Discover Siegenburg: inland dunes and hop-growing tradition

Siegenburg combines a dune landscape shaped by the Ice Age with a history of hop-growing and striking cultural monuments. It also offers a cycling route connection, seasonal leisure activities and a brewery tour by arrangement. If you are looking for a hotel in Siegenburg, these different highlights can guide your choice of what to focus on during your stay: nature, local history or a specific activity.

Inland Dunes and Nature

The Siegenburg inland dunes cover around 15 hectares. The gently hilly terrain is covered with open pine woodland, with pure sand exposed in open dunes in many places. The dunes date from the Late Ice Age and were shaped by strong winds. Despite the hot sand, many rare plants grow on the extremely nutrient-poor soil. Their formation explains the area’s shape, while the sand, pines and plants define its landscape today. For travelers interested in nature and geology, this creates an interplay of geological history, terrain and vegetation.

Another connection with nature is the stork nesting site on the disused chimney of the Schmidmayer brewery: storks have nested there for over 50 years. While the inland dunes draw attention to an area and its geological origins, here the focus is on a single nesting site.

Hop-Growing History and Cultural Monuments

The Marian Column stands at the center of Siegenburg’s market square. The inscription “St. Maria ora pro nobis” is engraved on its stone base. The column was consecrated on December 8, 1878, for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Its location, inscription and date give the monument a specific place in the town’s history.

Siegenburg received the official right to seal hops in 1846 and is the Hallertau’s third-oldest hop-sealing community. The year marks when the right was acquired; the ranking places Siegenburg among the Hallertau’s hop-sealing communities. Hops are also at the heart of the annual Bürgerfest: the German Hop-Picking Championship is held there on Sunday. A historical connection to the town and a recurring competition thus come together in the festival program.

Another architectural feature is the Pilbis-Schlösschen. It has two stories and two distinctive gables above a three-story roof space. The differing number of stories in the building and the roof space is what defines the described architectural form. For a glimpse of Siegenburg’s architectural features, the little castle adds a different architectural theme to complement the Marian Column.

Cycling, Outdoor Pool and Brewery Tour

The Abens Cycle Path passes through Siegenburg along its full route. This makes cycling one of the specific things you can consider when choosing a destination. Siegenburg’s outdoor pool offers a different focus: its large pool has space for swimming, diving and playing. Facilities include a small and a large slide, a one-meter diving board, a three-meter diving tower, diving blocks, a mushroom fountain with a waterfall and two massage jets. The outdoor pool is open seasonally; opening dates and conditions may vary. Check the current dates before making plans.

A brewery tour gives participants insights into traditional beer production, as well as information about the history, craft and traditions of brewing. Tour dates are arranged by agreement; confirm availability before visiting. The cycle path, outdoor pool and tour also differ in terms of planning: one is a route connection, another a seasonal activity, and the third requires an arranged appointment.

Within the broader destination of Kelheim

Within the broader destination of Kelheim, the northern part of the district, including Kelheim, Essing and Riedenburg, lies in the Altmühltal Nature Park. The southern part, including Abensberg, Neustadt an der Donau, Biburg, Rohr i. NB and Mainburg, is part of the Hallertau, considered the world’s largest contiguous hop-growing region. The region thus offers two distinct points of reference: its nature park and hop cultivation.

Discover more destinations: Langquaid, Saal an der Donau, Abensberg, Bad Abbach, Neustadt an der Donau, Rohr in Niederbayern, Painten, Kelheim.

Back to the main travel overview: Kelheim.