Nennslingen: Jura Houses, Church Art and Trails

In Nennslingen, there’s plenty to explore, from historic buildings to an extensive network of cycling and hiking trails in the Anlautertal valley and on the Jura plateau near Nennslingen. The buildings offer concrete starting points for exploring the town’s history; the tourist information office has maps of trails in the surrounding area. The wider travel destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen also offers further cultural and nature-related attractions.

Historic Buildings and Art

The Jura farmhouse is a residential building with an attached livestock area on the northern edge of the market square. Its core dates back to the 16th century; timber joints from that period have been preserved in the roof structure. When looking at the building’s history, both the date of its core and this specific surviving detail of the roof structure are relevant.

The Evangelical Lutheran parish church of Beatae Mariae Virginis has a burial chapel on its south side belonging to the Schenken von Geyern family, with numerous epitaphs to members of this minor noble family. The older half-timbered section of the residential house with a forge at Kellergasse 1 is also a local listed building; it is thought to date from just before 1540. This tentative dating is part of the description of the house.

Another work of art can be found in the municipality: “The Lost Village” consists of four enclosed houses made of matte stainless steel, at a scale of 1:8. It reconstructs demolished Jura houses from Biburg, Gersdorf, Wengen and Nennslingen, which shaped the local landscape for centuries in some cases. Geographically, the artwork is centrally located between these four villages. The miniature scale and the selection of reconstructed houses make the work a distinctive way to explore the region’s architectural history.

Trails, Information and Leisure

The scenic Anlautertal valley and the Jura plateau near Nennslingen offer an extensive network of cycling and hiking trails. At the tourist information office at Schmiedgasse 1, you can get maps of hiking and cycling trails in the surrounding area, as well as flyers, posters for current events and further information. The playground on Ringstraße has a climbing frame, a seesaw, a swing, a spring horse and a carousel. As the equipment may change, we recommend checking what is currently available if a particular item is important to your plans.

In summer, you can swim at nearby Bechthaler Weiher, below the castle ruins. You can factor this seasonal option into your stay; it is a different leisure activity from the trails in the Anlautertal valley and on the Jura plateau.

More to Explore in the Wider Travel Destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen

In the wider travel destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, the Limes runs for around 40 kilometres across the district; it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site there since 2005. In Weißenburg, the Roman Museum displays Germany’s largest Roman treasure hoard and houses the Central Bavarian Limes Information Centre. Across the district, numerous Roman watchtowers, forts and fragments of bathhouses also bear witness to Roman history. These details provide a broader regional context for those interested in history.

For longer trips, the region’s routes differ by mode of travel: the Altmühltal Panorama Trail runs for 200 kilometres along the Altmühl from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through Altmühltal Nature Park. It is certified as a “Quality Trail: Wanderbares Deutschland”; if its formal certification status is important to your plans, check it in advance. The Altmühltal Cycle Route runs for around 160 kilometres from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through the nature park. The canoe route on the Altmühl between Gunzenhausen and Dietfurt/Töging is just under 120 kilometres long; conditions for paddling may vary seasonally. In Weißenburg, the “Via Biriciana” hiking trail follows old Roman roads to the Limes.

The wider travel destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen has other attractions too: Hohenzollern Fortress Wülzburg stands above Weißenburg on the highest hill in the southern Franconian Alb, at 630 metres, and is a landmark of Renaissance fortress architecture in Germany. Guided tours are offered there from May to October, weather permitting; check the dates before planning your visit. At Altmühlsee, northwest of Gunzenhausen, you can swim, sail and surf. The 120-hectare Bird Island offers ornithological tours run by the Bavarian State Association for the Protection of Birds; check their availability in advance.

Discover more destinations: Burgsalach, Bergen, Markt Berolzheim, Gnotzheim, Höttingen, Theilenhofen, Pleinfeld, Raitenbuch.

See the wider travel overview: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen.