Altshausen: Castle History, Holy Sepulchre and Adventure Trail

Altshausen offers several points of interest for a stay: castle history, sacred art and an adventure trail. Named sites include Altshausen Castle, St. Michael’s parish and castle church, and the listed Alte Post in the town centre. Outdoors, a 5.5-kilometre trail leads from the outdoor swimming pool to the Alter Weiher nature reserve. You can focus on historical topics, art or outdoor activity.

Castle history and its use today

From the second half of the 13th century, Altshausen Castle was the seat of the Teutonic Order’s commander and later its provincial commander. In 1647, the Swedes caused severe damage to the castle and set fire to its main buildings. After the Thirty Years’ War, the castle was rebuilt in almost the same form. Since 1919, it has served as the residence of the ducal family of Württemberg; its interior rooms are not open to visitors. Its history therefore spans several distinct periods: its role as a seat of the Teutonic Order, its destruction and reconstruction, and its use as a residence since 1919.

Sacred art and gallery

The Holy Sepulchre in Altshausen consists of two large painted canvases, 23 picture panels and seven arcades, and features a wealth of figures. Unique in its kind and size, it is considered one of the last Holy Sepulchres in southern Germany. The combination of canvases, panels and arches gives a tangible impression of its extensive structure.

The right side chapel of St. Michael’s parish and castle church also houses a place of veneration for Blessed Hermann of Altshausen. He is also known as Hermannus Contractus or Hermann the Lame. If you explore this topic, the three names can help you recognise the same person under different names.

In the town centre, the listed Alte Post houses the Historical Gallery. Alongside the church and castle, it offers another named site for cultural experiences.

Adventure trail to Alter Weiher

The 5.5-kilometre adventure trail starts at the outdoor swimming pool in Altshausen and leads to the Alter Weiher nature reserve. Its length, starting point and destination provide concrete details if you would like to include a hike in your stay. Along the trail at Bocksberg are a small nature playground, an insect hotel, a barefoot path and a woodchip path. The route combines a stated distance with several named stops along the way. When planning, you can decide whether you are mainly interested in the hike itself or also in these individual points of interest.

Culture in the wider Ravensburg destination

The wider Ravensburg destination offers further cultural attractions, each with its own focus. The Humpis-Quartier Museum in Ravensburg opened in July 2009. Its permanent exhibition spans five buildings in a late medieval residential quarter. The museum offers regular public tours as well as tours that can be booked individually for school classes, children and adults. Check the booking details for individually bookable tours before making plans around them.

The Allgäu-Oberschwaben Farmhouse Museum in Wolfegg preserves 28 historic buildings, some of which are several centuries old. The museum illustrates how people in the region used to work, live and make their homes; it is easily accessible via numerous cycling and hiking trails. Achberg Castle offers a different focus: it is the Ravensburg district’s cultural centre, sits high above the Argent Valley and showcases Baroque architecture. The castle is open to all visitors and offers educational activities for children. The circular hiking trails starting there lead across rolling meadows on the high riverbank and through steep slopes with ravines along the valley side of the Argent Valley. The wider destination therefore offers an opportunity to compare different historic sites and landscape features.

Discover more destinations: Fleischwangen, Amtzell, Aulendorf, Isny Im Allgäu, Bad Wurzach, Wolpertswende, Argenbühl, Schlier.

Back to the wider travel overview: Ravensburg.