Thiergarten: Basilica, Cave and Circular Trails

When planning a trip to Thiergarten, you can balance hiking, culture and archaeology by considering specific destinations. Two circular trails provide a time frame, alongside St. George’s Basilica and Falkensteinhöhle, about 2 km away. If you’re looking for a hotel for a stay in Thiergarten, you can start by considering whether hiking or historical topics should shape your stay.

Basilica and Archaeological Finds

St. George’s Basilica was first documented in 1275 and is considered the smallest three-aisled basilica north of the Alps. It is believed to have been built around the year 1000. The two dates refer to different points: 1275 is the first documented mention, while around 1000 is the presumed construction date.

Falkensteinhöhle is about 2 km from Thiergarten. Archaeological finds there include around 9,000 Mesolithic tools, implements and pieces of jewelry, as well as human skeletal remains. The basilica and cave thus offer different historical perspectives: the architectural history of a religious building on the one hand, and finds from the Mesolithic period on the other. If you’re planning a visit to the cave, check local access conditions beforehand.

Hiking from Thiergarten

Two circular trails of different lengths and approximate walking times are available for planning your hikes. The official 13.7 km circular trail passes the ruins of Falkenstein, Schaufelsen, Neidingen, Lenzenfelsen and Neumühle; it takes about 3–4 hours. The shorter loop is 4.2 km long, passes St. Georgsbrücke, Gutshof Käppeler and Rabenfelsen, and takes about 1.5 hours. This makes it easier to fit the time needed for a hike into your daily schedule.

Trail markers and trail conditions may change seasonally. Check the local signage and trail conditions before setting out.

Regional Cuisine in Beuron-Thiergarten

Gutshof Käppeler in Beuron-Thiergarten is a certified Nature Park Inn and serves regional cuisine as part of the Naturpark Obere Donau network. If you’re planning a visit, check the opening hours and availability beforehand.

Circular Trails and Exhibition in the Wider Destination of Beuron

In the wider destination of Beuron, five circular trails cover a range of distances and waypoints:

• Beuron Circular Trail 1 is 7.0 km long and runs from the railway station via the railway bridge, Liebfrauental, Gallushof, Jägerhaus and Talweg to the monastery car park, then to the monastery and back to the railway station.
• Beuron Circular Trail 2 is 8.4 km long. It runs from the monastery car park via the historic covered wooden bridge, the barbecue area, Knopfmacherfelsen, Jägerhaus and Liebfrauental back to the monastery car park.
• Beuron Circular Trail 3 is 6.7 km long and passes Maria Trost, Wanderheim Rauher Stein, the Alpine garden and the Eichfelsen viewpoint.
• Beuron Circular Trail 4 is 9.8 km long and passes Alpenblick, Wildenstein Castle and St. Maurus Chapel.
• Beuron Circular Trail 5 is 6.7 km long and passes Maurusfelsen and St. Maurus Chapel. Check the local signage before setting out on this trail.

Beuron Trails 3 and 5 are the same length but differ in their listed waypoints. The Haus der Natur in Beuron houses the permanent exhibition “Adventure of Diversity”; admission is free. As admission conditions may change, confirm them before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Herdwangen-Schönach, Gammertingen, Ostrach, Sigmaringendorf, Neufra, Hohentengen, Schwäblishausen, Illmensee

Back to the wider travel overview: Sigmaringen.