Besigheim: historic old town

Pfarrgasse 7, 74354 Besigheim, DE

The first parts of the city church of Besigheim were built in 1383. In the following centuries it was often renovated. The gem of this church is without a doubt its 13 metres high altar made of lime tree wood, which was created by Christoph von Urach in 1520.

Pfarrgasse 26, 74354 Besigheim, DE

The Schochenturm (translated into Schoch tower) is named after its former guardian, a Mister Schoch. Like the Waldhornturm it was built in 1220. The tower is 31 metres high and has its entry way in the second of the five vaults. In 1312 Eberhard I, the Count of Württemberg, hid in this tower during the Reichskrieg (the war between the imperial cities of the Holy Roman Empire against him).

Marktplatz 7, 74354 Besigheim, DE

Built in 1459, the building was originally used as a department store. The ground floor was a market hall, the first floor was the so called "Tanzboden", which can be compared to modern day festival halls. The second floor was home to the court. Painted stone and wood walls and stuccoed ceilings are impressive witnesses of many eras. These precious embellishments were rediscovered during an extensiv renovation in 1977 and subsequently restored.

Hauptstraße 34, 74354 Besigheim, DE

The Waldhornturm is one of the two Staufer towers built in 1220. The tower is 29 metres high and its walls have a diameter of 4 metres at its base. The tower is named after the neighbouring inn Waldhorn (literally: bugle). In former times the tower could be entered through the upper floor of said inn. The modern day entrance was created after the second World War, in the lowest of the five vaults. The tower can still be climbed today and used as a look-out.

Vorstadt 3, 74354 Besigheim, DE

The Badstube (bathing chamber) was operated in the basement of the building Vorstadt 3 until 1654. All of the townspeople of Besigheim and Walheim had to come here to bathe. Bathing in another place was forbidden. The water for the bathing chamber came from the Enz and was most likely heated up.

Marktplatz 4, 74354 Besigheim, DE

The cellar of the Dreigiebelhaus (the house with three gables) has been around since the 13th century. But it actually only merged into one building in 1610. Back then the trader Hans Ludwig Fischer renovated it, so that he could use it as a whole. The separate gables were built in 1486,1487 and 1501. Today it is a listed building and has been home to a bookshop since 1982.

Kirchstraße 26, 74354 Besigheim, DE

At the beginning of the 16th century the townspeople got the permission of margrave Philipp II of Baden to build a stately fountain in the market square. The statue on top shows a supporter with a Baden coat of arms, because Besigheim was part of Baden until 1595.