Experience Holzgerlingen: Castle, Church and Forest Trail

Holzgerlingen brings together architectural history, art and a forest nature trail. Kalteneck Castle, St. Maurice’s Church, the forest trail and the local history museum each offer a different focus.

Kalteneck Castle and St. Maurice’s Church

Today’s Kalteneck Castle stands on Gothic foundations dating from 1362. The charming moated castle in Holzgerlingen now serves as a venue for concerts, cabaret and family celebrations. The upper floor is reserved for civil wedding ceremonies and art exhibitions. The castle thus brings together historic fabric and a range of modern uses.

The late Gothic Protestant St. Maurice’s Church is one of the town’s most historic buildings and is listed in the Baden-Württemberg State Office for Monument Preservation’s register of cultural monuments. Its construction history spans several clearly distinct periods: the imposing fortified tower was built in the 11th century and fitted with half-timbering and a tent roof in 1769. This chronology gives the church a different architectural character from Kalteneck Castle.

The interior of St. Maurice’s Church also offers its own perspective on art and religious themes: the gallery parapets are decorated with 25 panel paintings depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The Holzgerlingen Local History Museum offers another way to explore the town’s past. Housed in a former village schoolhouse, it vividly presents the town’s history across four floors, with more than 11,001 exhibits. The church and museum thus offer different points of interest: the panel paintings and architectural history in one, and the town’s history presented through an extensive collection in the other.

The Forest Trail through the Unterer Wald

As a contrast to the historic buildings, there is the forest trail: this 3.5-kilometre adventure and forestry trail leads through the Unterer Wald. Its length gives you a clear timeframe for planning your visit, while the trail combines nature experiences with the subject of wood. This makes it easy to distinguish from the town’s cultural highlights.

About halfway along the route is the Josefshütte, where you can relax and barbecue. Its approximate location makes it a possible stopping point along the way. Holzgerlingen therefore brings together a variety of themes: architectural and local history, art, and a trail through the forest.

More to explore in the wider Böblingen destination

The wider Böblingen destination also offers a range of hiking experiences. In Waldenbuch, the 13.7-kilometre Herzog-Jäger Trail is a premium hiking trail with numerous highlights and hands-on activity stations. The Heckengäu Adventure Trail is 23 kilometres long and loops around Aidlingen; features include a soil education trail, a sensory area and a low ropes course. Their lengths and stations make the two routes easy to compare when weighing up different hiking options in the Böblingen destination.

Art lovers can visit MUSEUM RITTER in Waldenbuch, which focuses mainly on geometric abstract art. In addition to exhibitions, it offers guided tours and art discussions for adults and children. This is a different artistic focus from the biblical scenes depicted in the panel paintings at St. Maurice’s Church in Holzgerlingen.

Discover more destinations: Gäufelden, Renningen, Waldenbuch, Mötzingen, Gärtringen, Nufringen, Bondorf, Aidlingen.

View the wider travel overview: Böblingen.