Gutenzell-Hürbel: Castle, Monastery Church and Gehren Loop

Gutenzell-Hürbel can be explored from several angles: the history of its castle, sacred art, an annual procession and a loop through meadows, fields and woodland all offer specific reasons to plan a trip. Highlights range from details of historic architecture and church art to a seasonal visit to the nativity scene and an annual horse procession.

Hürbel Castle and the manorial mill

Hürbel Castle was extended in the Baroque style in 1723, with ornate stucco ceilings, parquet flooring and a balustrade staircase made of black oak. The largely original historic interior also includes stucco ceilings dating from 1727, old doors and floors, and rare wallpapers from 1785 that were restored in 2016. The interior rooms can only be accessed with permission or as part of a prearranged guided tour. If you specifically want to see the interior, check whether a visit is possible in advance.

The manorial mill reveals a different connection between design and technology. Its 500-square-metre roof is covered with handmade beaver-tail tiles. Today, a small turbine operates its own power plant in place of the former waterwheel. The roof and power source draw attention to two distinct aspects of the mill: craftsmanship and the shift from waterwheel to turbine. If seeing the turbine in operation is important to your visit, check its current operating status in advance.

Church art and recurring events

In the former monastery church in Gutenzell, ceiling and wall paintings by Johann Georg Dieffenbrunner depict key biblical scenes, including the “Last Supper,” the “Manna from Heaven” and the “Wedding at Cana,” as well as a cycle of the Apostles. The choir contains elaborately dressed reliquaries of Saints Christina and Justina. The church interior thus brings together paintings with narrative themes and reliquary shrines as distinct elements of its furnishings.

The Baroque nativity scene, featuring around 100 figures, is displayed in Gutenzell parish church. It can be viewed in the side aisle daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from the fourth Sunday of Advent until February 2, Candlemas. Check the opening times locally before your visit. Another annual event is the Wendelinusritt, held on the third Sunday in September; it marks the end of the year’s major horse processions in Upper Swabia. It begins with the noon bells at Gutenzell parish church. The procession passes through the village and across Gutenzell’s woods and fields to nearby Niedernzell, where a pilgrimage Mass is celebrated at Wendelinus Chapel. The two events differ considerably for planning purposes: the nativity scene is available to visit during a seasonal period, while the procession takes place on a Sunday set each year.

A loop through meadows, fields and woodland

The Gehren Loop starts and finishes at the “Laubacher Weg” car park in Gutenzell. From the starting point, it follows the sports grounds and runs through meadows and fields as well as the “Laubacher Esch” and “Gehren” woodland areas. Various plants can be spotted along the way. The route therefore combines open countryside with named woodland areas in a circular walk; those interested in plants will find specific spots to observe them along the route. No route length or walking time is provided here.

More cultural highlights in the wider Biberach destination

In the wider Biberach destination, the Upper Swabian Museum Village of Kürnbach broadens the picture of everyday history: it presents six centuries of history and includes more than 30 historic buildings that offer insights into everyday life in times past. The Steinhausen pilgrimage church was built from 1728 to 1731 by Dominikus Zimmermann and his brother Johann Baptist Zimmermann. At Schussenried Monastery, the magnificent library hall in the Baroque convent building is among the most beautiful library halls in southern Germany. These regional highlights complement Gutenzell-Hürbel’s castles, mill and churches with an open-air museum, church architecture and library design.

Discover more destinations: Ummendorf, Warthausen, Maselheim, Langenenslingen, Bad Schussenried, Kanzach, Uttenweiler, Rot An Der Rot.

View the wider travel overview: Biberach.