Solnhofen – Fossils, Culture and Trails

Solnhofen brings together original paleontological specimens, a Carolingian basilica and trails through the Altmühl Valley. When choosing where to stay, you can decide whether you want to see museum exhibits, search for fossils yourself, or follow marked circular trails and the routes mentioned here. The following places offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Museum and Fossils

The Regional Paleontological Museum in Solnhofen displays unique original specimens of Archaeopteryx. A guided tour of the Solnhofen Museum – Bürgermeister-Müller Museum offers insights into the world of 150-million-year-old fossils; the exhibition consists exclusively of original specimens. This brings both exceptional individual finds and the wider world of fossils into focus. If you plan to take a guided tour, check the available dates before your trip.

Solnhofen railway station is 100 metres from the Solnhofen Museum. Free parking is available directly in front of the museum. This gives you two concrete points of reference when planning your museum visit: the distance from the railway station and the parking right outside the museum.

Basilica and Landscape

The Solabasilika and Provostry in Solnhofen includes a three-aisled Carolingian basilica with a crypt and the tomb of Saint Sola. “Three-aisled” describes the division of the church interior into three aisles. Alongside this architectural form, the crypt and the named tomb are also defining features of the description. For travellers interested in sacred architecture, the complex combines Carolingian church architecture with the memory of Saint Sola.

You can also explore the landscape on marked trails: 45 kilometres of circular routes in Solnhofen lead through the valley, across slopes covered in mixed forest and up to the plateau of the Franconian Jura. The routes therefore span a variety of landscapes. When planning your time outdoors, you can consider whether you are especially interested in the valley, the wooded slopes or the plateau.

The Twelve Apostles Rocks lie nearby on the valley slope along the road between Eßlingen and Solnhofen. They are part of a nature reserve and can be reached from Solnhofen. This adds a natural attraction in the surrounding area to the places in town, located by reference to the two named towns and the valley slope.

Fossil Hunting and Routes

The Solnhofen recreational quarry offers another way to explore fossils: visitors can search for them themselves, and tools are available to borrow. While the museum displays original specimens, the recreational quarry focuses on searching for fossils yourself. The two experiences therefore differ in how you engage with the fossils.

For cycling directions, the museum is located directly on the Altmühltal Cycle Path. A section of the Altmühltal Panorama Trail runs from Pappenheim through Solnhofen to Mörnsheim. These offer different points of reference for planning: the first gives the museum’s location on a cycling route, while the second places Solnhofen on a section of trail between the two named towns.

Discover more destinations: Nennslingen, Langenaltheim, Meinheim, Ellingen, Heidenheim, Höttingen, Treuchtlingen, Raitenbuch.

For the regional travel overview: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen.