Weingarten: Wine, Flower Carpets, Lawnmowers with Whiskers

„Weingarten“ translates to „vineyard“ - no surprise that there are more locations in the wine regions with the same name. This page is about Weingarten in Baden – not to be confused with Weingarten town and abbey in Upper Swabia just north of Lake of Constance.

Weingarten is hardly more than a village, but it has a pretty centre with the two sister churches and a handful of old houses along the open stream, and some side lanes with farm buildings.

The village is located north of Karlsruhe at the foot of the Kraichgau hills, right where the plain meets the hills, at the exit of the valley of Walzbach, a small stream that runs through the centre of the village. A walk through the vineyards offers a wide view of the plain.

The name is programme, as is the grape in the village's crest. Weingarten is a wine village. The hillsides are planted with vines. The local vintners' association (Winzergenossenschaft) is known for good dry whites.

From the station you have to walk through extended 19th and 20th century residential quarters first. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the centre of the village.

The centre has a couple of half-timbered houses from the 17th and 18th century. The appearance is more that of a small town than a rural village. Due to its vicinity to Karlsruhe many commuters live here. Thanks to the S-Bahn lines S31 and S32, Weingarten is well connected both to Karlsruhe and Bruchsal.

Walk'sches Haus is the most beautiful half-timbered house in Weingarten. It is located by the main bridge and in vicinity to the churches. These together form the most picturesque street view of the village. The house originally dates from 1701 but has been rebuilt in the 1980s. It is a country inn with a restaurant and guest rooms. The restaurant also has outdoor seating, in the courtyard and on a terrace by the stream.

The two churches of Weingarten are positioned next to each other in one line, they sort of form a pair of 'sisters'. The two steeples are points de vue from the bridges over the little river. The panorama is best enjoyed from the twerrace below Wartturm. The two churches are turned towards each other - rather unusual to see a catholic church with the choir in the west.

Both are not as old as they seem: late 19th century. The former church in the centre of the village had previously been shared among the two confessions; the catholics used the choir, the protestants used the nave, until each confession was finally able to build their own church.

The protestant church is a rather plain sandstone building. Like many protestant churches it is closed outside services. The catholic church is open in the daytime and can be visited. The door through the steeple is open. The interior resembles mendicant churches of the middle ages. Paintings on the flat ceilings show the seven catholic sacraments. The church is in need of a renovation. There seem to be static problems about the building. A part of the nave is roped off, the choir has a net under the vaults, and the northern wall shows some cracks. (Footnote: there is a toilet in the corner opposite the entrance.)

The town hall of Weingarten is a building with interesting art nouveau facades. It dates from 1900. The facade towards the street has a little tower, a pulpit above the main portal (for the mayor to make speeches?), and the art nouveau shapes are mixed with scarce gothic ornaments.
A funny detail: on the corner there is a bust of a man in talar and beret who points at a book, and an inscription in gilded letters: „Geht dir Rath aus, geh ins Rathaus“ („If you need advice, go into the town hall“) - the pun works only in German. The book is inscribed „LEX“, in other words, it's the law.

The street crossing in front of the town hall is the busiest in town but behind it there is a quiet courtyard in modern design. A narrow passage leads there between town hall and the icecream parlour in the house on its right. The courtyard behind the art nouveau town hall has been redesigned a few years ago. Rathausplatz is now called the „new middle“ of the village (a bit exaggerated but if they must...) It is a modern square, surrounded by the town hall and other houses, no traffic, thus quiet. It has a pizzeria and one or two other cafes/eateries with outdoor seating, and also the large open stairs and some benches for passers-by to just sit and relax.

Why am I telling you about this?

Well, in case you find the icecream place next to the town hall on the right, buy an icecream cone and wonder where to enjoy it along that noisy busy unpleasant street - walk through the narrow passage between the town hall and the icecream place and you are right here. The benches and the stairs are perfect to sit down and enjoy your cold sweet treat.

