Explore Großmehring through its fortifications, walks and cycling. The remains of Intermediate Work No. 5 offer insights into fortress engineering; at Demlinger Quarry, a protected natural monument meets walking trails. The Paartal cycling route adds another option. When choosing where to stay, it therefore helps to consider which of these themes interests you most: the history of fortifications, a walk or a cycling tour.

Fortifications: two distinct points of interest

The remains of Intermediate Work No. 5 are part of the former Royal Bavarian State Fortress of Ingolstadt and offer insights into the fortress engineering of the time. A guided tour of the remains is available by prior arrangement for groups of no more than 10 to 15 people. Arrange your visit in advance so you can plan the tour as a group activity.

Another fortification in the municipality of Großmehring is Fort Prinz Karl. It is considered the only surviving, nearly unaltered example of this type of fort. It was built between April 1877 and December 1881.

The history of the building materials also leads to Demlinger Quarry: it probably supplied most of the stone needed to expand Ingolstadt’s fortifications. The connection between the quarry and the fortifications is therefore historical, though the attribution remains probable.

Demlinger Quarry: nature and walks

Demlinger Quarry is a protected natural monument; it was granted protected status in 1932. Walking trails are available there. This offers a different way to experience Großmehring than its fortifications: here, the focus is on the natural monument and walking routes. The quarry’s history also offers a link to the presumed source of building materials for Ingolstadt’s fortifications.

The Paartal cycling route is another option for a cycling tour. West of Eching am Ammersee, it connects the Ammersee Cycle Route with the Danube Cycle Route near Großmehring. This is a different way to include local attractions in your travel plans than a walk at the quarry. Which option suits you better depends on whether you would rather discover Großmehring by cycling route, through its fortress history or along its walking trails.

More places and culture in Eichstätt

Großmehring is also home to St. Wolfgang’s Church. It adds another place in the municipality to the fortification sites and quarry mentioned above. Together, these destinations show different aspects of choosing Großmehring: the history of its fortifications, a natural monument and walking trails, and St. Wolfgang’s Church.

The wider destination of Eichstätt offers its own range of cultural attractions. The Jura Museum Eichstätt focuses on fossils from the Solnhofen Plattenkalk, and also displays the original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx. The Willibaldsburg castle in Eichstätt was built in 1355 by Bishop Berthold Burggraf von Zollern and served as the bishop’s residence until 1725. Of the 420 m-long castle, its walls and bastions, the arsenal, the 63 m-long gate hall and the Gemmingen building with its two towers have been preserved. Eichstätt’s fossils and castle complex, with its clearly identified structures, complement Großmehring’s local fortification and nature attractions.

The 1,500 m² Bastion Garden is also located at Willibaldsburg. The Hortus Eystettensis, destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, was brought back to life there after 400 years; visitors can discover many of the garden’s original plant species. Eichstätt thus adds its own garden and museum theme to the choice of Großmehring, without conflating the two places.

Discover more destinations: Böhmfeld, Beilngries, Altmannstein, Kinding, Mörnsheim, Pförring, Kösching, Eichstätt

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