In Nennslingen, striking examples of Jura architectural heritage meet trails through the Anlaut Valley and across the Jura plateau. The Jura farmhouse on the market square, the parish church and a house with a smithy each tell a different story about the town’s architectural history. For outdoor activities, there is a different kind of appeal: an extensive network of hiking and cycling trails in the Anlaut Valley and across the Jura plateau.
Jura Architecture and History in Town
The Jura farmhouse is a residential building with an attached stable on the northern edge of the market square. Its core dates from the 16th century; timber joints from this period have been preserved in the roof structure. The building type and surviving joints provide a specific architectural focus, distinct from the historic memorials in the parish church.
The Evangelical Lutheran parish church of Beatae Mariae Virginis has a funerary chapel of the Schenken von Geyern on its south side. It contains numerous epitaphs belonging to this minor noble family. Those interested in local history can thus look beyond the farmhouse to an ecclesiastical monument associated with a clearly identified family history.
Another landmark in the town’s architectural history is at Kellergasse 1: the house with a smithy has an older semi-detached half, which probably dates from shortly before 1540. The dates given for the house and the Jura farmhouse are phrased differently: the period assigned to the older half is explicitly presented as probable, while the core of the residential building with an attached stable is dated to the 16th century.
A separate work of art draws on the history of Jura houses. The Lost Village consists of four enclosed houses made of matte stainless steel, built to a scale of 1:8. It reconstructs demolished Jura houses from Biburg, Gersdorf, Wengen and Nennslingen, which shaped the townscape in part for centuries. Geographically, the artwork is centrally located between these four districts in the municipality they belong to, not in Nennslingen itself.
Hiking Trails, Cycling Tours and Getting Around
The scenic Anlaut Valley and the Jura plateau near Nennslingen offer an extensive network of cycling and hiking trails. If you’re deciding between cycling and hiking, start by considering what you have in mind and use maps of the surrounding area. The Tourist Information office at Schmiedgasse 1 has maps of hiking and cycling routes, as well as flyers and posters about current events and further information.
For a summer swimming break, there is an option near the destination at Bechthal Pond, below the castle ruins. There is also a playground on Ringstraße with a climbing frame, seesaw, swing, spring rider and carousel. Playground equipment may change over time.
Regional Context: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen
The district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen offers a distinct perspective on Roman heritage. The Limes runs for around 40 kilometres across the district and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site there since 2005. In Weißenburg, the Roman Museum displays Germany’s largest Roman treasure trove and houses the Central Bavarian Limes Information Centre. The partially reconstructed Biriciana fort and the Roman Baths are also part of Weißenburg’s Roman heritage. Numerous Roman watchtowers, forts and fragments of bath complexes across the district bear further witness to this history.
Another striking regional landmark is the old Ansbach Hohenzollern fortress of Wülzburg, above Weißenburg. It stands on the highest hill in the southern Franconian Jura, at an elevation of 630 metres, and is considered an impressive example of Renaissance fortress architecture in Germany. Weather permitting, guided tours are offered from May to October; check the specific dates before your trip.
Regional routes also vary considerably by mode of transport and length. The Via Biriciana hiking trail follows old Roman roads to the Limes. The Altmühltal Panorama Trail runs for 200 kilometres along the Altmühl from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through Altmühltal Nature Park. The Altmühltal Cycle Route runs for around 160 kilometres from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through the nature park. For a trip on the water, there is a nearly 120-kilometre boating route on the Altmühl between Gunzenhausen and Dietfurt/Töging; conditions may vary seasonally.
The southern part of the district also lies within Altmühltal Nature Park. At Lake Altmühl, northwest of Gunzenhausen, possible activities include swimming, sailing and windsurfing; conditions and local restrictions may vary. The approximately 120-hectare Bird Island in Lake Altmühl offers ornithological tours led by the Bavarian State Association for the Protection of Birds. Check availability before your trip.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Burgsalach, Bergen, Weißenburg in Bayern, Westheim, Höttingen, Pleinfeld, Pappenheim, Langenaltheim.
Back to the regional travel guide: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen.
