The best walks and hikes around Günzburg

The Celts inhabited the whole of southern Germany - including this area here - but they have left hardly any traces. That's why they are so mysterious. This people obviously consciously avoided recording anything about themselves in writing and are also regarded as mystical.

Information boards pointed to the Celtic settlement history.

The Ichenhausen Celtic farmstead was built in 2007 and is located between fields, meadows, and forest, aiming to convey the impression of a small rural settlement unit from the Iron Age. The association Kultur und Naherholung Ichenhausen und Umgebung (Culture and Recreation Ichenhausen and Surroundings) built the farmstead as a reconstruction on the original site at the border with Kammeltal, to provide insights into the life of the Celts 2500 years ago. Later, in 2013, the original Celtic house was extended by a craft house and a winter house to develop the property into a complete farmstead.

The Lower Gate with its clock tower is one of Günzburg's landmarks. However, it is far more than just a striking, representative feature. It was once one of the most important entrances to the city. The tower keeper lived at the top and had to ring the bells hourly, day and night, so that the citizens knew someone was on watch. The many windows were not decorative, but provided a panoramic view. From here, the watchmen kept a lookout for enemies and fires.

Krumbad is considered the oldest spa town in Swabia. Its history is linked to a special raw material: Krumbach bathstone. As early as the 16th century, this claystone was considered a remedy for ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis, tension, and skin problems. The bathstone was mined around the spa town at a depth of three to five meters. After drying, it is extracted into a fine powder, which, when mixed with water, is applied to the body as a healing mud.

The former synagogue of the Jewish community of Hürben was located in the heart of the old town center. Its location illustrates how Jewish life was once an integral part of everyday life here. The synagogue could accommodate up to 200 people. The building was looted during Kristallnacht in 1938, set on fire a year later, and finally destroyed. Today, a remnant of wall marks the site of the synagogue, and a memorial stone commemorates the fourteen people who were deported and murdered. An inscription bearing the dates 1504 and 1942 marks the beginning and the violent end of Jewish life in Hürben.

Krumbach's market square is the town's historical heart. Protected from flooding, it sits on a small plateau. The most striking building is undoubtedly the historic half-timbered town hall, dating from 1679. The square was formerly used as a granary. Here, trade, government, and daily life took place.

A moated castle on dry land? Until the 16th century, the Kammel River flowed directly past this spot. Surrounded by a pond and marshy terrain, Hürben Castle once stood like an island. To prevent the building from sinking into the soft ground, it was built on massive wooden piles in the 15th century. The walls, which widen towards the bottom, also stabilize the structure. That the construction has stood since 1474 is truly remarkable. Today, the castle houses the Swabia District's advisory center for folk music.