Visitors wishing to discover the history of churches and mills in Amtzell will find notable destinations in the town and nearby. The Holy Cross Chapel is a landmark of Amtzell, while the Reibeisenmühle mill showcases historic technology and a preserved residence. Nearby Pfärrich brings together scenic surroundings, pilgrimage and opportunities for personal prayer. This makes it possible to shape a stay around architecture, religious tradition or the former daily life of a mill.
Chapels and Pilgrimage Around Amtzell
The Holy Cross Chapel was first mentioned in 1468 and is Amtzell’s landmark. Nearby lies Pfärrich, a hamlet on a wooded ridge between Wangen and Amtzell. The Church of the Nativity of Mary on this site is visible from far away. Visitors can light a candle in the church or write their prayers and thanks in a prayer book. For centuries, pilgrims have come to Pfärrich on the Friday before Palm Sunday, known as the Friday of the Seven Sorrows. Together, these sites offer different historical and religious points of interest: a landmark in Amtzell and a pilgrimage destination nearby.
The Reibeisenmühle Mill: Technology and Everyday Life in the Past
The Reibeisenmühle mill dates back to 1711. Visitors can see the restored mill machinery in operation, including original millstones, tanning and bran-cleaning machines, and sieving equipment. An overshot waterwheel powers the mill; a channel carries water from the Rohnebach stream to the wheel. Together, the machinery and its power source bring the milling process to life.
The residence also offers a glimpse into everyday life at the mill in the past. Furniture and household items remain in their original places. The furnishings include the kitchen of the last owner, Rosa Kübler, the mill hand’s room, and a living room and bedroom with a fully stocked bridal chest. The rooms complement the view of the machinery with a sense of what it was like to live at the mill. Visits to the Reibeisenmühle mill are possible only by prior arrangement.
Culture and Landscape in the Ravensburg Destination
Museums and castles add their own cultural highlights to the Ravensburg destination. The Humpis-Quartier Museum opened in July 2009. Its permanent exhibition spans five buildings in a late medieval residential quarter. Achberg Castle is the Ravensburg district’s cultural centre, situated high above the Argental valley, and showcases Baroque architecture. It is open to all visitors and offers educational activities for children. Circular walking trails starting at the castle lead through gently rolling meadows along the high riverbank and down steep slopes with ravines on the valley sides of the Argental.
The Allgäu-Oberschwaben Wolfegg Farmhouse Museum focuses on the region’s traditional work and way of life. It preserves 28 historic buildings, some of them several centuries old. Numerous cycling and hiking trails lead to the museum. By contrast, the Reibeisenmühle mill focuses on the history of a single milling household, including its machinery and living spaces.
Discover more destinations: Horgenzell, Fronreute, Eichstegen, Isny im Allgäu, Wilhelmsdorf, Aulendorf, Waldburg, Vogt
Return to the main travel overview: Ravensburg.
