Reilingen can be explored through several specific themes: architectural history, an archaeological find by the lake, nature trails and asparagus dishes during asparagus season. Two routes also pass through the town. This brings together cultural and historical connections, landscape and a seasonal culinary theme.
Routes and Asparagus Season
The Baden Asparagus Route runs through Reilingen along the L 599; the Bertha Benz Memorial Route also passes through the town. During asparagus season, restaurants in Reilingen serve asparagus dishes. The two route connections and the seasonal asparagus dishes are separate topics. If you include the culinary connection in your plans, asparagus season is the relevant time of year.
Architectural History and Historical Traces
The Evangelical Church in Reilingen was built in 1819/20 by Gustav Frommel and Friedrich Weinbrenner in the Weinbrenner style. Its specific construction date and named architectural style make it an important part of the town’s architectural history.
Wersau Castle offers a different historical perspective. It was once one of the largest and most important castle complexes in the Electoral Palatinate. It served to monitor important road links and as a customs post—two functions that explain its role in transport and trade at the time.
Another aspect of the town’s history can be seen in the listed Franconian farmstead at Hauptstraße 12. It consists of two gable-fronted buildings facing the street and an elaborately designed half-timbered gate dating from 1810. The complex bears witness to a large, typical local farmstead around 1800. The individual buildings and the gate thus form part of a single historic farmstead.
The historic “Zum Löwen” inn in Reilingen was first mentioned as a hostel in 1435. Its history as a hostel adds another chapter to the town’s past, alongside its architectural and castle history.
Fragments of the skull of the “Reilingen Man” were found by Reilingen Lake. He is described as a late form of Homo erectus dating from 250,000 to 300,000 years ago. This archaeological connection reaches far beyond the period of the historic buildings.
Nature Trails Between Forest and Lake
The nature trails focus on different themes. In Reilinger Eck, the forest trail runs through a 323-hectare protected forest spanning the districts of Walldorf and Reilingen. The nature trail around Reilingen Lake is a circular route. Its information boards explain the animal and plant species living in the lake ecosystem, local conditions, and the importance of the area and the need to protect it.
The difference between the two trails is clear: the forest trail passes through an extensive protected forest, while the circular route by the lake combines the lakeside landscape with information about the ecosystem and the need to protect the area. Reilingen thus offers two different ways to experience nature, each with its own focus.
Discover more destinations: Waibstadt, Ladenburg, Eberbach, Neulußheim, Hilsbach, Schwetzingen, Wilhelmsfeld, Schönau
For the regional travel overview: Rhein-Neckar District.
