Fremdingen offers two different starting points for planning your trip: the neo-Gothic parish church of St. Gallus and hiking opportunities in and around the town. In the wider area, the options range from geology and landscapes to urban history, religious architecture and exhibitions.
Churches and hiking in and around Fremdingen
The parish church of St. Gallus impresses with its neo-Gothic architecture and makes a clear architectural statement. There are also a variety of hiking opportunities leading to rest and play areas, viewpoints and small lakes. These destinations offer different starting points for planning: rest areas, viewpoints and lakes each appeal to different interests along the way. The hiking opportunities are in Fremdingen and its immediate surroundings.
This gives you a straightforward local comparison when making your choice: St. Gallus is of interest to those who appreciate neo-Gothic architecture, while the hiking opportunities focus on various outdoor destinations. You can take both into account when planning your trip, without limiting the town to just one theme.
Geology in the wider Donau-Ries destination
In the wider Donau-Ries destination, the Ries Geopark, featuring the Ries Crater formed by a meteorite impact, is a tourist attraction. Geological processes are explored at various locations. The KĂĽhstein Geopark trail explains the events surrounding the impact 14.5 million years ago on eight information panels. From Buchberg, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Ries and its inner and outer crater rims.
Using several information panels, the Wemding Geopark Information Centre provides an overview of locations from which visitors can best see the crater structure in the landscape. It also explains how the Nördlinger Ries was identified as a meteorite crater: the nearby Otting quarry and the suevite rock examined there played a role.
The RiesKraterMuseum tells the story of the asteroid impact that created the Nördlinger Ries, its cosmic origins and its effects to this day. On display are meteorites, fossils and a piece of genuine lunar rock; information panels and multimedia exhibits complement the exhibition. The Ries event is presented in a meticulously restored medieval barn dating from 1503.
Urban history and architecture in Donau-Ries
In Nördlingen, the medieval town wall is completely preserved and fully accessible. The town museum explores the lives and beliefs of the people of Nördlingen, the changes brought about by the Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War and the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634. Its collection, which is over 150 years old, is displayed across four floors. A model made of around 6,000 tin figures illustrates the Battle of 1634.
The Maria BrĂĽnnlein pilgrimage basilica also offers a distinctive perspective on religious art and history. The Rococo church was built between 1748 and 1782 to designs by Franz Joseph Roth, as the flow of pilgrims grew. Its altar of grace is a fountain altar with the miraculous Virgin Mary by Johann Joseph Mayr, dating from 1755. The altar table with its fountain basin was created by Ernst Steinacker in 1953. In 1998, Pope John Paul II elevated the basilica to the status of a Basilica minor; around 150,000 pilgrims visit it every year.
A tour of Harburg Castle reveals almost 900 years of history through its various structures and rooms, including the Baroque castle church, loopholes, prison cells, gates and towers. In Donauwörth, another way to explore history is through the Fugger House. It was the former residence of the imperial custodian Anton Fugger and today houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the house on the first floor. Tours on the Fuggers can be arranged on request through the town’s tourist information office.
Near Wemding, the Legend Trail brings together geology, history and stories: a total of eleven informative panels, researched and written by scientists, line the trail. The region’s themes are presented in distinctly different ways—from the educational trail and information panels to museum collections and historical tours.
Discover more destinations: Nördlingen, Marxheim, Asbach-Bäumenheim, Kaisheim, Donauwörth, Rain, Oberndorf Am Lech, Mertingen.
View the wider travel overview: Donau-Ries.
