Meßkirch brings together architectural history, art and geology as distinct themes for a stay. The castle, St. Martin’s town parish church and Liebfrauenkirche represent different historical periods; an altarpiece and connections to Martin Heidegger add to the cultural picture. The Hofgarten and Felsentäle bring park history and landscape into the mix. When planning your visit, you can give these highlights different weight: building periods, art and philosophy offer different points of interest from a French-style castle park or the geological formations of Felsentäle. Nearby, Campus Galli adds another distinct highlight.

Castle, Museums and Heidegger Connections

Meßkirch Castle is considered the earliest four-winged complex north of the Alps. The Municipal Local History Museum of Meßkirch is located in the Lower Courtyard, while the castle’s coach house houses the Vintage Car Museum. A museum in the east wing presents the life and work of the philosopher Martin Heidegger. His connection to the town is also biographical: the Mesmerhaus is Heidegger’s childhood home; he lived from 1889 to 1976. Thus, local history, automotive history and philosophy feature side by side in the castle, while the Mesmerhaus represents Heidegger’s family connection to Meßkirch. If you plan to visit the Vintage Car Museum or the museum in the east wing, check current visiting arrangements in advance.

Church Art and Building Periods

St. Martin’s town parish church was built in the Gothic style in 1526 and converted to the Baroque style from 1769 to 1773. It is considered the last major late Rococo church in Upper Swabia. Inside is an altarpiece by the Master of Meßkirch. The church therefore reveals two distinct building periods: its Gothic construction and its later Baroque conversion; the altarpiece adds its own art-historical dimension to the building. Liebfrauenkirche offers another glimpse into architectural history. It has been mentioned since 1272, while its Gothic building dates from 1356. The first mention and the date of the Gothic building mark different historical milestones.

Hofgarten and Felsentäle

Around 1740, the Hofgarten was laid out as a French-style castle park with 300 lime trees. Its date, design inspiration and number of lime trees give the grounds a different character from the architectural history of the churches. Felsentäle in Meßkirch features caves, gorges and streams. Geologically, Felsentäle is a limestone reef of the White Jurassic, formed in the Jurassic Sea around 140 million years ago. In Meßkirch, park and architectural history thus sit alongside a landscape whose origins reach far back into geological history.

Campus Galli and Getting There

Campus Galli is located outside Meßkirch in the surrounding area. At the monastery construction site, a monastery is being built on the basis of the Plan of St. Gall and using the tools and methods of the 9th century; craftspeople and volunteers are involved. The project differs from Meßkirch’s historic buildings: the focus here is on the ongoing realization of a monastery plan using the tools and methods of the 9th century. The Regio 600 runs hourly between Meßkirch and nearby Campus Galli. The Meßkirch–Rohrdorf–Campus Galli cycle path also leads from Meßkirch town center to the visitor attraction; it is 5.21 km long. If you plan to use the bus service, check the current timetable before traveling.

Discover more destinations: Ostrach, Sigmaringendorf, Hettingen, Leibertingen, Bad Saulgau, Neufra, Pfullendorf, Thiergarten

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