Discover Braunsbach

Braunsbach combines wooded hills, plateaus and river valleys that blend gently into one another. Themes for a stay include Jewish history, bridge construction, hiking and canoe trips on the Kocher. When planning your hotel stay, you can consider whether you would like to focus on cultural attractions, walking routes or an activity on the water. Two hikes make it possible to compare the distance and stated walking time directly.

Landscape and natural attractions

In Braunsbach, wooded hills, plateaus and river valleys gradually blend into one another. This gives the landscape a variety of forms without sharp divisions between them. The Grimmbach confluence, a nature reserve, is a natural attraction associated with Braunsbach. You can include this landscape perspective in your travel plans alongside the cultural and hiking attractions.

Cultural history and bridge construction

The Jewish cultural trail in Braunsbach passes former Jewish buildings and sites. QR codes enable self-guided visits along the trail. This allows you to explore the historic sites at your own pace. Another striking structure is the Kochertal Bridge in Braunsbach-Geislingen: it is 185 metres high, making it Germany’s highest bridge and Europe’s second-highest.

The Geislingen Bridge Museum offers insights into the construction of the Kochertal Bridge from 1976 to 1979, including technical, geological and economic aspects. Advance registration may be required for a visit. If you are interested in the structure, the museum focuses specifically on its creation and the various topics associated with it.

The castle and church also add to the historical picture. Braunsbach Castle was partly built around 1250. Below the castle, St. Boniface’s Church preserves Romanesque elements in the choir and the lower part of the tower. It probably served as a parish church from the 12th century onward. Together with the Jewish cultural trail, these sites offer different ways to explore Braunsbach’s history.

Compare hikes

The “Around Schaalberg” circular trail starts in Braunsbach, passes the Jewish cemetery and the former site of Enningen Castle, and returns via Weinbergweg. The route is five kilometres long, with a stated walking time of 1.5 hours. Trail conditions can vary with the season, especially on steep or slippery sections. Check the trail conditions before setting out.

The “Wild and Romantic Grimmbach Valley” route leads from Braunsbach through the Grimmbach Valley, then climbs to Elzhausen and returns to Braunsbach. Another option is the seven-kilometre “Jungholzhausen Ravine” route, for which a walking time of 2.5 hours is stated. Compared with the Schaalberg circular trail, it is two kilometres longer and the stated walking time is one hour greater. This lets you take both time estimates into account when planning your day without inferring anything about the difficulty of the routes.

Cycling route, Kocher and getting there

The paved Kocher Valley cycle path connects Braunsbach, Geislingen and Döttingen. The flatter sections are recommended for walks. This also lets you plan a route around shorter or flatter sections. Short trips, day trips and two-day canoe trips are also offered on the Kocher. Before your trip, check availability and arrangements for your chosen tour.

Braunsbach is connected to local public transport, including services via Schwäbisch Hall-Hessental station. As routes and timetables can change, it is a good idea to check your connection for your travel day before setting off.

Schwäbisch Hall as the wider travel destination

The wider destination of Schwäbisch Hall adds its own urban cultural focus. The historic old town of Schwäbisch Hall combines almost unchanged medieval lanes with a partially preserved town wall, numerous towers, covered wooden bridges, many steps and stairways, and a historic market square. The Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum is housed in seven historic buildings. The collegiate church of St. Nicholas at Großcomburg Monastery contains a Romanesque wheel chandelier. These features belong to Schwäbisch Hall, not Braunsbach.

Discover more destinations: Rosengarten, Langenburg, Mainhardt, Schrozberg, Bühlerzell, Blaufelden, Rot Am See, Ilshofen.

To the wider travel overview: Schwäbisch Hall.