Oberschönenfeld, a district of Gessertshausen, brings art, monastic history and nature together in a clearly defined visitor experience. The Swabian Museum of Rural Life and the art forum are cultural highlights; other offerings include a guided tour, the three-kilometre-long meditation trail and seasonal events such as the Christmas market. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the different formats: an exhibition explores themes through a range of artistic media, the guided tour combines a walk around the grounds with a subsequent visit to an exhibition, and the meditation trail passes between the Cistercian abbey and Weiherhof.

Museum, Abbey History and Art Forum

The District of Swabia established the Swabian Museum of Rural Life in 1984 in former farm buildings belonging to Oberschönenfeld Cistercian Abbey. The buildings’ former use links the museum’s history to the abbey; the founding year marks when it was established. The Oberschönenfeld Art Forum presents thematic exhibitions featuring works by one or more artists. The media range from painting, drawing and printmaking to sculpture, photography, video art and installation. This means the focus is not limited to a single art form. The art forum also regularly displays works from the Oberschönenfeld Museum’s art collection.

Guided Tour and Christmas Market

A guided tour exploring Oberschönenfeld’s eventful history includes a walk around the grounds followed by a visit to an exhibition. As a bookable option, it combines a walk around the site with an exhibition visit. If you plan to join the tour, check the specific date.

The Oberschönenfeld Christmas Market is traditionally held on the third weekend of Advent. It features local arts and crafts and hands-on activities for families and children. If you are planning a trip specifically for the market, check the dates for that year and plan your visit accordingly.

Meditation Trail and Wildlife Watching

The three-kilometre-long meditation trail runs from the Cistercian abbey to Weiherhof and along the edge of the forest in the Schwarzachtal valley. Twelve wooden steles bearing short inspirational words connect the abbey church with the Chapel of Maria Sieben Schmerzen along the route. If you are looking for a trail with named stops, you can use this information together with the endpoints at the abbey and Weiherhof.

Another activity is available near the playground in Oberschönenfeld: fallow deer and roe deer can be fed in an enclosed area.

More Routes and Nature Experiences in the Wider Augsburg Destination

In the wider Augsburg destination, the LandArt Art Trail in Bonstetten offers a distinct route for comparison: it is a 5.65-kilometre circular hiking trail where the artist Hama Lohrmann personally explains his sculptures. The meditation trail in Oberschönenfeld, by contrast, is three kilometres long and runs from the Cistercian abbey to Weiherhof. This makes it easy to distinguish between the stated lengths and route types: a circular trail or a route between two named destinations.

The Augsburg district has a well-developed cycling network. The Stauden, Holzwinkel and Reischenau regions belong to the Augsburg — Western Forests Nature Park. Westwood Alpacas offers regular alpaca hikes and excursions through the nature park. These activities form a distinct nature and adventure experience in the wider Augsburg destination and should be distinguished from the cultural and walking options in Oberschönenfeld.

Discover more destinations: Dinkelscherben, Walkertshofen, Scherstetten, Gersthofen, Augsburg, Nordendorf, Stadtbergen, Fischach.

Back to the wider travel overview: Augsburg.