Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany

The dual-centered city of Villingen-Schwenningen is nestled amidst the peaks and coniferous woodlands of the eastern Black Forest. The older sector, Villingen, was established by the legendary House of Zähring and boasts a millennium of history encapsulated within its city walls, which are still fortified by three gates dating back to the 13th century.

Schwenningen, the younger counterpart, ascended in the 19th century to become one of Europe’s leading clock manufacturers, a legacy that has indelibly influenced the town’s landscape. Furthermore, Schwenningen is the origin of one of Germany’s most renowned rivers, the Neckar, which emerges from a misty swamp to the south of the town.

Consider timing your visit for late winter, when the carnival (Fasnet) brings forth an array of peculiar folk characters onto the streets.

Let us delve into the premier attractions in Villingen-Schwenningen:

1. Villinger Münster

The principal attraction in Villingen’s historic center is the magnificent Gothic Münster, rising to 50 meters with its towers.

Initially, it served as a Romanesque church in the 12th century; however, a fire in 1271 led to its reconstruction in the High Gothic style.

The striking towers were added later in the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the 19th century, Puritans oversaw its management, which unfortunately led to the removal of many valuable fixtures.

Nonetheless, in 2006, the Münster received a 51-bell carillon, one of the largest in southern Germany.

This carillon honors Villingen’s historic Grüninger bell foundry and sounds daily at 10:05, 12:05, 15:05, and 18:05.

2. Franziskanermuseum Villingen

This museum resides in Villingen’s former Franciscan monastery, which was dissolved in 1797 after over 500 years of operation.

Despite its ecclesiastical name and evocative setting, the museum primarily focuses on the rich historical narrative of Villingen-Schwenningen and the broader Black Forest region.

Visitors can explore seven millennia of history, featuring one of the most intriguing exhibits: the reconstructed burial chamber of a Celtic prince dating back to 616 BC, excavated in the 1970s.

The wooden chamber takes center stage, surrounded by showcases displaying 300 artifacts, including exquisite amber jewelry and amulets, as well as everyday items like shaving razors and nail clippers.

The museum also presents an exhibition dedicated to Villingen-Schwenningen’s renowned carnival, alongside a collection of Medieval tapestries and a variety of clocks manufactured in the city.

3. Uhrenindustriemuseum (Museum of Clock-making)

Throughout the 19th century and into the early 20th century, Schwenningen stood as a pivotal center for the mass production of clocks and timekeeping devices.

This museum is situated in the Wü rttembergische Uhrenfabrik Bürk building, established in 1855, recognized as the oldest industrial clock manufacturer in Schwenningen.

This brand was notable for its precision portable clocks used by night watchmen, later expanding to produce alarm clocks and timekeeping apparatus for railway systems.

Although Bürk ceased operations in the 1980s, the facility is a testament to both the history and evolution of clock-making technology, as well as the lifestyles and conditions of the workers employed here.

Visitors can observe skilled clock makers crafting alarm clocks and cuckoo clocks by hand, which are subsequently available for purchase in the museum’s shop.

4. Münsterbrunnen Villingen

Located in Münsterplatz beside the church, this fountain was created by Black Forest artist Klaus Ringwald and unveiled in 1989. The unique octagonal sculpture is crafted from bronze, gold, enamel, and concrete, encapsulating the city’s thousand-year history within a single monument.

Each of the eight sides represents a distinct historical period, combining inscribed tablets with sculpted figures.

Pay close attention to the window frames surrounding these characters to observe the architectural transitions from Gothic to Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau.

5. Villinger Stadtmauer

By consulting a map of Villingen, one can easily identify the remnants of the city wall.

The defensive ditch, which accompanies the partially preserved inner wall, forms an almost complete oval parkland surrounding the old town.

Three of the initial four gates remain intact: The Oberes Tor in the north, the Riettor in the west, and the Bickentor in the east.

These gates are largely identical, erected in the mid-13th century, each standing approximately 20 meters tall.

The Bickentor is connected to a roundel that was introduced later in the 16th century, during the period when Villingen evolved into an artillery fortress.

In the western Käferbergle area, the wooden-covered battlements on the wall have undergone restoration, while the most impressive of the remaining towers is the Romäusturm, which dates back to the late 14th century and served as a prison from the 1500s onward.

6. Heimat- und Uhrenmuseum Schwenningen

This museum dedicated to clocks and local heritage is located in a half-timbered structure from the 1700s that once served as lodging for educators.

Established in 1931, the museum explores various aspects of Schwenningen’s history, featuring an exhibition on the Alemanni tribe who inhabited the region 1,300 years ago, as well as displays of rural household interiors, the 16th-century stone marking the source of the Neckar River, and a 19th-century horse bridle from the bygone salt plant at Wilhelmshall.

On the upper floor, visitors can immerse themselves in the local clock-making tradition, showcasing a significant collection from workshops throughout the Black Forest.

This floor also houses a private collection curated by renowned clock-maker Hellmut Kienzle, featuring timepieces from the 1500s to the 1800s, sourced from clock-makers across Germany.

