More About Gernsbach

Gernsbach is one of the many small towns in the valleys of the Black Forest that have preserved their old flair. In past centuries it was the home of the Counts of Eberstein whose castle is located on a nearby hilltop above the Murg valley. One would not cross oceans to see this little place but if you are in the area it is worth a stopover.

I first visited on the weekend of Gernsbach's annual event, the Altstadtfest. This event has already been described in an earlier blog entry. In the following year I returned on a bright sunny day in May, in order to see more of the town on a random weekday with nothing special going on. After a visit at the baroque garden on the river bank and a walk of the town I climbed a forest trail up to Eberstein castle, and then down to the neighbouring village of Obertsrod to catch the tram back home.

Arriving on the Murgtal tram S 8 or S 81, the more convenient stop is Gernsbach Mitte, as opposed to Gernsbach Bahnhof which is further away from the centre. Nothing is really far in little Gernsbach, though. The old town is located on a hillside on the opposite river bank. There is one sight that should not be missed before crossing the Murg bridge, though: the baroque Katz’sche Garten on the right river bank.

Katz'scher Garten

In 1803 the wealthy family Katz, who had earned their fortune with rafting and trade on the Murg, had themselves a beautiful garden designed between their big new villa and the river. Despite the late date the style of this garden is still baroque. The family owned and used it as their private refuge until the 1960s, since then it has been opeend to the public. At first it was modernized in a way that endangered the original design. In the 1990s it was restored to its baroque appearance.

The garden is not very big but very pleasant. In these small-town surroundings it is totally unexpected. The mild climate on the river bank allows growing subtropical plants like bananas. Some of the trees, for example the magnolias, are indeed 200 years old. There is a small open pavillon, a sundial, lots of sculptures, little fountains, and an abundance of flowers. The lower river bank has been integrated into the garden, a stone stairway leads down. Here are more benches with a view of the river, this is a lovely spot to sit and watch the water pasing by and relax.

The baroque parterre in the centre suffers from a big problem, though: the boxwood hedges had to be erased because they were infected by a fungus and also by a dangerous pest, a butterfly that has recently been introduced from the Far East, which eats and kills the boxwood plants. The structure is still visible but without plants. It is to be replanted with a different species of plant in the near future.

The garden is open to the public from April to October, daily 10.00 - 18.00. Entry is free, there is a little box for donations.

Katz'scher Garten seen from the Murg bridge

The Old Town

Gernsbach has a fine old town with many historical houses. Tourism has not yet spotted this hidden gem, for which we can be glad. Some low-key gastronomy is there so the visitor won’t starve, but there are no souvenir shops and such.

Two steeples dominate the skyline of biconfessional Gernsbach. The protestant community built their church on a terrace close to the river, while the catholic parish uses the other, larger church on the highest point of the town.

The protestant church of St Jakobus originally dates back to the 15th century. The choir ist still late gothic, with tabernacle, crucifix and tombstones of the local nobility. The nave was enlarged and refurbished in the late 18th century and shows a typical protestant interior with wooden galleries. The pulpit, the organ and the windows are new.

The gentle slope above the church is covered by the protestant cemetery. (Hint: The flat white building at the bottom of the graveyard is the funeral hall and there are free public toilets in its back.)

From the protestant church into the old centre of Gernsbach, the walk leads down a short side street into a valley with a little creek. Parts of the old town walls are preserved along here, and on top of them the impressive Zehntscheuer has been built. These are the barns where the grain taxes were collected. Because of their size they are a landmark in townscape. Unfortunately the building is in bad shape. People in Gernsbach want to preserve and renovate it and find new uses for it. Campaigns and events take place to raise money for the Zehntscheuer. Let's hope they will succeed.

The old town covers a slightly ascending hill. It consists of hardly more than three parallel streets and a few side lanes. The main street in the middle, named Hauptstraße, widens to form a series of squares.

