Easy hikes and walks around Kieselbronn

From "Bench to Bench" 👍❗️

A somewhat secluded fountain in a hedge along a country lane with a wooden sculpture and a framed spring.

Transformer station at the edge of town, decorated with attractive graffiti.

The bakery in the lower village is leased to the Kieselbronn Country Women's Association. The association aims to maintain and revive the tradition of regular communal baking in the bakery and regularly offers "open baking" events.

Built in the 13th century, St. Stephen's Church in Kieselbronn is surrounded by a double ring wall, revealing a part of its history at first glance. As a fortified church, it served as a refuge for parishioners and a storage place for valuables during times of war. The chancel tower with its arrow slits and the building's thick walls bear witness to this function. The "Gaden," a wooden story above the nave whose chambers served as storerooms, is also a typical feature of a fortified church. However, the Kieselbronn church's Gaden was dismantled during renovations at the end of the 18th century. At its entrance, the church is guarded by a massive figure of the Archangel Michael, holding a large sword.

The Kieselbronn Gaiß, which refers to the nickname of the Kieselbronn residents, namely "Gaißeschenner" (=goat-slayers). According to the story, fodder for the cattle was scarce at the time. A clever farmer spotted a last patch of greenery on the roof of the church tower. He wanted to give this greenery to his starving goat (Gaiß). He placed a rope around its neck and pulled it up the church tower. Halfway up, the farmer exulted: "How greedily it sticks out its tongue!" Unfortunately, the story didn't have a happy ending...

The municipality of Kieselbronn provided a municipal plot of land in the "Steinacker" area free of charge to promote the cultural landscape of local orchards. Employees of the municipal building yard and members of the local fruit and gardening association planted approximately 40 standard fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry, plum, and service tree) on the property in the spring of 1994. Local varieties from the Enzkreis district were then grafted onto these standard trees. Apple varieties whose names already reveal their origin in the district, such as "Renette von Serres" and "Wimsheimer Sämling," find their place here. Rare cider pears, such as "Bäumlesbirne" and "Palmischbirne," are also preserved in the museum. From the Kirschengäu region, there are the sweet cherry varieties "Bockschellen," "Mödinger," and "Lauermänner." Naturally, the "Ersinger Frühzwetschge," now widespread throughout Europe, was also added to the collection. To date, almost 50 fruit varieties, some of them very rare, have been grafted onto the mother trees. Among them are about 25 varieties that are found primarily only in the Enz district, and sometimes only in one or a few districts.

The field name "Schlössle" (little castle) in the Kieselbronn district already hints at the remains of old buildings that might lie hidden in the ground. Indeed, the remains of what appears to be a very extensive Roman estate have been found here, of which only a small portion has been uncovered through excavations. In 1958 and 1959, two buildings were investigated through excavations. The building now lying beneath a group of bushes in the field (No. 1 on the map) was likely the main residence of the estate, where the owner himself lived. Several rooms with underfloor heating, a built-in bathtub, and remnants of multicolored plaster on the interior walls attest to a certain degree of luxury enjoyed by the estate owner. Externally, the house resembled the main buildings of other estates in the Pforzheim area. It had a prominent, south-facing facade that satisfied the owner's need for representation.