Herrieden combines traces of history in its urban landscape with recurring festivals and opportunities to spend time outdoors. The old town invites you to take a walk and discover its buildings and sights. The time of year can also help with planning your trip: the Old Town Festival and the church fair take place at set times, while hiking trails, a garden and the outdoor swimming pool appeal to other interests.
Cultural History in the Old Town
The “Museum on the Way” presents Herrieden’s history at eight historically significant locations in the city center. Steles mark the locations and make the walk an opportunity to learn about the town’s history in public spaces. Seven sculptures in the Bürgerpark by the town palace offer a playful way to experience the town’s history as “art you can touch.” Visitors are welcome to use and touch the sculptures.
The town palace was the seat of the Lords of Herrieden in 1122. With its twin towers and imposing gabled roof, the collegiate church of St. Vitus and St. Deocar, now a collegiate basilica, shapes the town’s skyline. In 2010, it received the honorary title of a papal basilica; it is the only papal basilica in Middle Franconia. A distinctive feature of the Church of Our Lady is its unique wooden stucco ceiling, dating from 1705. The church was rebuilt in 1474, reconstructed in 1493 following the town fire of 1490, and extensively renovated from 1997 to 2000.
The market square also tells stories of the past: the Deocar Fountain depicts Deocar, the first abbot of Herrieden Monastery, seated beneath trees. A marking in the paving shows the route of the former collegiate wall. Storks have nested on the Stork Tower for centuries. The tower was destroyed in 1316 and rebuilt in 1340.
Festivals Throughout the Year
Herrieden’s Old Town Festival takes place every year on the third weekend in July. The program includes music, performances by Herrieden associations, food and drink, and attractions for children. Herrieden’s church fair is celebrated annually in mid-September. Events include a church service, parade, soccer tournament, children’s program and festivities in the festival tent. The two dates offer different highlights in the events calendar. As the exact event dates may vary, check the dates for your travel year before making plans.
Hiking Trails, Gardens and Outdoor Activities
Trails and paths in Herrieden and the surrounding area lead through meadows, open countryside and forests; they are marked on a Herrieden hiking map. Nearby, the Wayside Shrines and Chapels Hiking Trail explores monuments that bear witness to human lives and hardships from past centuries. In the village of Elbersroth, the “Around Elbersroth” hiking trail passes ten sites associated with the work of herbal priest Ludwig Heumann and shares insights into his life and ideas.
Day visitors can fish along approximately nine kilometers of the Altmühl River leased by the Wasserrose Herrieden fishing club. A valid fishing license is required. On the northern edge of town lies Hortus Felix, a 2,800-square-meter permaculture garden with a buffer zone, a hot spot zone and an intensive cultivation zone. Herrieden’s heated outdoor swimming pool has a 25-meter pool, diving tower, giant slide, cascading showers and massage jets. If you are planning a swim, check seasonal opening dates and prices. In the associated municipality, the Kneipp facility in Lattenbuch offers a water basin for walking like a stork, an arm bath and loungers with a view; check availability locally.
Getting Your Bearings
The Tourist Information office is next to Herrieden’s Stork Tower, inside the DECIMA bookstore at Deocarplatz 10, 91567 Herrieden. You can start here to orient yourself in town and note down the address for your plans.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Rös, Röckingen, Lichtenau, Leutershausen, Wilburgstetten, Windsbach, Weidenbach, Bechhofen.
See the main travel overview: Ansbach.
