from architecture, history and wine to routes through the countryside.
Bronnbach Monastery: Wine and Culture
Bronnbach Monastery in the Main-Tauber District is a former Cistercian monastery. You can book wine tastings at the Taubertal wine shop. More than 20 winemakers and wineries showcase selected wines from Baden, Württemberg and Franconia there. The selection thus brings together three wine-growing regions in one place. Bronnbach’s cultural events are also held at the monastery: the programme includes concerts, readings, exhibitions, wine and food events, and talks. If you are interested in wine, you can combine your visit with a wide range of cultural events; the series spans music and literature as well as talks and exhibitions.
Castles and Museums with Different Stories
Weikersheim Palace was built around 1600 on the site of a moated castle. Inside is the 40-metre-long, 12-metre-wide Renaissance Knights’ Hall, with life-size animal sculptures and a cantilevered ceiling decorated with hunting scenes. The Baroque living quarters have also been fully preserved. The palace thus brings together a large, richly decorated hall and living quarters from a later period. The palace garden is a relaxing place to stroll and complements the interior rooms with an outdoor walk.
The Teutonic Order Castle in Bad Mergentheim offers a different historical perspective. From 1525 to 1809, it was the residence of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order. Today, it houses a museum covering around 3,000 square metres, dedicated to the 800-year history of the Teutonic Order and the history of the town. It also features the Mörike Cabinet, a collection of doll’s houses, the Adelsheim antiquities collection and an exhibition on the Neolithic period in the Taubertal. Its subjects thus range from the history of the Order and the town to collections and early finds from the Taubertal.
Castles, Gardens and Local Attractions
High above Wertheim’s old town stands Wertheim Castle, at the confluence of the Tauber and Main rivers. The stone castle ruins date from the 13th century. Wertheim is also home to the Schlösschen in the Hofgarten: this 18th-century Rococo building is surrounded by an English landscape garden and once served as the summer residence of the Counts of Wertheim. The two places represent different historical architectural and garden styles, so you can expect distinct kinds of attractions.
Other places in the district offer their own ways to explore history. The great hall of Gamburg Castle in Werbach-Gamburg dates from the 12th century and is considered unique in Europe. Today, the Tauber-Franconian Landscape Museum is housed in the Electorate of Mainz Castle in Tauberbischofsheim. In Ahorn, the former Bettendorf Castle was built in 1566 and comprehensively restored in 2009; today, it serves as the seat of the municipal administration and is considered a cultural monument of particular significance. Ahorn’s attractions also include the local history museum in Berolzheim and the Refugium with its Oriental garden in Schillingstadt.
Cycling and Exploring the Forest
For a cycling trip, the Main-Tauber District cycling map provides useful guidance: it lists 18 circular and point-to-point routes ranging from 24 to 240 kilometres. These include the five-star cycle route “The Classic”, the Taubertal Cycle Route, the Wine Cycle Tour and the Main-Tauber-Franconian Cycle Loop. The range gives you an idea of the different distances available. Choose a route that suits your preferred distance and check the route details before setting out.
Another way to explore the countryside is the 2,000-hectare Ahorn Forest, between the Lovely Tauber Valley and the Odenwald. It has cycling and hiking trails as well as walking routes. Together with the tours shown on the cycling map, this gives you a choice between designated circular and point-to-point routes and trails through a large forest area. Whether you are especially interested in architectural history, wine, museums or outdoor activities, the district’s varied attractions let you give your trip through the Main-Tauber District a different focus.
Discover more destinations: Grünsfeld, Schwarzenbronn, Freudenberg on the Main, Assamstadt, Bad Mergentheim, Bieberehren, Boxberg, Creglingen, Großrinderfeld, Igersheim, Königheim, Kreuzwertheim, Külsheim, Neubrunn, Niederstetten, Tauberbischofsheim, Weikersheim, Wertheim, Wittighausen, Reicholzheim, Werbach, Ahorn, Lauda-Königshofen.
Return to the main travel overview: Baden-WĂĽrttemberg.
