Weiterdingen at Hohenstoffeln: Landscape and Architectural History

Weiterdingen lies at the eastern foot of the Hohenstoffeln massif, partly in a basin and partly on a gentle slope. The landscape and historic buildings offer two distinct focal points for planning a trip: the surroundings of Hohenstoffeln and the architectural history of the castle, church, and chapel.

Landscape and Hiking at Hohenstoffeln

A hike from Weiterdingen to Hohenstoffeln is 7.86 km long and takes about 2 hours and 6 minutes. It is considered moderately difficult; the trail conditions are good. The starting point is the parking lot by the sports field on Wiesentalstraße. The distance, approximate duration, and difficulty rating provide a concrete basis for planning this tour.

After the ascent from Weiterdingen, striking column-like formations of black volcanic rock can be seen in the disused quarry on the northern side of Hohenstoffeln. Another landscape feature lies south of Weiterdingen: a deep calcareous fen is located in the Mark district, near the Heilig-Grab Chapel.

Weiterdingen Castle and St. Mauritius

Historic sights include Weiterdingen Castle and the neighboring Catholic Church of St. Mauritius. The castle was built in 1683 by Baron Balthasar Ferdinand von Hornstein zu den drei Hohenstoffeln und Grüningen. The four-story, nine-bay building has a gabled roof and is fully developed across all floors. Its floor plan is cruciform; on each of the long sides, a three-bay central projection articulates the building. A central projection is the part of a facade that projects forward; “three-bay” describes its divisions. Today, the castle is used for events.

St. Mauritius is classified as a fortified church and was remodeled in the neo-Gothic style in 1885. The square tower has a gabled roof and late Gothic sound openings dating from 1485. Inside are a Hornstein family crypt and numerous tombstones. These details give the church a different architectural profile from the castle: here, the focus is on the tower’s form, the history of its remodeling, and the burial sites.

The Heilig-Grab Chapel

Baron Karl Balthasar von Hornstein (1649–1723) endowed the Heilig-Grab Chapel in 1694. The Baroque chapel lies between Hilzingen and Weiterdingen, near Kapellenhof on the old Roman road. It is a faithful replica of the Holy Sepulchre in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Alongside the buildings in Weiterdingen, it thus offers a distinct perspective on regional architectural history and on its explicitly named model in Jerusalem.

A Distinctive Cultural Highlight in Hilzingen

The Church of St. Peter and Paul is located in Hilzingen, the broader travel destination. Most of its original building fabric has been preserved; it is considered a notable example of the art and enthusiasm for building of the 18th century. Peter Thumb of Bezau in Vorarlberg is generally considered its master builder. The café at the Hilzingen Civic and Rural Museum has an exhibition about Thumb (1681–1766), who is generally considered the master builder of the late Baroque pilgrimage church.

A Festival in a Reported Edition

A report from April 2022 described the traditional May 1 festival of the Weiterdingen Music Association. At the event described in the April 2022 report, the festivities began on April 30 with the raising of the maypole; there was also live brass band music, drinks, and a variety of food.

For the broader travel overview: Hilzingen.