A preserved medieval residential and customs watchtower and traditional tobacco barns give Hettigenbeuern a distinctive historic character. Other features include archaeological finds on Burgbuckel Hill, 19th-century boundary markers, and trails exploring the natural, cultural and landscape history of the Morre Valley.

Götzenturm Tower, tobacco cultivation and traces of fortifications

The Götzenturm is a medieval residential and customs watchtower. It was built around 1347 as part of a fortified complex to defend the Morre Valley and was completely renovated in 1979/80. Its residential, defensive and customs functions make it a striking testament to the town’s history.

The tobacco barns are also part of the village landscape. Thanks to its mild climate, Hettigenbeuern was for a long time the only tobacco-growing community in the Odenwald. This points to the particular historic importance of tobacco cultivation, while the barns continue to shape the local architecture and landscape to this day.

Finds of pottery, bricks and iron on Burgbuckel Hill point to a medieval fortification.

Border history and trails in the Morre Valley

Route 3 near Hettigenbeuern crosses the border between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Boundary stones bearing the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Bavarian coat of arms still mark the boundary there; they date from 1838/39. These tangible markers in the landscape make it possible to see how historical jurisdiction changed over time.

Route 3 also passes a historic pig pen made of fieldstones. It was used to protect and control herds of pigs. Its construction and purpose offer insight into an earlier form of animal husbandry, setting this trail feature apart from the boundary stones, which mark political borders.

The Buchen–Hettigenbeuern Morre Valley Trail provides information about the natural, cultural and landscape history of the Morre Valley. The Maria Hilf Chapel is also explored along the trail from a historical perspective. Visitors interested in the chapel can therefore encounter it as part of a historical account; at the same time, the trail’s subject matter extends beyond individual buildings.

Another local activity is the mini-golf course in Hettigenbeuern’s Kurpark. It has twelve holes. For cyclists, Cycle Tour 5 offers a different perspective: it runs from Buchen via Hollerbach, Mudau and Hettigenbeuern, before returning to Buchen town centre.

Culture and nature in the wider Buchen (Odenwald) destination

In the wider Buchen (Odenwald) destination, the district museum occupies two buildings of the former Electoral Mainz administrative complex: the Stone Building, dating from 1493, and the Trunzer House. The Stone Building displays rural and middle-class living rooms, Baier cabinets typical of the Odenwald, clothing, Odenwald costumes and a toy collection. In a dedicated room at the Trunzer House, visitors can listen to excerpts from compositions by Joseph Martin Kraus (1756–1792).

The town tower in Buchen is the Mainz Gate, one of the four former gate towers within the town’s fortifications. Above the outer archway is the Blecker, Buchen’s widely known carnival symbol. Another historic building is the Wartturm: it stands southeast of Buchen on the 394-metre-high Wartberg and is 14 metres tall. According to its building inscription, it was built or renovated in 1490. In times of war, it served as a lookout tower, warning the residents of the fortified medieval town of approaching enemy troops.

The wider Buchen (Odenwald) destination also has a rich geological history. The visitor centre at Eberstadt Stalactite Cave uses several stations to present the history of the Earth and the Muschelkalk sea period in a multimedia and easy-to-understand way. The cave is estimated to be three to five million years old. A geological educational trail also begins at the cave car park, with information panels on geology, landscape and ecology.

Discover more destinations: Haßmersheim, Aglasterhausen, Binau, Neckarzimmern, Neunkirchen, Elztal, Schwarzach, Osterburken.

Go to the wider travel overview: Neckar-Odenwald District.