The architecture are smallish, rural townhouses – with one exception, the old town hall. The magnificent Renaissance building was originally a private house. In 1617/18 it was erected for Johann Jakob Kast, a Murg rafter who had become rich with his timber trade - see how promising this business was? This architecture could be in any big city. In a small town like this it must have looked like a paradise bird. Later on it became the seat of the mayor and magistrate. The ground floor and cellar host a wine pub and restaurant - even if you don't want to drink and eat there, peep in for a glimpse the staircase and the vaulted cellar. The rest of the building can only be visited on special occasions like the monument heritage day.

The series of squares along Hauptstraße leads up to the Catholic Church of Our Lady. The catholic parish church is visible from afar due to its elevated position on the steep western end of the ridge at the end of the old town. It is said to originate from the chapel of the former castle. The present building dates from the 14th century but was extended and refurbished in neogothic style in the late 19th century. The steeple is connected with the town wall and had strategic functions.

Graveyard with a View

The catholic cemetery is located on the hilltop right behind the catholic church but separated by a deep cut in the topography of the ridge. A stone bridge connects the churchyard with the cemetery. It is protected by a fortified gate in the town wall next to the steeple. The defensive function of the steeple and wall here at the high end of the old town become obvious. From the bridge you have a great photogenic view of the steeple. Imagine how impressive funerals must be, with a procession accompanying the coffin over the bridge to the gate of the graveyard.
The most beautiful spot on the edge of the old town has been given to the defunct. The catholic cemetery of biconfessional Gernsbach is located on the ridge behind the Church of Our Lady. The stone bridge leads up to the wrought-iron gate against the light, it's almost like a gate to heaven.

The most prominent person buried in this graveyard is, by the way, Maria von Wedemeyer, later Maria Weller: the fiancée of the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the young lady with whom he exchanged his famous letters during his imprisonment in the Nazi era.

The cemetery has probably grown in height with layers and layers of graves. High substruction walls surround its sides towards the valleys. The view of the town with Storchenturm and church is exceptional, highly recommended to photographers. Storchenturm („Stork Tower“) is the only remaining tower of the old fortifications. It was named after the storks nest on top. The tower protected the gate to the old town from the upper end, the hillside, together with the steeple of the catholic church. This was a vulnerable spot because aggressors coming from above would have an advantage, so it was heavily fortified. Originally access to the tower was only possible through the adjacent guardhouse. Now there is a door from the street. The view from the tower must be nice but there are open wooden stairs so scared-of-heights me did not go up.

The Opposite Hillside

Back down by the Murg bridge, the walk continues to the opposite hillside. Some pretty half-timbered houses are standing along the street by the river bank. The finest of them is Amthof, the former home and office of the bailiff. It also contained wine cellars and the workshops of the barrel-makers, here the tax wine for the cathedral of Speyer was collected. It is located outside the old town on the bank of the Murg, along the road to Eberstein castle. The blue timberwork and white facade are an eyecatcher both from the opposite river bank and along the street. The municipality of Gernsbach has a small museum in the Amtshof that is used for exhibitions about the town's history. Opening hours seem to be limited, though. The rest of the estate is a private residential house.

Further up the hill there is a strange octogonal structure with heavy stone pillars and pointed arches. The war memorial on the hill with the funny name Rumpelstein („rumbling rock“) overlooks the town and the valley. Access is from Schlossstraße near the Amthof, either up the steep stairway which soon turns into a rough path, or, longer but more comfortable, follow the road around the orchard. The monument is well visible so you can't lose your way. The view is worth the climb. The memorial was built in 1936 – an example of Nazi architecture. Inscriptions refer to the soldiers killed in the German-French war of 1870/71 and First World War. The stone octogon is open at the top. Around the opening we find the sentence: „Forever remains the glory of the deads' deeds.“ The quote is taken from the medieval Edda, which must have been extremely popular after World War I, I have seen the same text elsewhere. The inscriptions on the walls list the names of the fallen soldiers from Gernsbach. Not all of them, though: those of Jewish faith and/or origin were missing on purpose. In the 1980s the names of two Jewish soldiers have been added. The annual commemoration services on Volkstrauertag still take place in this location. However, nowadays no one glorifies war any more. This country has learned its lesson. Instead the victims are remembered. Thinking about the horrors of war serves as warning for present and future.

