Wittelshofen: Hesselberg, Rivers and Limes History
Accommodation in Wittelshofen
Wittelshofen combines a distinctive landscape setting with local history and traces of Roman presence. The Hesselberg and the confluence of the Sulzach and Wörnitz rivers provide orientation; churches, a local history museum and the Ruffenhofen Roman Park add to the range of topics to explore during a stay.
Landscape between the Hesselberg and the rivers
At 689 metres, the Hesselberg is Wittelshofen’s local mountain. The municipality lies right at its foot and at the confluence of the Sulzach and Wörnitz rivers. Both the ridge and the river landscape therefore shape the destination’s geographical setting. Those interested in the surrounding area will find two distinct landscape features here, alongside the cultural attractions in the municipality.
Churches and local history
St Martin’s Church stands in Wittelshofen’s old town centre. The Catholic Church of the Holy Cross is on the edge of the settlement, which lies on the hillside. Their different locations offer an impression of how the religious buildings fit into the layout of the town. This does not imply that the interiors are open to visitors.
The Zoller Local History Museum is housed in the tithe barn and displays more than 2,000 exhibits. The collection covers village and church history, brewing and Franconian traditional dress. It therefore extends beyond local history to include crafts and regional clothing. These topics offer a different focus from the churches and provide another way to explore Wittelshofen’s history.
Roman traces in the municipality
Remains of the Limes are located in the municipality near DĂĽhren and the GelsmĂĽhle mill. Another point of interest is the Ruffenhofen Roman Park, whose grounds extend across several municipalities. From a viewing hill, visitors can look out over the park. Former Roman roads run through the grounds; signs, large-scale illustrated scenes and casts of Roman stone monuments provide information about buildings and Roman life in the area. The park thus combines exploring the grounds with learning about their Roman history.
The park’s design also has several facets: with its fruit trees and the orchard meadow established in 2009, it is a stop on the Franconian Cider Route. The labyrinth was created in July 2009 as part of an International Work Camp. Since 2020, the Roman garden, featuring the façade of a Roman strip house, has been on display. The orchard meadow, labyrinth and Roman garden each highlight different aspects of the park grounds.
LIMESEUM and Explorer Backpack
The LIMESEUM is a Roman museum that opened in 2012. Families with children can borrow an Explorer Backpack there for €20, including a €15 deposit. A map helps visitors explore the Roman Park. At the stations, visitors can, among other things, build a model section of the Limes with a tower and palisade, try Roman games and identify herbs by smell. Before your visit, check the current borrowing terms with the LIMESEUM.
According to the operator, the Roman Park can be visited at any time and free of charge; the LIMESEUM is not included. Check the latest access information before your trip. This makes it possible to distinguish between the freely accessible park and the museum without confusing their respective visiting conditions.
Discover more destinations: Ornbau, Aurach, Weidenbach, Geslau, Sachsen bei Ansbach, WassertrĂĽdingen, Arberg, Wilburgstetten
For the broader travel overview: Ansbach.
