A former pilgrimage church, archaeological traces and hiking trails with clear route information offer different perspectives on Lausheim. For your planning, there are two specific directions to explore: the village’s history and the routes that include Lausheim-Blumegg railway stop. Which route detail matters to you depends on whether you are looking at the Sauschwänzle Trail or the first stage of the Schluchtensteig; the historic railway also does not run every day.
Church and Architectural History
St. Nicholas Church in Lausheim is a former Renaissance-style pilgrimage church. It was built in 1616 under Abbot Martin I Meister. Its painted decoration dates from before the Thirty Years’ War, has survived in unusually extensive form and belongs to the late Renaissance. Examples of this kind are very rare. During restoration work in 1968/69, at least three predecessor churches were identified in an excavation area limited to the choir; the tower was already there. The former pilgrimage function, Renaissance style and rare paintings describe different aspects of the same church.
Earlier Traces and Traditions
The village’s history goes back even further. Early Bronze Age grave finds in the Schiedhag area point to the period from 2000 to 1500 BC. The finds include an arm spiral, a small dagger and a copper band. A manor house, a villa rustica, was located in the Fohrenschachen area. Aerial photographs indicate the remains of walls and rubble mounds there, belonging to a dwelling, a bathhouse and farm buildings. The two find sites have different emphases: Schiedhag is notable for its grave finds and grave goods, while Fohrenschachen offers evidence of the manor house and its buildings. The historical span thus extends from the Early Bronze Age finds to the Renaissance church of 1616.
Lausheim’s traditions include Bärensonntag (Bear Sunday), an ancient custom for driving out winter.
Hiking from Lausheim-Blumegg Railway Stop
The Sauschwänzle Trail is 10.5 km long from Lausheim-Blumegg railway stop. The first stage of the Schluchtensteig runs from Stühlingen via Weizen station and Lausheim-Blumegg railway stop, through the Wutach Gorge and over Buchberg to Blumberg. The stop is therefore part of this stage; the 10.5 km distance, however, refers to the Sauschwänzle Trail. The route information answers different questions: for the Sauschwänzle Trail, you know the stated distance; for the Schluchtensteig, you know the sequence of places along the stage. So do not read these as comparable route lengths.
From Lausheim-Blumegg railway stop, you can take a historic Sauschwänzlebahn train back to Blumberg-Zollhaus station. The railway does not run every day; check its operating days if you plan to take this train. The stop was established in 1899 to transport timber from the Black Forest.
A Further Look at Stühlingen
Stühlingen has an extensive network of cycling and hiking trails. The Capuchin monastery in Stühlingen includes a crypt. As regional additions, a network of trails and a single historic building offer two distinct topics.
For the overall travel overview: Stühlingen.
