Heroldsberg: Castles, Art and Hiking Trails

Visitors looking for a hotel in Heroldsberg can get to know the town through its castle history, art and trails. Attractions range from exhibitions at the White Castle to historic wells and crosses in the forest. For time outdoors, there is a choice of hiking routes of varying lengths in the town and surrounding area.

Castles and art in Heroldsberg

From the late 15th century, the Nuremberg patrician Geuder family had four castles built at Oberer Markt. The histories of individual buildings also offer insight into the town’s long history: the Red Castle was built by Martin III Geuder in 1489. Albrecht Dürer was a guest there in 1510. The Yellow Castle was built in the second half of the 16th century as the residence of Hieronymus Geuder, on the foundations of an older residence.

The medieval White Castle displays changing and permanent exhibitions featuring works of art from seven centuries across three levels. Here, art takes centre stage, while the history of the other castles mentioned can be traced through their builders and construction dates. Visitors interested in historic architecture will therefore find more than a single building period in Heroldsberg.

Wells, church and historical traces

Three historic draw wells from the Middle Ages still stand at Oberer Markt. The rectory opposite St. Matthew’s Church is one of the oldest in Germany. This picturesque half-timbered building was most recently renovated in 1983 and is first mentioned in 1427. The Protestant Church of St. Matthew also houses a crucifix, an early work by Tilman Riemenschneider.

Further traces of the town’s history can be found in the forest south of the Tuspo Heroldsberg sports grounds: two medieval expiatory crosses dating from 1587 stand there. They bear the initials E.V.V.G.S. and S.O., respectively, and commemorate the murder of Nuremberg horsemen. Wells, half-timbered buildings, sacred art and the crosses each highlight different aspects, so they can be explored as separate stops in Heroldsberg’s history.

Cultural trail and hiking routes

The approximately three-kilometre cultural trail leads to numerous listed buildings. Information boards explain their history and distinctive features. The permanent IVV “4-Schlösser Gemeinde” hiking trail, by contrast, offers forest routes of five, ten and 16 kilometres. The routes differ both in stated length and theme: the cultural trail focuses on buildings and the information about them, while the IVV trail offers a choice of distances and forest hiking. Check the details of each route before setting out.

An AOK fitness trail has also been permanently installed at the Johannisthal car park on the B2. If you plan to include different routes, check the route information for each specific option.

Getting there and the surrounding area

Heroldsberg is easily reached from Nuremberg by the Gräfenbergbahn railway. Check the timetable for your journey. The town also has good road connections to the A3 motorway.

Nearby, between Heroldsberg and Kleingeschaidt, the Teufelsbrünnlein spring lies in the “Hermannswinkel” forest near Reigelsberg. From the Johnnisthal hiking car park, follow the path about one kilometre east to a signpost; from there, it is a ten-minute walk to a large rock. A devil, painted over in red, is carved into the rock face.

Discover more destinations: Heßdorf, Erlangen, Röttenbach, Höchstadt An Der Aisch, Herzogenaurach, Wachenroth, Baiersdorf, Weisendorf.

For the regional travel overview: Erlangen-Höchstadt.