The Altmühltal Valley

The Altmühl Valley is located in the heart of Bavaria right between Munich and Nuremberg in the Altmühl Valley Nature Reserve. The popular holiday route from the Alps to the Baltic is crossing this romantic and exiting part of Southern Germany.

Nature

Cliffs and rivers and woods: that just sums up the Jura Plateau with its vast forested areas and cutting deep into it, the valleys of the Danube, the Altmühl and of many smaller rivers. A harmonious combination with a unique charm. The wonderfully romantic Danube Gorge - famous far beyond the frontiers of Germany, a protected area and naturally a holder of the coveted European Diploma. The lower reaches of the Altmühl, part of the Altmühl Valley Nature Reserve - towering cliffs along the riverbanks but also gently rounded slopes covered with the dense woodland of the Jura Plateau that contrasts with the grassy meadows in the valleys. Rare bird and plants are still to be found here even though the Altmühl itself has now become part of the Main-Danube-Canal.

Cycling and Walking

For gentle exercise or for a test of stamina - in the varied landscape of the Lower Altmühl Valley and the Danube Gorge you will always find a suitable cycle track or foot-path. No less than three long-distance cycling routes pass through the district - the Altmühl Cycle Track or Tour de Baroque, the Danube Cycle Track and a rout leading though the idyllic Schambach Valley from Riedenburg to Ingolstadt. For shorter excursions there are numerous circular cycling routes. Acres of coniferous forest and mixed woodland tempt you out an long peaceful walks. An experience and its reward: unspoiled countryside which is frequently of striking beauty, splendid views and, by the wayside, cultural gems that make you long to know more about the long history of this region.

Marvels

The Befreiungshalle (hall of Liberation) a huge rotunda high up on the Michelsberg, was upon the people of Kelheim by King Ludwig I. of Bavaria. The impressive Marble temple was erected to commemorate the successful struggle liberation from Napoleon's rule. It was designed and built by Leo Klenze, the famous Munich architect, between 1842 and 1863. From the outside gallery running around the top of the building, there is a marvellous view of the surrounding Bavarian countryside. An artistic masterpiece awaits the visitors in the abbey church at Weltenburg . Here the Asam brothers, Cosmas Damian and Egid Quirin, created a jewel of Baroque art: the magnificent interior is a perfect example of "theatrum sacrum".

A World of castles

Prunn Castle everyone's idea of medieval knight´s stronghold. Towering over the Altmühl valley at the top of a sheer cliff, an impregnable fortress. Today, the castle's massive walls house a museum that conveys a vivid picture of the way people lived and felt in these days - they led a meagre and austere life and yet they also found time for writing poetry and composing minnesang. Evidence of this is provided by an illuminated manuscript of the Nibelungenlied found here in 1561. Castles of the Lower Altmühl Valley: on the hill above Riedenburg stands the Rosenburg, where the art of falconry is practised again. Just nearby are the ruined castles Rabenstein and Tachenstein. And from its mighty keep, all that survives of Randeck Castle , there is a marvellous view of river valley and the Jura Plateau.

Sport

The Altmühl and the Danube are paradise for anglers: miles and miles of river-fishing as well as peaceful backwaters containing numerous species of fish. Those who prefer water for swimming in will be thrilled by Keldorado, the adventure pool at Kelheim and by bathing lake at St. Agatha. Explorers in canoes or kayaks can paddle for miles along the Danube and the Altmühl, oarsmen train on the still waters of the Main-Danube-Canal. Gliding enthusiasts are welcome at Hienheim. And, of course these are ample facilities for more familiar leisure pursuits like tennis, squash and bowling.

Hospitality

Juicy roast pork or a delicious platter of cold meats and cheese served with crusty bread or freshly caught fish from the Danube or Altmühl tasty prepared. In the local country inns and restaurants you can sample delicious and well-cooks food in the traditional style. The beer produced here also enjoys a high reputation. Weltenburg can lay claim to being the world's oldest beer-brewing abbey. A brewery at Kelheim with long experience of brewing beer from wheat's, as well as six other local breweries, ensure that every taste is catered for. Holiday accommodation of all kinds is available-guesthouse, hotels and self-catering flats. The holidaymaker is also a welcome guest at all the festivals that take place here - at the annual fairs, for instance, or at the processions in traditional costume organised by local clubs.

Museums

The Danube Gorge and the Lower Altmühl Valley were the site of some Europe's earliest settlements. The Kelheimer Archaeological Museum has displays that vividly illustrate what historians have found out about life in early times, about Neanderthal Man, about the Celts and the Romans. The Schulerloch , a limestone cave that was inhabited in prehistoric days, is at the same time a wonder of nature and a fragment of man's history. In Riedenburg's Rosenburg Castle you can learn about falconry , an art much appreciated in the Middle Ages. The Echendorf Farm Museum provides an unsight into the way country people once used to live. The hammer mill at Hexenagger, where ironware was forged and horses were shod, recreates a period of industrial history. The chief exhibit in the Crystal Museum at Riedenburg is the world´s largest rock crystal cluster (weight 8 tons). The County Museum at Eggersberg is installed in an ancient castle, medieval life is documented by numerous valuable objects.

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Zuletzt aktualisiert am 12.09.2017