Two perspectives give Bad Imnau its character: the historic Stahlbad ensemble and the Eyachtal Circular Trail, which passes through the town. If you’re looking for a holiday apartment, you can base your choice on what matters most to you—architecture and local history, a walking route, or other cultural destinations in the wider destination of Haigerloch.
Spa history in buildings and parks
The historic Stahlbad Imnau ensemble includes the Fürstenbau, dated 1733; the Kursaal, built in 1868 to plans by Professor Wilhelm Bäumer; and the 18th-century Josefshaus. The spa park is also part of the ensemble: its original layout dates to the 18th century. Features include the Casparquell Pavilion, the Lourdes Grotto, a stone crucifix and streetlamps dating from around 1900.
These details give the ensemble a broad timespan. The stone crucifix was dated 1936 by J. Walz to mark the 200th anniversary of the spa establishment; the streetlamps date from around 1900. Together with the buildings and the older park layout, these dates show that the history of the Stahlbad is not limited to a single period of construction.
Church and local history
The Catholic parish church of St. James in Bad Imnau tells another story of architecture. It dates from 1779/83; in 1934, its nave was extended to the west. The town’s history thus brings together different building phases: the late-18th-century church and its extension more than a century and a half later.
Eyachtal Circular Trail and footbath
The Eyachtal Circular Trail leads from Haigerloch via Trillfingen and Bad Imnau, partly following the edge of the Eyach valley. An alternative route starts on QuellenstraĂźe in Bad Imnau. After a few hundred metres, you reach a footbath in the Laibetal valley. When planning, you can therefore choose between a circular trail passing through several towns and an alternative with a specific destination in the Laibetal valley.
An event on Rose Monday
Since 2015, the “Emnauer Omzigle” procession has made its way through Bad Imnau on Rose Monday. The date follows the carnival calendar and therefore varies from year to year. If you’d like to plan your trip around the procession, check the Rose Monday date for the year in question.
Cultural additions in the wider destination of Haigerloch
In the wider destination of Haigerloch, an exhibition by the House of History of Baden-Württemberg in the former synagogue traces the story of the Jewish life that disappeared from the area. The former synagogue was built in 1783 in the centre of the Jewish quarter. The Atomkeller Museum is located at the site of the world’s first nuclear reactor, in a rock directly beneath the castle church—two very different historical subjects at named locations in Haigerloch.
The historic walk through Haigerloch is an easy circular route of 2.31 kilometres, taking one hour and 15 minutes, and leading to 15 historically interesting places. As the operator may update the route details, it’s worth checking the current route description before planning. One of the stops on the walk is the pilgrimage church of St. Anna, a well-known Baroque-Rococo church. It was created by Haigerloch master builder Christian Großbayer, with the participation of the young sculptor Johann Georg Weckenmann and the court painter Meinrad von Au of Sigmaringen.
Art history is also part of Haigerloch’s cultural offering: the Karl Hurm Art Museum presents a cross-section of more than 300 works from the artist’s body of work; the number may change. The exhibition offers an opportunity to compare paintings and landscapes, as well as dreams and reality, on site. Karl Hurm lived and painted for 89 years in Weildorf, a district of Haigerloch; his work is rooted in the Haigerloch area and the surrounding Alb landscape.
For the wider travel overview: Haigerloch.
