Ueberstorf: Hiking Trails and Building History

Ueberstorf can be explored through a range of interests: local circular hiking trails lead to varied landscapes and places of interest, while churches, chapels, and historic buildings offer insights into the area’s building history. When planning your stay, you can choose which themes to explore based on your interests.

Landscape between the Sense and Tafersbach rivers

Ueberstorf lies at an elevation of about 658 metres above sea level and, viewed from Fribourg, is 13 kilometres to the east-northeast as the crow flies. The municipality extends across a plateau of the Molasse highlands that slopes gently to the northwest. The Sense river valley lies to the east, and the Tafersbach valley, also known as the Taverna, lies to the west. The plateau is in the hilly eastern part of the Fribourg Mittelland, on the edge of the formerly marshy lowland of the Moos.

The Moos hollow lies in the southwest of the municipality. It is about 500 metres wide and two kilometres long. Originally a marshy lowland, it has now been drained. The elevation figures also refer to different points: the rolling hills average about 650 metres above sea level, while the highest point in the local terrain, on the Höhi, reaches 818 metres. This distinguishes the municipality’s general elevation from the variations in height across its terrain.

Circular hiking trails with different themes

Five local circular hiking trails were officially opened in Ueberstorf on 9 May 2019. Their descriptions highlight different features. The Ggùgg i d Wytti route offers views from the Höhi. Chomm zue dr is a walk through the village and Birchwald forest and includes a barefoot trail. Loss d Natur leads through the Ledeu valley, while Lùùf drùf los takes you to the hamlets in the municipality.

The routes offer a choice of different highlights: views, the village and forest, a barefoot trail, the Ledeu valley, or the municipality’s hamlets. Printed maps of the five hiking trails are available from the municipal administration, and an electronic version can be downloaded. Check the local route status before setting out.

Another structure on the Sense is the suspension bridge. After two months of construction, it was opened to pedestrians at Pentecost 2009. If you would like to include the bridge in your plans, check current access arrangements.

Churches, chapels, and historic buildings

The parish church of St John the Baptist in Ueberstorf is first mentioned in 1226. An enlargement designed by architect A. Fraisse of Fribourg gave the Catholic church its predominantly Neo-Romanesque character. The Hostettle Chapel has a different building history: it has been in its present form since 1844 and is dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Above the entrance is a painting on wood depicting Saints Ursula, John, and Mary. It commemorates the wedding of Hans de Gottrau and Ursula Englisberg in 1590.

The date of the Magnus Chapel in Obermettlen is also known: Bishop Strambino consecrated it in 1672. The chapel contains an altar dating from the second half of the 18th century. The history of Englisberg Castle goes back to the beginning of the 16th century, when Dietrich von Englisberg had the large building with its half-hipped gable roof constructed. The castle is of exceptional architectural significance: it was built to a clearly recognisable plan in the spirit of the emerging Renaissance, without military considerations being a decisive factor.

Ratzé Castle – Reyff Castle dates from the end of the 16th century. Its documented features include a half-timbered structure with two coats of arms, a stair tower, and a residential wing set at a right angle. Later, in the second half of the 18th century, the Techtermann House was built as a summer residence. Set among trees, it is considered a very valuable art-historical example of an 18th-century country house in the French style. The dates and architectural features offer different ways to view the local buildings in the context of their respective periods.

Seasonal events

The Lourdes Grotto is frequently visited and is a place for quiet reflection and prayer. Services are held there regularly during the summer months; if attending a service is important to your plans, check the date in advance. The municipality of Ueberstorf also offers a special Advent calendar every December. This recurring event gives you a specific time of year to plan around if you would like to visit during Advent.

Discover more destinations: St. Ursen, Wünnewil-Flamatt, Plasselb, Oberschrot, Schwarzsee, Schmitten, Tafers, Plaffeien

Back to the regional travel overview: Sense.