Discover Herrenberg: Old town, collegiate church & views - 12 out of 12 in September

Updated on April 1, 2025 from Angelika

12 of 12 - the 12th of the month in 12 pictures - has become a beloved tradition among the bloggers of The Content Society (and far beyond). I've decided to take a trip around my region on this day, and today I'm going to Herrenberg, where I loved living for a while. The town is located about 30 km southwest of Stuttgart and 20 km west of Tübingen on the edge of the Schönbuch.

My route today

I have mapped out my city tour for you here:

Start at Nufringer Tor: half-timbered flair on the way to the market square

I park my car in the parking garage of the Nufringer Tor shopping center and walk through Stuttgarter Straße, which is lined with many renovated half-timbered houses, to the market square.

The market square - the heart of the old town

I'm a bit late - the stall holders at the market are already clearing up. Herrenberg is on the German half-timbered road and is considered one of the most beautiful half-timbered towns in Baden-Württemberg. Isn't this market square magnificent? The plastered building in front of the castle church is the town hall. The lion on the column of the market fountain bears the coat of arms of the Duke of Württemberg.

Up to the collegiate church

I climb the steep old town stairs in the midday heat up to the collegiate church. There are some interesting signposted circular routes through the old town,like the Half-timbered path or the Sculpture trail (with 25 works by contemporary artists). But today I'm just going to let myself drift.

A look inside the late Gothic collegiate church

The collegiate church was built in two phases - in the 13th and 15th centuries - and was the first late Gothic hall church in Württemberg. The church is usually closed when I get there, but today I'm lucky. For the first time since my school days, I can see the venerable walls from the inside.

One of the most important furnishings of the church is the ornate pulpit, in addition to the magnificent choir stalls, the baptismal font from 1472 and numerous epitaphs from the 16th to 18th centuries. The pulpit was made of sandstone by the Herrenberg stonemason Hanselmann between 1502 and 1504.

Almost all the way to the top: The (closed) tower and the bell museum

I climb the first steps to the tower, hoping to enjoy the promised magnificent view from up there and to have a look at the bell museum on the way - but no! I only get as far as the tower gallery, the door to the spiral staircase of the tower is locked - because of a construction measure, as I read on a notice, when I stand again in the vestibule. Here I can at least admire these two old bells.

On the sculpture trail to the Powder Tower

Orchard meadows and Schönbuch view

The sculpture trail leads me to the Powder towerwhere I am rewarded with a magnificent view over the town and the Gäu. There are only a few people out and about among the ruins of the old castle today, but the only shady bench is occupied.

So I walk a little further from the Schlossberg along the orchard meadows in the direction of the Schönbuch Tower. I enjoy the peace and decide to take the tower tour - a circular hike from Herrenberg to the Schönbuch tower and back - on a less hot day.

Half-timbered houses and history: back through the old town

I walk back to the old town via the idyllic Schlossberg, where I pass a few half-timbered houses worth seeing, such as the Bebenhäuser Klosterhof, whose upper floors fell victim to the town fire in 1635, but were rebuilt in the 17th century.

Iced coffee with a view

Iced coffee is always good! I treat myself to one with a view of the beautiful market square.

Favorite store with a nostalgia factor

On the way back to the parking garage I admire the flower baskets and arrangements in front of GlücksKlee. This cute flower store already existed in my Herrenberg time. After my trip to Egypt in October, I will buy something nice for my balcony here!

Reading time with "Struffoli and gingerbread house"

For dinner I have fish with tomato salad, but I forgot to take a photo of my meal because was so keen on the food. Remains a photo of my current bedtime reading: My girlfriend Silvana Goldbach, wrote down her childhood and youth memories from the 1960s and 70s in her self-published book "Struffoli and Gingerbread House" wrote down her childhood and youthful memories from the 1960s and 70s, which sometimes make her laugh and sometimes make her cry, but are always touching.