Bösingen: Parish Barn and Herrenzimmern Castle
To get your bearings in Bösingen, it is helpful to distinguish between the town and the municipality: the parish barn is in Bösingen, while Herrenzimmern Castle lies within the municipality between the villages of Herrenzimmern and Talhausen. Herrenzimmern is a district of the municipality of Bösingen. The castle is the ruin of a spur castle in the Schlossbach Valley, a side valley of the Neckar Valley.
The Bösingen parish barn was built in 1858 to house livestock, harvested produce and, above all, the tithe collected by the parish priest of Bösingen. Its original function therefore combined the storage of livestock and harvested produce with the collection of tithes. Since 1987, the Bösingen Farm Museum has occupied all floors of the building. The dates mark different phases: 1858 refers to its construction, and 1987 to the museum’s opening in the building.
The two historic landmarks offer different points of focus. The parish barn highlights a building and its specific former use, while the castle draws attention to the form of the spur castle and its location in the valley. Bösingen can therefore be viewed on two levels: through a historic building in the town and a castle ruin within the municipality. This distinction is helpful when considering Bösingen as a travel destination or looking for a holiday apartment there.
More things to see in Rottweil
In Rottweil, the Lower Bohrhaus Saltworks Museum is dedicated to the production of boiled salt. Its original buildings and equipment include a waterwheel and two brine pumps. The museum also explains the history and significance of the former Royal Wilhelmshall Saltworks, described as Rottweil’s oldest industrial business. In contrast to the parish barn, its focus is on salt production and industrial history.
At the Dominican Museum in Rottweil, visitors of all ages can try on a Roman wool tunic, a chain mail shirt, a Roman soldier’s helmet or shield, and the saddle of a Roman horseman. As the availability of this hands-on activity may change, check whether it is currently offered before your visit. The “Roman Rottweil – Arae Flaviae” section takes visitors through an imagined day in Roman Rottweil on 4 August 186 AD: from the forum in the morning, through public and private engagements, to a feast in the evening. Reconstructions and interactive areas complement the exhibition.
Rottweil’s old town also offers a glimpse into the Roman past: along the Roman Path, information pillars highlight important sites in the former Roman city. Another historic highlight is the Rottweil Fool’s Leap. It begins behind the Black Gate on Shrove Monday, when the bells strike 8 a.m. As Shrove Monday falls on a different date each year, check the dates for the relevant year when planning your trip.
Rottweil’s Test Tower is a technical attraction: modern lifts are tested and certified in twelve shafts, with speeds of up to 18 metres per second. For travel by public transport from Rottweil station, visitor information lists bus 5011 on weekdays and an on-call bus on Saturdays and Sundays. Check the connection before you travel, as transport details may change.
Discover more destinations: Schiltach, Aichhalden, Sulz am Neckar, Wellendingen, Dietingen, Lauterbach, Schramberg, Hardt.
For the wider travel overview: Rottweil.