7. Aussichtsturm auf der Wanne

Perched atop the 778-meter Wanne mountain to the east of Villingen’s old town is an observation tower built in 1888. With its octagonal design, three viewing platforms, and steel lattice construction, the tower stands out as a unique example from that era, boasting a height of 30 meters.

The tower was produced and assembled by the Glockengießerei Grüninger, a bell foundry with a heritage in Villingen that dates back to the 17th century.

8. Internationales Luftfahrt-Museum

This aviation museum is located within a hangar at the Schwenningen am Neckar airfield.

Inside, visitors can view light aircraft, including a First World War-era Fokker Dr. I, alongside an extensive collection of model planes, an early de Havilland Ghost jet engine, and various ejection seats.

Outside on the tarmac, there are additional piston and jet aircraft, gliders, and helicopters from both sides of the Iron Curtain.

Notable pieces include a MiG-15, an Aérospatiale Alouette II helicopter, a Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet, an F-104G Starfighter, and a Hawker Sea Hawk.

9. Schwenninger Moos

Situated on the southern edge of Schwenningen is an expansive three-square-kilometer area of moorland and peat bogs.

This might sound uninviting; however, the Schwenninger Moos features a hiking path meandering through spruce and birch forests, leading to a pier that provides stunning views of this distinctive landscape.

What makes the Schwenninger Moos noteworthy is the presence of over 400 plant species within this nature reserve, many of which are rare types of peat moss.

Moreover, Schwenninger Moos is the source of the mighty River Neckar, which embarks on its 362-kilometer journey to the Rhine from this swampy terrain.

10. Stadtpark Möglingshöhe

To the north lies Schwenningen’s city park, which seamlessly merges with the Schwenninger Moos.

The park is characterized by extensive forested areas, navigable via an intricate network of walking trails.

The clearings provide space for a children’s playground, flowerbeds, hedges, shrubs, a sculpture trail, and a pond.

Notably, the park features the Neckarquelle, the monument that signifies the official source of the river.

While the actual spring of the Neckar is more dispersed and emerges in the Schwenninger Moos, the symbolic Neckarquelle monument was redesigned for the State Garden Show in 2010, redirecting water from deep underground into a fountain and along a stone conduit to the pond.

11. Benediktinerkirche

The Benedictine church in Villingen is a remnant of the monastery established in the city in the late 17th century, founded by monks who relocated a few kilometers from St. Georgen im Schwarzwald during the Reformation.

This church features Baroque architecture and was not completed until the 18th century due to interruptions caused by the Nine Years’ War and the War of the Spanish Succession.

The nave measures 50 meters in length and boasts a whitewashed barrel vault rising 16 meters from the church floor, lined by galleries.

The original organ was designed by two notable members of the famed Silbermann family from Alsace, and although it was removed after the dissolution of monasteries, a faithful reconstruction was unveiled in 2002.

12. Hubenlochpark

Exiting Villingen’s historic district through the Riettor leads to Hubenloch, a hill located in the city’s western region, crowned by a nine-hectare park.

During the Baden-Württemberg State Garden Show (Landesgartenshow), the Hubenlochpark was enhanced with a Rosarium, showcasing 100 different types of roses in full bloom during summer.

This area is also noteworthy for being recognized as one of the highest rose gardens in Europe, situated at an elevation of 750 meters.

Additionally, a 25-meter observation tower was erected as a minor attraction before the event, providing sweeping views of Villingen framed by the Wanne hill.

13. Zehndersches Haus

Located on Bärengasse in Villingen, this half-timbered home is the most striking structure in the city’s historical area.

Constructed in 1690 for the Augustinian convent, what is surprising about the Zehndersches Haus is its considerable size, featuring a vast ground floor that likely served as a warehouse and sales room.

The timber-framed upper levels were designated for living quarters.

By the end of the Second World War, the house was in severe disrepair but underwent restoration in 1970.

14. City Rondell

Mauthe was one of Schwenningen’s prominent clock manufacturers, producing timepieces in the city for 130 years across five generations of the same family until the 1970s.

The Mauthe brand reached its pinnacle in the 1950s, when Volkswagen rewarded customers who achieved the milestone of 100,000 kilometers without major repairs with a Mauthe wristwatch.

After the factory’s closure in the 1970s, one of its circular gates was repurposed into a shopping complex known as City Rondell.

Under this roof, City Rondell features a diverse lineup of popular German retailers, including Gerry Weber, Bijou Brigitte, and Esprit.

15. Carnival

In Germany, the name Villingen-Schwenningen evokes images of the eclectic characters who parade through the streets on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday). Perhaps the most famous is the “Narro,” who dons a white linen ensemble decorated with Medieval-style motifs of animals and plants, complemented by four chest straps laden with bells weighing 18 kilograms.

The most distinctive component is the brightly painted wooden mask, which adds an extraordinary flair to the attire.

Other participants in the festivities include the “Altvillingerin,” outfitted in early 19th-century fashion with silk shawls and headscarves, and the “Wuescht,” who sports trousers stuffed with straw and a wooden shield to protect against children throwing pine cones and snowballs.

Many of these eccentric figures have their origins in Medieval traditions, having survived plagues, wars, and various prohibitions throughout history.