Haigerloch brings together clearly distinct cultural themes: traces of vanished Jewish life, the history of nuclear research, regional art and historic architecture. An easy historical walk offers another way to explore the town. When planning your visit, you can first decide whether to focus on a specific historical site, several places on a circular route or the work of an artist with regional ties. The differences between these themes can help you find your own focus without reducing Haigerloch to a single period.
Haigerloch’s history at specific sites
The former Haigerloch Synagogue was built in 1783 in the centre of the Jewish quarter. The exhibition by the House of History Baden-Württemberg in the former synagogue follows the traces of vanished Jewish life. Its year of construction, location and exhibition theme form a specific historical context: the site that houses the exhibition is itself part of Haigerloch’s history. This makes the synagogue a distinct point of interest alongside the town’s other historical and cultural sites.
The Atomic Cellar Museum in Haigerloch represents another chapter: it is located at the site of the world’s first nuclear reactor. The museum is set in a rock directly beneath the castle church. This location gives the subject a specific spatial context and distinguishes the Atomic Cellar from the exhibition in the former synagogue. Haigerloch thus brings together two clearly different historical perspectives: traces of vanished Jewish life and the history of nuclear research.
Art and landscape through Karl Hurm’s work
The Karl Hurm Art Museum presents a cross-section of Karl Hurm’s work, with more than 300 exhibits. Visitors can compare and enjoy images and landscapes, as well as dreams and reality. This approach differs from that of the historical sites: the focus here is on the relationship between depiction and reality, and on the artistic work itself. Karl Hurm lived and painted for 89 years in Weildorf, a district of Haigerloch. His extensive body of work is deeply rooted in the Haigerloch area and the surrounding Alb landscape, giving the art a specific local and regional connection. The number of exhibits may change.
Haigerloch on foot: 15 historical stops
The historical walk through Haigerloch is an easy circular route of 2.31 km that takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and leads to 15 historically interesting places. The stated distance and time provide a clear framework for planning. The stops include the Church of St. Anne, a well-known Baroque-Rococo church. It was created by Haigerloch master builder Christian Großbayer, with the involvement of the young sculptor Johann Georg Weckenmann and court painter Meinrad von Au from Sigmaringen. Its design connects the names of the master builder, sculptor and court painter to a specific point on the walk. For anyone interested in architecture as well as urban history, St. Anne’s is a precise point of reference.
Discover more destinations: Bad Imnau, Hechingen, MeĂźstetten, Grosselfingen, Albstadt, Nusplingen, Bisingen, Dormettingen.
For the higher-level travel overview: Zollernalbkreis.
