From Burg Church in the left-bank district of «Vor der Brugg», you can enjoy views of Stein am Rhein and its surroundings. The building features 15th-century wall paintings and was originally the collegiate church of St. Georgen Monastery. The view and the building’s history offer two different perspectives on the area: the surrounding landscape and the church’s historical traces.
Old Town and Monastic History
The Stein district includes the municipalities of Buch (SH), Hemishofen, Ramsen and Stein am Rhein. The medieval old town, St. Georgen Monastery and several of the cultural sites described here are in Stein am Rhein; Ramsen adds a different landscape to the district, with the Bibertal valley.
Stein am Rhein lies on the Rhine, at the western end of Lake Constance. Its medieval old town is characterised by half-timbered houses and frescoes. The fortified old town has largely retained its compact late-medieval form. Surviving defensive structures include remnants of the town walls, the Untertor gate, the Obertor gate, the Hexenturm tower and the semicircular Kretzenturm tower. Here, you can take in the façades, remnants of the town walls and gates as parts of a historic townscape.
The history of St. Georgen Monastery is also present in the town: it was a Benedictine monastery until 1525. The tour of the Museum Kloster Sankt Georgen takes you through the monks’ former rooms, the abbot’s quarters and the monastery garden with its medicinal plants. The Museum Lindwurm shows what life was like around 1850 in a bourgeois house in the lower town, as well as agricultural work in the rear building. The two museums have different focuses: one explores the monastery’s spaces, the other everyday life and work in a bourgeois house and its rear building.
Another collection awaits you at KrippenWelt. Its exhibitions change annually and each features up to 600 nativity scenes from around the world. The vaulted cellar also features an area with works of art by CIRO and Roberto Cipollone, exhibitions by renowned artists from Switzerland and abroad, and special collections. Group tours are available by arrangement outside regular opening hours.
Culture Throughout the Seasons
Exhibitions are held at the Kulturhaus Obere Stube from March to October; readings, lectures and concerts take place there throughout the year. The annual programme thus combines temporary exhibitions with events held across the year. Two festivals with distinctive profiles are also recurring events: Erzählzeit ohne Grenzen is a cross-border literary festival held in spring. The nordArt theatre festival takes place over two weeks in August at numerous venues in the heart of Stein am Rhein.
If you are interested in the region’s architectural history, medieval Hohenklingen Castle offers a specific point of reference in time: it was fully renovated between 2005 and 2007. The historic site is also connected to one of the cycling routes described here, which runs from Ramsen via Schienen in Germany up to the castle and on to Stein am Rhein.
River Landscapes and Routes
Ramsen lies in the striking Bibertal valley, between the Hegau to the north and the Untersee and Rhine region to the south. The Biber flows through Ramsen and joins the High Rhine downstream from Stein am Rhein. The region’s geography therefore includes not only the old town on the Rhine, but also the valley and the course of the Biber.
For a longer hike, the third stage of the ViaRhenana runs 22 kilometres from Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen. It follows a flat riverside path along the Rhine, with stretches of natural riverbank. The ViaRhenana and the Stein am Rhein riverside path pass the fortified old town, offering two ways to experience the same place: the path by the river and the historic town layout. Depending on the season and weather conditions, the ViaRhenana may be closed or interrupted; check the trail status before setting out.
The cycling routes mentioned also differ in their endpoints. The Schaffhauserland Bike route passes through Ramsen and Schienen in Germany, climbs up to Hohenklingen Castle and continues to medieval Stein am Rhein. Wyland–Downtown runs from Stein am Rhein to Zurich. The route descriptions indicate their respective directions but do not specify a particular journey time.
The Castle Express connects the boat landing in Stein am Rhein with Hohenklingen Castle and back; it runs on Saturdays and Sundays. Check the timetable before setting off. There is also a playground on the banks of the Rhine in the Stadtgarten, with a sandbox, climbing frame, water play, rock caves and a castle.
Discover more destinations: Stein am Rhein, Hemishofen, Ramsen, Buch, Reiat, Unterklettgau, Schleitheim, Oberklettgau.
To the main travel overview: Schaffhausen.