The Hike to Eberstein Castle

Eberstein castle is located on top of a ridge high above Gernsbach. You see it best from the right bank of the Murg river. It can be reached in a nice hike, not too far but with some steeper ascents and descents. The walk from Gernsbach's old town to the castle is about 2 kms. Walking time is about 45 minutes in total, including the steep ascent, checking out the trees in the Arboretum, enjoying the view from Engelskanzel and a short rest on the benches at Luisenruhe.

From Hofstätte, follow Schlossstraße to the edge of the town. The road to Eberstein and Baden-Baden turns right and uphill but it has no sidewalk, avoid it on foot. Instead, follow the signs saying "Fußweg Schloss Eberstein" straight on until you reach the little neogothic chapel (Klingelkapelle). Here the hiking trail starts. Signposting is detailed and idiot-proof, there is also a board with a map behind the chapel.

The marked trail is actually a round trip up to the castle, then down on the back of the hill to the neighbouring village of Obertsrot, and back through the forest close to the river bank. Total length is 4 kms, including notable ups and downs. It is mostly an unpaved forest trail. Two healthy legs in comfy shoes will cope easily but it is not suitable for people with walking difficulties. In that case, better drive to the castle.

Along the hiking trails on the slopes around Eberstein castle, parts of the forest have been turned into an Arboretum, an exhibition of trees. Some of these are really old trees that have been growing here for decades, if not centuries - like the linden alley on the way to the castle, or the group of chestnut trees halfway up in the vineyards. Others have been planted in groups of a species each, in order to give an overview of the trees that grow in the Black Forest, both native and introduced specieses. They are explained but the signs are in German only plus the Latin botanical names. Even if you don't read them the trees are simply enjoyable to look at. Rhododendron bushes have been planted in several shady spots, most beautiful in May when they are in bloom - I was there at the perfect time.

The trail leads through the forest in a zigzag, thus not too steeply, up the slope. Halfway you reach Engelskanzel with a view of the valley. The top is named Luisenruhe ("Louise's Rest") and has some inviting benches. I have no idea who that Luise was, but this girl or lady certainly had an eye for pleasant spots in the forest. From here it is only 600 ms to the castle.

Eberstein castle is located on a ridge high above Gernsbach. With its towers the castle is a landmark which is impossible to overlook. The Counts of Eberstein built it as their seat in the 13th century. When the family died out in 1660 it became property of the Margraves of Baden, who owned it until the 1990s.

The castle was in decay for some time until it was restored and refurbished in the 19th century, hence its present appearance is not medieval. The castle hosts an upscale hotel, the main buildings are not accessible to passers-by. You can enter the first courtyard through the impressive gatehouse which dates from 1602 - 1609. The way further up is closed by an iron gate. Nevertheless the place is worth visiting for the views.

The buildings on the right are now a gourmet restaurant. I hear it is excellent, unfortunately it is far above my budget. There is outdoor seating on the terraces facing south with a wide view of the Murg valley and the surrounding mountains. The winery Schloss Eberstein has a shop and tasting room in the courtyard.

So enjoy the view from the outside and continue your hike. The southern side of the castle hill is planted with vineyards. All the way down you are rewarded with a wide, beautiful view over the valley. Eberstein castle is well known for excellent wines from these vineyards, by the way. The winery has a shop and tasting room in the courtyard of the castle.

In the vineyards below Eberstein castle you'll notice rose bushes at the end of the rows of vines. A pretty sight in summer when the roses are in bloom. The rose is the crest of the Counts of Eberstein and the town of Gernsbach, but neither is this the reason why the vintners have planted them, nor is it a question of looks. The roses serve as indicators for a plant disease: mildew, which is caused by fungi. Certain types of roses, and these are used, are more sensitive to mildew than vines. The roses are affected first. The winemakers watch the roses carefully. If a rose is affected they know it's time to protect the vines by applying fungicides.

If you don't want to hike the whole round, you can do as I did: Walk down to Obertsrot and to the S-Bahn stop there, and take the tram back. From the castle, Obertsrot station is closer than Gernsbach Mitte.

Bench with a view down to Obertsrot