Wallerstein can be explored from two different perspectives: its clearly defined local history and the cycling routes that pass through the town. As a founding member of the Romantic Road, Wallerstein has a lasting connection to it. The descriptions of the cycling routes provide additional guidance for planning a ride; founding membership and cycling route itineraries answer different questions. If you are looking for accommodation, you can first decide whether local history or cycling should be the focus of your stay.
Landmarks and historical points of interest
The Plague Column, also known as the Trinity Column, is Wallerstein’s landmark and stands in the town centre. The Catholic parish church of St. Alban is associated with the year 1242. The townscape thus brings together two different cultural points of reference: the column as a landmark in the centre and the church, whose history is linked to a specific year.
The town’s history can also be viewed through milestones that lie far apart in time. The origins of the market town of Wallerstein date back to the 6th century AD. Wallerstein Castle on the Wallerstein Rock was set alight by Swedish troops in 1648 and subsequently blown up. The town’s early beginnings therefore provide a different historical context from the clearly dated event at the castle.
Guided tour of Wallerstein
A guided tour links several of the cultural sites. These include the parish church of St. Alban, with its early Gothic features and medieval relics. The Trinity Column is also part of the tour and shapes the appearance of the main street. The tour concludes with a visit to Wallerstein Rock. The stops thus lead from church architecture and a landmark on the main street to a destination with a history of its own.
Access to Wallerstein Rock is via the grounds of the Wallerstein Brewery. Check local access regulations before your visit. This keeps the rock in mind as a possible destination on the tour without assuming that access is unrestricted.
Cycling routes with different itineraries
The Romantic Road cycle route runs from Maihingen through Wallerstein to Nördlingen. The eastern loop of the “From Crater to Crater” cycle route goes via Maihingen and Wallerstein before returning to Nördlingen. Both descriptions therefore mention Maihingen, Wallerstein and Nördlingen; the second specifically describes an eastern loop that returns to Nördlingen. When comparing the routes, you can use their different names and itineraries as a guide. Check the current signs before setting off.
The Romantic Road cycle route should be distinguished from Wallerstein’s status as a founding member of the Romantic Road: one describes a cycling route, while the other describes the town’s lasting connection to the road. These details offer different starting points when choosing between a culturally focused visit to the town and a cycling route.
More topics in the wider Donau-Ries destination
The wider Donau-Ries destination adds geological and historical topics. Donau-Ries District describes the Geopark Ries, with the Ries Crater formed by a meteorite impact, as a tourist attraction. In Nördlingen, the medieval town wall is completely intact and fully accessible. The town museum there displays a collection more than 150 years old across four floors. It covers the life and beliefs of people in Nördlingen, the Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War and the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634. A model of this battle featuring around 6,000 tin soldiers brings the historical subject to life.
The Ries Crater Museum is devoted to the asteroid impact that created the Nördlingen Ries, as well as its cosmic background and effects that continue to this day. Exhibits include meteorites, fossils, a piece of real moon rock, information panels and multimedia features. The museum building also has a history of its own: the Ries event is presented in a carefully renovated medieval barn dating from 1503.
A tour of Harburg Castle offers further historical insights: the Baroque castle church, arrow slits, prison cells, gates and towers bring almost 900 years of history to life. These regional topics add to the perspective on Wallerstein without replacing the market town’s local history, guided tour and cycling routes.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Munzingen, Fremdingen, Tapfheim, Wemding, Oettingen in Bavaria, Harburg, Ehingen am Ries, Marxheim.
Back to the wider travel overview: Donau-Ries.
