Buxheim brings together two distinct themes for a stay: Buxheim Pond, with opportunities for swimming and walking, and the history of the charterhouse. This lets you combine time by the water with a look at the town’s historical development. Leisure facilities by the pond include a campsite and several restaurants. If you are counting on them for accommodation or food, check whether they are currently open before making plans.
Pond and trails around Buxheim
At the water in the Buxheim Pond recreation area, you can swim and go for walks. The forest discovery trail is close to the pond and is also a starting point for hikes around the Buxheim forest ponds. In the wider Unterallgäu travel region, the 2.7-kilometre Buxheim Forest Discovery Trail loops around Buxheim Pond. It is designed to let visitors experience nature with all their senses. This makes it a shorter route than the longer hike from Buxheim to the Iller and back to town.
This approximately eight-kilometre hike takes around two hours, depending on your pace. It starts on the northeast side of the town hall, close to the charterhouse, and leads past the Buxheim ponds and along the Iller escarpment loop, descending steps to the Iller. From there, a straight stretch of the Iller Cycle Path leads back to town. The approximate duration and the section with steps help you gauge the length of the hike. Check current local trail information before setting out.
The charterhouse as a historical focal point
Buxheim’s history dates back to an Alemannic settlement more than 1,000 years old. Carthusian monks moved there in 1402 and built what is now Germany’s best-preserved charterhouse complex. Another significant date is 1548: the charterhouse was then placed directly under the protection of the emperor, making it the only charterhouse in the German Empire with imperial immediacy.
St Peter and Paul’s parish church is also part of this historical story. The Zimmermann brothers built it at the same time as they Baroque-restyled the charterhouse monastery. Anyone interested in the town’s history will find several connected points of reference: the early settlement, the monks’ arrival, the charterhouse’s special status, and the building work carried out at the church and monastery at the same time. In the wider Unterallgäu travel region, the former Imperial Charterhouse in Buxheim is also known for its choir stalls.
Unterallgäu as the regional setting
For context beyond Buxheim: in the wider Unterallgäu travel region, the A7 and A96 motorways, an extensive road network, rail connections and Allgäu Airport in Memmingerberg contribute to regional accessibility. This information relates to the Unterallgäu as a region. Check the specific route and current conditions for your journey to Buxheim.
A regional food outing can also be planned around the seasons: the Culinary Mile in Bad Wörishofen takes place twice a year, in spring and autumn. Freshly prepared dishes are offered at numerous tasting stalls; menus may vary. If you would like to plan your trip around the event, check the dates for your chosen year.
Discover more destinations: Sontheim, Ettringen, Memmingen, Erkheim, Tussenhausen, Winterrieden, Niederrieden, Kirchheim in Schwaben.
Go to the wider travel overview: Unterallgäu.