Wildlife Watching in Walzbach

Walzbach is the stream that runs through the village. It is canalized with stone walls, but the stretch downstream from the main bridge has grassy banks. One mill wheel is still turning, driven by the waters of Walzbach. The wheel is attached to Untere Mühle (Lower Mill), a former water mill. It is an „undershot“ wheel, i.e. the water hits the bottom of the wheel. This is not the original wheel, though. It is a recent reconstruction, dated 2002. The energy is used to gain electricity.

Here, in the very centre of the village, is the best spot to observe the animals that live in the stream.

Ducks, obviously. There is hardly an open water without wild ducks hereabouts. There are mallards and mixes with domestic races. (Please don't feed them, you are not doing them any good.) Cutest in spring and early summer when the little ducklings are there.

There is another species at home in Walzbach and if you are lucky you get to see them: nutrias or coypus (not to be confused with muskrats, which look similar but are a different species). These large rodents originate in South America. They were and still are bred in Europe for their fur. Some escaped, some were set free on purpose, so the species established in the wild although the Central European climate is not perfect for them. Nutrias are feeding on plants and the ducks obviously did not consider them a threat. Birds and rodents happily share the stream and its banks.
I had no idea there were nutrias in Walzbach but the large number of people who were lining up by the stream and staring into the water made me do the same, so I spotted them right below where I was standing, to my surprise and joy. A family of mom and dad and eight half-grown kits, fluffy little things...

Cuteness alert!

The family was *the* attraction of this holiday afternoon. People were standing along the railings looking down into the river bed and watching them. They even got some carrot bits as extra treat - in other words, people want them to stay.

A Walk through the Vineyards

The best starting point for a walk or hike through the vineyards is Wartturm. The watch tower on the hill, known as Wartturm, above the village was built in the 16th century. Palatinate soldiers used to stand guard on it. After war damages it was renovated in the 19th century. The large sandstone relief of the angel on the wall dates from 1956, it is meant as a war memorial. The tower is open only on Sunday afternoons. It is used for exhibitions, and there is the look-out on top. The view of the village can also be enjoyed from the terraces below the tower any time.

From there, continue across the cemetery and follow the road further uphill. It is only a short walk to the beginning of the vineyards. The sunny hillsides above Weingarten that face south and west are planted with vines and orchards. There are some paved trails that can be walked, which is herewith recommended because of the view over the village and far out into the Upper Rhine Plain with the hills of the Palatinate Forest in the background.

Most local vintners are members of the Winzergenossenschaft (winemakers' association) because their patches of land are too small to do everything on their own. There the grapes from their small vineyards are assembled and processed. Winzergenossenschaft Weingarten is known for good whites of different varieties (give me the white burgundy resp. pinot types any time...) that go well with a meal of, for example, fish or asparagus.

All trails lead through the vineyards first. There, an 'educational path' is marked with signboards that provide some information about grape varieties, a vintner's works, and so on. This information is very brief and basic, though, hence you don't miss much if you don't read German. This trail is nevertheless recommended because of the views. From the hillside you are overlooking the village and the Upper Rhine plain. This should also be a nice place to watch the sunset. On hot summer's days this will be tough, though. Vineyards are always planted on the sunniest and hottest slopes. You'll be better when your reach the forests.

Wine making is a backbreaking job. We easily forget how hard the vintners and their helpers had to work for that fine drop in our glass. Weingarten honours the namesakes of the village with a small monument that is easily overlooked, but touching if you have a closer look at it. The sandstone figure, hard to tell if it is a man or a woman, carries a heavy load of grapes on his (her?) back. Face and posture express how tough it is. The sculpture is located in Durlacher Straße, corner Kirchstraße in the curve uphill (Kirchstraße meets Durlacher Straße twice, it is the southern corner, not the one next to the churches).

