Discover Eichstätt

Eichstätt offers a range of ways to shape your stay: fossils and museums, a cohesive historic townscape, and hiking and cycling trails. You can plan your visit around whichever of these themes you want to focus on, using the sights and tours as a guide. The places and routes below offer practical orientation.

Fossils and Willibaldsburg

The original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx is on display at the Jura Museum in Eichstätt. The museum at Willibaldsburg also exhibits fossils from the Solnhofen Plattenkalk limestone. This highlights two different ways of exploring natural history: a specific specimen and fossils from a distinctive geological formation. Willibaldsburg is also home to the Museum of Prehistory and Early History.

There is also an opportunity to explore fossils outside the museum: hobby fossil hunters can search for them at the fossil quarry on Blumenberg near Eichstätt. Check local access requirements before your visit. This makes the trip different from a museum visit: at the museum, you can see exhibits; at the quarry, you can search for fossils yourself.

Domplatz, the cathedral and architectural history

Eichstätt Cathedral, together with its cloister and the two-aisled Mortuarium, is one of Bavaria’s most significant medieval architectural monuments. Impressive buildings continue to define the townscape around Domplatz, which has remained virtually unchanged; its cohesive character is a defining feature of the square. Domplatz is located on the oldest settled ground in the city of Eichstätt.

Residenzplatz offers a different architectural accent. It is considered one of the most beautiful Baroque squares in southern Germany and an architectural ensemble of international renown. Domplatz and Residenzplatz therefore offer different highlights: one focuses on medieval buildings and the cohesion of the townscape, while the other showcases a Baroque square as an ensemble.

Willibaldsburg adds its own history to the picture. Bishop Berthold, Burgrave of Zollern, had it built in 1355; it served as the bishops’ residence until 1725. The 420-meter-long castle still has its walls and bastions, the arsenal, the 63-meter-long gate hall, and the Gemmingen building with its two towers. Its dimensions and named architectural features make the castle a destination in its own right, quite apart from its museums.

Hiking, cycling and other routes

Eichstätt is a starting point for numerous cycling tours, including routes along the Altmühltal Cycle Route. The town also lies on the Altmühltal Panorama Trail and the Altmühl river boating route. Check local conditions for each route before planning your trip.

The Eichstätt Panorama Trail loops around the episcopal town, following the surrounding slopes and ridgelines. You can start the route at Eichstätt Stadt railway station or at the tourist information office at Domplatz 8; check local conditions before setting out. Another clearly described option is the Fossilienpfad, which starts in Eichstätt: this moderately difficult circular trail is 9 kilometers long and designated as suitable for families. Comparing the two can help you choose: the Panorama Trail focuses on the town and its surroundings, while the Fossilienpfad has a specified length and difficulty level.

Bastion Garden and Eichstätt’s culinary delights

Willibaldsburg is also home to the 1,500-square-meter Bastion Garden. Destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, the Hortus Eystettensis was brought back to life there 400 years later. Visitors can discover many of the original plant species. The garden also features exotic and endangered plants. Its connection to the historic Hortus Eystettensis and its present-day plantings bring together garden history and an outdoor visit.

Culinary offerings are also part of a trip to Eichstätt: several times a year, the Eichstätt Genuss-Wirte restaurants serve special dishes under the motto “Eichstätt cooks...,” including, for example, spicy Altmühltal lamb dishes. If this program is relevant to your trip, check the specific dates in advance.

The themes you choose are up to you and your travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Walting, Wasserzell, Nassenfels, Kipfenberg, Lenting, Großmehring, Dollnstein, Denkendorf.

Back to the main travel overview: Eichstätt.