Büsingen am Hochrhein: Mountain Church and Exclave Trail

With the Romanesque St. Michael’s Mountain Church and the Büsingen Exclave Trail, Büsingen am Hochrhein offers specific points of interest for a stay focused on history. The trail stops, the church’s architectural history and the story of the Im Thurn family offer different perspectives on the town. If you are looking for a hotel in Büsingen, these themes can help you choose the focus of your stay.

The Mountain Church and Local History

St. Michael’s Church on Kirchberg near Büsingen is one of the oldest places of worship in the region. Despite various restorations and structural changes, the Mountain Church still retains the appearance of a Romanesque building, which probably dates largely from the 11th and 12th centuries. If you are interested in architecture, you can consider its Romanesque appearance together with the later changes as a distinct focus of local history.

From 1535 to 1854, the noble Im Thurn family from Schaffhausen held Büsingen as a fief from Austria. The abduction of Eberhard Im Thurn took place during this period: on 10 April 1693, he was abducted in front of the Junkerhaus. The incident ultimately prevented Büsingen from being incorporated into Switzerland and led to its current status as an enclave or exclave. The dates help distinguish the longer history of the fief from the single, precisely dated episode of the abduction.

The Büsingen Exclave Trail

The Büsingen Exclave Trail passes the Rhine Mill, the Junkerhaus and the Romanesque Mountain Church. Its stops can be connected with the town’s historical themes: the Mountain Church represents its Romanesque architectural history; the Junkerhaus is associated with the abduction of Eberhard Im Thurn in 1693. The Rhine Mill is another named stop along the trail. The route thus brings together specific local landmarks and different aspects of Büsingen’s history.

Additional travel options in the wider Konstanz destination

On Mainau Island, in the wider Konstanz destination, visitors can enjoy a different focus for their visit. The Butterfly House is home to up to 120 different butterfly species and subspecies from the tropical regions of South and Central America, Africa and Asia. The collection of animals may change, so check the latest visitor information before your visit.

The Ringbus routes 4/13 and 13/4 stop near the entrance to Mainau Island. They run between Konstanz train station and the districts of Litzelstetten, Wallhausen, Dingelsdorf and Dettingen. If you plan to use this connection, check the current timetables before travelling.

Another regional route option is the well-signposted SeeGang premium hiking trail. It is 53 kilometres long, connects Überlingen and Konstanz, and passes through the Lake Constance district and the district of Konstanz. Its length, endpoints and route describe the trail; the Büsingen Exclave Trail, by contrast, focuses on the named local stops. These different details help distinguish the regionally designated route from the trail featuring specific Büsingen landmarks.

In the wider Konstanz destination, overnight guests in 14 participating towns receive the BODENSEECARD WEST when they check in. It serves as a free travel pass in the district of Konstanz as far as Stein am Rhein and Überlingen, offers a 20 percent discount on Untersee boat trips and provides reduced admission to museums. Check which towns are participating before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Aach, Engen, Seelfingen, Tengen, Mühlhausen-Ehingen, Hilzingen, Eigeltingen, Konstanz.

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