Animal and Nature Park

The so-called Tier- und Naturpark is a tiny zoo which is operated by the local bird protector association. It shows mostly domestic animals, like sheep, goats, ducks and chickens, a small herd of fallow deer, and a variety of exotic birds from canaries to parrots.

The herd of fallow deer inhabit a wide paddock. The light brown coat keeps those white dots during all their adult life, unlike other kinds of deer and stags that have them only during their youth. The herd consists of one grown male, six or seven females and some half-grown calves. The boss is keeping watch while the ladies are resting.

This is not a zoo one would travel far for. It is also not the best-kept zoo I have ever seen, although the living conditions of the animals look acceptable. Visitory are mostly local familes with small kids. However, if you are in the village and have children to entertain, it is good to know about this. There is also a cafe/eatery in the bird park.

Entry is free. Sorry can't find anything about opening hours. The part with the bird cages can be closed off but the paddocks of the larger animals seem to be accessible any time. The zoo is located east of the village behind the old cemetery, at the end of the street named Waldbrücke.

The old cemetery of the village has long been given up, only a handful of old graves are still there. The plants of the forest are reconquering the area. This is the „nature“ part of Tier- und Naturpark. Birds of the forest can be observed here. A trail leads through the cemetery grounds and further on to the animal paddocks of the little zoo.

From the entrance gate and the top of the wall you have a pretty view of the village with the two churches and the watchtower on the hill and over the valley to the vineyards of Katzenberg.

Flower Carpets at Corpus Christi

Weingarten has a very active catholic parish community. It has become famous for a tradition on the holiday of Corpus Christi, which is unique in our region. The route of the procession is decorated with flower carpets. The priest who carries the monstrance with the sacred host, and only he, walks on them. Carefully, so the pictures are not damaged.

The carpets are made from flowers, loose petals and leaves by volunteers from the community during the night before the holiday. The pictures are designed by a local artist, there are new ones every year. The delicate works stay in the street as long as they look nice, i.e. not for long. If you want to see them, the afternoon of Corpus Christi is the time to visit.

This is, in fact, not a local tradition although it is becoming one, and even many villagers don't remember any more how young it is and where it came from. The making of flower carpets is popular in Transsylvania and was brought to Weingarten after World War II by Romanian-German refugees who settled down in the village.

Mass begins at 9:30 in the church. After mass the procession is formed, which carries the sacred host around the church and back in; the end of the service happens again inside the church. Afterwards the community are doing the „Churchyard Hock“ with food and drink, benches and tables in the square and a band playing until around 12:30-13:00. The different groups in the parish run the stalls and prepare the food. So if you want a drink or a grilled sausage/burger/Maultaschen or a fresh wafer for cheap prices, stop by, buy a coupon and get what you want - the party is open to everyone.

The Corpus Christi Flower Carpets of 2011

The main picture shows two hands breaking the bread. The inscription refers to the Holy Communion.

A detail: the pattern is made from boxwood and sage leaves, petals, peat.

A picture of the incense holder, created by the children's group.

The procession leads to the main entrance of the church. The last picture in the carpet shows a rainbow, the symbol of God's treaty with Man.

Weingartner Moor Nature Reserve

Weingartner Moor is a swamp landscape in the Rhine plain south of Weingarten. It is actually an old river bed. Until the end of the ice age the rivers Kinzig and Murg ran along here. Since they changed their beds and broke through to the Rhine further south, the former river bed became a swamp.

These wet lowlands are of high ecological value and thus a protected nature reserve. They are a mix of wetland forest, reeds, ponds and streams and home to many endangered specieses of amphibia, birds, insects and plants. Centuries ago large parts of the Rhine plain looked like this.

Visitors can enter the area on foot but on the marked trails only. If you have the chance, join a guided tour that explains the particularities of nature. There are no regular tours but sometimes nature groups in the region organize one. I once had the chance and this was very interesting.
Bring and apply moskito repellent...