Öhningen: Monastic History, Church Art and Hiking Trails

Öhningen combines monastic history and church art with archaeological themes, hiking trails and a lido. When planning a hotel stay, you can first consider which of these aspects interests you most: historic sites, a museum visit, a hike or time at the lido. The following places offer specific points of reference to help you choose.

Monastic History and Church Art

The Öhningen monastery was founded, according to records, in 965. It existed as an Augustinian Canons’ monastery until it was dissolved during the secularization of 1803. The former collegiate church is now the Catholic parish church of St. Hippolytus and Verena; it was built in the late Renaissance style. The building brings together the history of the monastery and its current religious use.

The Protestant St. Peter’s Church above Kattenhorn has a different artistic character: its large stained-glass windows were designed from drawings by Otto Dix. In Schienen, the centuries-old pilgrimage to Mary centers on the devotional image “Mary with Child,” a wooden sculpture dating from 1430. The two places offer different points of connection for a focus on church art and religious history.

The annual “Translation Festival” in Schienen is another local cultural event. It commemorates mystical events of the past. If you want to plan your stay around a particular event date, check the current festival dates in advance.

Wangen: Stilt-House History and Remembrance

The Fischerhaus Museum in Wangen presents a selection of Neolithic finds from the Wangen stilt-house bay at Hinterhorn. A visit therefore focuses on the area’s archaeological history and finds from this bay. The stilt-house next to the museum complements the theme with a small exhibition.

Information panels by the State Office for Monument Preservation’s Institute for Wetland and Underwater Archaeology in Hemmenhofen introduce visitors there to the history of Stone Age people. Wangen is also home to the Jacob Picard Memorial in the old town hall. The museum, exhibition and memorial each have their own focus: Neolithic finds, their context and remembrance of Jacob Picard.

The Fischerhaus Museum offers children’s birthday parties on request, with archery, Stone Age crafts, a dugout canoe and Stone Age flatbread. If this activity is of interest when planning your trip, check availability directly with the museum.

History Trail, Hiking Trails and Lido

The history trail through Öhningen was established in 2005 to mark the 850th anniversary. Its stops introduce interested visitors to the town’s history. This adds a series of historical themes to your stay, rather than focusing on just one building or museum.

Two moderately difficult hiking routes with stated lengths are available. The Höri Adventure Trail is 7.1 kilometers long and runs from Öhningen through the Klingenbach Gorge to Wangen. The cross-border Öhningen–Stein am Rhein Adventure Trail is 7.5 kilometers long. The stated lengths differ by 0.4 kilometers; both trails are rated moderately difficult. Check local conditions for the cross-border route before setting out.

The lido in Öhningen has a sandy beach, a children’s playground, table tennis tables, a diving tower and a beach volleyball court. It offers a range of facilities, from the playground to the beach volleyball court. As facilities may change, check which amenities are currently available before your visit.

Getting Your Bearings Before Your Trip

Route 201 connects Radolfzell, Moos, Schienen and Öhningen. Since bus routes and timetables may change, check the connection with the transport operator before your trip. The Oberstaad harbor in Öhningen has a floating pier. Scheduled services run from the jetties in Öhningen and Wangen, operated by the Untersee and Rhine Shipping Company, toward Reichenau Island and Konstanz, and toward Stein am Rhein and Schaffhausen. If you include these destinations in your plans, check the timetable and season in advance.

Discover more destinations: Wangen, Reichenau, Seelfingen, Steißlingen, Singen, Büsingen am Hochrhein, Moos, Mühlingen.

Go to the main travel overview: Konstanz.