The cultural trail tells local stories at its information pillars, the local history museum brings finds and art together, and the Otto Schneider Circular Trail offers scenic views, woodland ponds and traces of the past. Dinkelscherben thus brings together different ways to explore local history and the landscape. There are also the remains of Zusameck Castle and the Schäffler dance, whose first performance takes place every seven years. Which aspects you focus on depends on whether you are more interested in local stories, collections, architectural history or paths through the forest.
Cultural Trail and Schäffler Dance
The cultural trail focuses on buildings and places of historical and cultural significance. In the main town and its districts, information pillars display text and images that tell local stories, describe important events and share anecdotes. The trail currently comprises 25 pillars and is being extended gradually. This means the focus is not only on individual buildings, but also on the stories and events associated with the various places.
Another cultural highlight is the Schäffler dance. Its first performance takes place every seven years in front of the town hall, usually on the Sunday after Epiphany; when the carnival season is short, the date is correspondingly earlier. On the following weekends and from Rußiger Friday through Shrove Tuesday, the dancers parade through the market’s streets accompanied by music. Since the carnival calendar affects the exact timing, check the performance dates in advance if you want to plan your trip around the event.
Local History Museum: Collections and Planning Your Visit
The local history museum brings together exhibits on local history and cultural history from the Reischenau region. Its collections include finds from the medieval Zusameck Castle, a mammoth tooth, documents on local history, handicrafts, folk religious art and traditional costumes. A particular highlight is the Scherer collection from the 19th century, the estate of the Scherer family of painters from Ettelried. It includes stained-glass windows, religious subjects, oil paintings, sketches and drawings. Finds from the castle and documents on local history are thus displayed alongside works of art and traditional costumes. The cultural trail offers a different focus: its information panels tell stories at the places themselves, while the museum’s emphasis is on a variety of collection items.
The local history museum is closed during the winter months. Groups of five or more and school classes can visit outside regular opening hours by arranging a visit by phone. Before travelling, check the latest visitor information and book such a visit by phone.
Zusameck Castle and the Otto Schneider Circular Trail
The remains of the high- and late-medieval Zusameck Castle lie on Schlossberg, also known as Kalvarienberg, on the hill north of the market town of Dinkelscherben. The castle chapel has also survived; it was restored in the Neo-Gothic style around 1850. The castle ruins and the chapel’s architectural history offer two different points of interest in the past.
The Otto Schneider Circular Trail passes a forest nature trail and two woodland ponds. At the edge of the forest, it offers a view of the Zusam Valley; along its wooded section, it also passes a burial mound and a slate-coal geological site. The circular trail also reaches the former Wolfsberg Castle. Compared with the cultural trail, the focus here is on the route itself: scenic views, woodland ponds and individual traces of history and geology are among the points described. This lets you choose between exploring local stories and collections or following a circular route with links to nature and history.
Discover More Destinations
Ehingen, Schwabmünchen, Königsbrunn, Kutzenhausen, Wehringen, Scherstetten, Horgau, Langweid am Lech
For the main travel overview: Augsburg.
