Laugna is home to the Baroque Church of St. Elisabeth; Bocksberg Castle Ruins are in the district of Bocksberg. The “Hügelland aktiv” cycling tour offers another perspective on the area, with a route that passes through Laugna. The municipality thus brings together church and castle history with a regional circular route.
Bocksberg Castle Ruins: History and Access
Bocksberg hilltop castle was probably built in the early 13th century as the seat of the Lords of Bocksberg, who lived there from 1231 to 1322. The castle changed hands several times over the following centuries; in 1613 it was bought by the Fugger family of Augsburg. During the Thirty Years’ War, the complex was so badly damaged that it was never rebuilt. Trenches, earthworks and a remnant of the keep have survived from the castle, which dates from the High to the Late Middle Ages.
The castle ruins can only be reached on foot, via Burgweg or a field path near Bergstraße 15. Check local notices before setting off, as access information may change. The extensive castle grounds host the Bocksberg Castle Market and a rock festival each year. If an event is the reason for your trip, check the dates for that year’s edition.
Church History in Laugna and Its Districts
Today’s Church of St. Elisabeth in Laugna is Baroque and was consecrated in 1720 while still unfinished. It was previously the Church of St. John; its patronal feast was still celebrated in 1433. The construction history of today’s church and its earlier dedication thus point to different historical periods.
In Osterbuch, too, the history of the parish and the construction of the church are separated by a considerable span of time: the parish of St. Michael was founded around 1289, while construction of the new church did not begin until 1768. The following year, Auxiliary Bishop Franz Xaver Adelmann von Adelmannsfelden consecrated the church. In Bocksberg, the Church of St. Leonhard was renovated in 2003. Its altar table holds two reliquaries from the Rococo period, dating to around 1780. These historical details differ considerably: in Osterbuch, the focus is on the development of the parish and the construction of the new church; in Bocksberg, it is on the renovation and furnishings.
Cycling Through Laugna
The moderately difficult “Hügelland aktiv” circular tour passes through the mostly hilly countryside in the southeast of the district of Dillingen. It starts at the pilgrimage church in Wertingen-Gottmannshofen and runs counterclockwise through Geratshofen, Rischgau, Bocksberg and Laugna. The route then continues via Rieblingen, Possenried, Hirschbach, Wortelstetten, Hinterried, Frauenstetten and Reatshofen before returning to Gottmannshofen.
In Laugna, the tour passes through the town; at the entrance to town, it continues along the cycle path towards Aspach. This is useful to know when planning: Laugna is one section of a loop through several towns, not the start and end point of the described tour. Check current local signage and route conditions before setting off.
More Routes in the Wider Destination of Dillingen An Der Donau
In the wider destination of Dillingen An Der Donau, the DonAUwald hiking trail runs for just under 60 kilometres through the floodplain forests along the Danube; 40 kilometres of it lie within the district of Dillingen. The trail is Bavarian Swabia’s first premium hiking trail. All five standard stages can be conveniently reached by train, making it a climate-neutral option. Check current train connections for your specific hike.
Another regional option is Donautal-Radelspaß, held every two years on a weekend in September, with its central event in the district of Dillingen. Three signposted routes, closed to cars, offer culinary and cultural excursions. As the event years vary, check the date of the next edition in advance. These hiking and cycling options are activities in the wider destination in their own right; by contrast, the local “Hügelland aktiv” cycling route specifically passes through Laugna.
To the overview of the wider destination: Wertingen.
