The best walks and hikes around Heimsheim

"Schleglerkasten" (Source: https://www.heimsheim.de) The events of September 14, 1395, resulted in the destruction of the town and, with it, the old Schlegler castle. Apart from the castle cellar (two vaulted cellars beneath the Graevenitz Castle) and a cross vault in what is now the library, nothing remains of this old castle. On undeveloped land next to it, the tower castle, affectionately known locally as the "Schleglerkasten," was built. Its construction dates back to around 1415 (dendrochronological analysis revealed that the oldest timbers were felled in 1413), when the Lords of Gemmingen bought half of the town from the Lords of Stein. After the fire, the latter were unable to rebuild the castle and the town.

Station 4 of the Heimsheim fitness trail for exercises on the horizontal bar and parallel bars.

Very beautiful church.

It's not hard to guess where the nickname "Kasten" (box) for the Heimsheim Schlegler Castle comes from: a nearly 30-meter-high, square stone block – without turrets or bay windows, but with a fascinating history. The building is located in the heart of Heimsheim in the castle courtyard, right next to the Graevenitz Castle, today's town hall. A few years ago, the Kasten (box) had to be closed for fire safety reasons. However, guided tours are still available upon request. Heimsheim is also known as the Schlegler town. But who were the Schleglers? "They were an association of various knights from the region," explains Jürgen Gerhold from the Schlegler Castle Board of Trustees. The board was founded in 1956 with the goal of preserving Schlegler Castle and making it available to the public. The knights enjoyed great influence in the Middle Ages and sometimes controlled vast territories, villages, and towns. "With the growing influence of the counts like the House of Württemberg and the Free Cities, the knights were somewhat undermined, and they feared for their ancestral rights." In the late 14th century, several knights joined together to form the Schlegler League with the goal of maintaining their power. A group of them gathered in 1395 in Heimsheim at Wolf zu Steinegg Castle to plan an attack on Count Eberhard III of Stuttgart. But the plan was leaked out, and the town was surrounded by the count. "Heimsheim was a small town at the time and densely built-up," says Gerhold. The count therefore probably only had to set fire to a bale of straw, after which the fire spread throughout the town. The knights were trapped and had to surrender. "For a long time, it was thought that the Schleglerkasten was the former Schlegler castle, but that is wrong," says Jürgen Gerhold. "The original castle complex stood where Graevenitz Castle stands today." The fire of Heimsheim in 1395 also destroyed most of the castle. The only verifiable remains are the castle cellar beneath the town hall and a small cross vault within the building. The castle itself was not built until 1415. Source: https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.ausflugstipp-in-heimsheim-ein-schloss-als-30-meter-kasten.c16a7740-8fff-4929-a45e-8b81a2aae178.html

Currently (April 2025) there's a sign on the chapel door: Closed until further notice due to dilapidation. That's a shame.

Wayside cross and seating under a tree with a view of the Würmtal and the Büchelberg nature reserve.

Beautiful view over the Würmtal

Small quarry a few meters off the forest path, which can be reached via a path.