Nimburg: Hill Church, Local History and Nimberg Trail

The hill church and the Nimberg Trail give Nimburg two clearly distinct sides: architectural and local history on the one hand, and vineyards, wine-growing villages and panoramic views on the other. Historical traces in the village centre add to this impression. When planning, you can therefore choose between focusing on cultural history and taking a route with scenic views.

Hill Church and Local History

The Protestant Hill Church in Nimburg is a late Gothic church built by the Antonite Order between 1517 and 1545. Inside are frescoes depicting the Last Judgment, angels, figures from the Old and New Testaments, and John the Baptist. The construction period, patron and pictorial programme provide different points of reference for understanding the church: together, they connect a specific period of construction with the religious imagery of the frescoes.

The organ is another documented detail of the church building: the Protestant Hill Church has a G.F. Steinmeyer organ dating from 1911. The local history also includes evidence of Roman settlement near the hill church. The now-vanished castle of the Counts of Nimburg stood south of the village, on higher ground. The regular street layout in the village centre is thought to date back to the village being relocated towards the castle around 1100. Here, a dated church building sits alongside a cautiously worded interpretation of the village’s development.

Nimberg Trail: Vineyards and Panoramic Views

The Nimberg Trail runs mostly through vineyards, through the wine-growing villages of Nimburg and Bottingen, and past Nimburg Hill Church. Its panoramic views extend to the Kaiserstuhl hills and the Riegel Gateway, the Black Forest, the Emmendingen foothills, the Freiburg Bay and the Vosges ridge. The route therefore combines connections to the wine-growing villages with views across several landscapes; the listed viewpoints extend beyond the Kaiserstuhl.

The route offers a different focus from a visit centred mainly on the history of the hill church: here, vineyards, two wine-growing villages and distant views are added, while the trail also passes the church. The Black Forest Association of Teningen is responsible for the trail network around the Nimberg. It is part of a network of about 65 km; the trail warden and volunteer trail stewards regularly walk the marked routes.

Nimburg Lake: Swimming Area and Nature Reserve

Nimburg Lake is a popular local recreation area in the Kaiserstuhl region near Teningen and covers about 2.5 km². Only the southern 1.07 km² is designated for swimming. The area beyond the boundary of the swimming zone is a nature reserve and must not be entered. For swimming plans, the distinction between the lake’s total area and the designated area is therefore important; the boundary also marks the transition to the protected area.

Another, seasonal offering is aimed at physically active adults: during the summer months, the DLRG offers open training sessions at Nimburg Lake. The swimming zone and the training sessions can thus be understood as different aspects of the lake area—one concerns the designated swimming area, while the other is a seasonal activity offering for a specifically named target group.

Discover more destinations: Köndringen.

For the overarching travel overview: Teningen.