Welden offers several distinct reasons to stay: in the parish church, the foundations of a Romanesque church meet an old bell and a large ceiling painting; the Chapel of the 14 Holy Helpers tells of its former role as a pilgrimage site. Other attractions include the Ganghofer site, the lime tree avenue on Theklaberg and a variety of routes. For planning, it helps to first distinguish between architectural history, family history and the experience of the trails.

Church Art and Historical Traces

The parish church of the Annunciation in Welden stands on the site of a Romanesque church. The foundations of the choir and tower are remnants of this predecessor building. The parish church has a preserved bell dating to around 1250 and bearing the names Lucas, Marcus, Matheus and Johannes. It is one of the oldest bells in the district. The ceiling painting is 13.5 metres in diameter. Matthäus Günther created it in 1732 for 300 gulden.

The late Gothic Chapel of the 14 Holy Helpers stands prominently on a hill in the middle of Welden cemetery. It was built in 1495 and served as a place of pilgrimage for people from Welden and the surrounding area in times of illness and hardship. In 1680, the chapel received a Baroque altar, Baroque furnishings and a ceiling fresco depicting Welden. The chapel’s construction and the later furnishing details mark two distinct historical periods.

Ganghofer and Theklaberg

Opened in 2005, the Ganghofer site in Welden is located in the Gasthof Hirsch. Its permanent exhibition was titled “Habitats – the Ganghofer Family in the Swabian Holzwinkel” and focused on the family’s life and work in and around Welden.

In 1869, the then district forester August Ganghofer planted a lime tree avenue on Theklaberg, which is designated a natural monument. The trees line the footpath to Thekla Church. The avenue thus brings together a specific planting year and a direct connection to a walking route.

Cycle Path and Interactive Stations

The Weldenbahn Cycle Path follows the foundation of the Welden railway, built in 1903. Far from the roads, it passes through forests and fields on its way to Aystetten, Horgau, Adelsried and Welden. Its route connects the history of the former railway with a ride through the countryside.

The Ludwig Ganghofer Rascal Trail offers a different kind of route. The tour passes Burgstall Schneeburg and has five interactive stations. Among other activities, visitors can dig up Ludwig’s missing treasure, steal eggs like Ludwig and look out over the forest from a viewing tower. While the former railway route and the landscape are the focus of the Weldenbahn Cycle Path, interactive activities are part of the experience on the Rascal Trail.

More Trails in the Wider Augsburg Destination

In the wider Augsburg destination, the LandArt Art Trail in Bonstetten is a 5.65-kilometre circular hiking route. Along the trail, the artist Hama Lohrmann personally explains his sculptures. Also in the wider Augsburg destination, a three-kilometre meditation trail leads from Oberschönenfeld Cistercian Abbey to Weiherhof on the edge of the Schwarzachtal forest. The Augsburg district also has a well-developed network of cycle paths. The Stauden, Holzwinkel and Reischenau regions are part of Augsburg — Western Forests Nature Park.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Heretsried, Adelsried, Fischach, Thierhaupten, Untermeitingen, Horgau, Neusäß, Zusmarshausen

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