Witches and pilgrimage in Franconia: A tour through Zeil am Main

With its numerous half-timbered houses, Zeil am Main invites visitors on a journey through the centuries. Situated directly on the Main cycle path and harmoniously embedded in the gentle Franconian landscape, Zeil offers an incomparable picture of medieval architecture with its historic market square, narrow alleyways, enchanting corners and the well-preserved remains of the town fortifications. In culinary terms, the town defines itself at the interface of wine and beer Franconia, where both beverages have been produced and served with dedication for generations. However, Zeil am Main is not only characterised by its wine and beer tradition, but also by a dark chapter in its history. The "Zeiler Hexenturm" documentation centre revisits the tragic history of the witch hunts and makes it accessible to visitors at the original site.

We start our tour of Zeil am Main at the railway station. The path leads us along Bahnhofstraße directly into Bamberger Straße. We follow this to the west as it turns into Hauptstraße and finally merges into Obere Torstraße at the market square. After around 600 metres, we reach our first important destination: the Hexenturm, also known as the Zeiler Stadtturm.

The documentation centre in the Zeiler Hexenturm

Built in the first half of the 15th century as part of the town wall, the town tower also served as a dungeon during the witch hunts. Its current appearance is characterised by the characteristic slate-covered baroque onion dome and octagonal "lantern", which was added in 1725. The tower served as a watchtower until the end of the 19th century. Today, you can visit the documentation centre to see the former tower tower room and enjoy a sweeping view of the Main valley from there.

With its documentation centre, the town tower is one of the most moving places in Zeil am Main. In the 17th century, during the time of the witch hunts, Zeil served as a place of execution for the Bamberg prince-bishopric and became the scene of tragic witch burnings. Over 400 people who were branded as "witches" were executed here. The documentation centre in the original location of the town tower and the adjoining Fronhaus provides an insight into this dark era. Numerous documents, such as the diary of Johann Langhans, who was himself a victim of the persecutions, as well as letters and records of the interrogations and torture, give visitors an insight into the complex topic of witch hunts.

The most beautiful side of Zeil

Our tour now takes us back to the market square we already know, located around 100 metres east of the witch tower. This place, affectionately known as the town's "parlour", is one of the most beautiful market squares in Franconia. The centrepiece of the square is the impressive, late Gothic town hall with the year 1540 on the gable. The substructure of the town hall even dates back to the 14th century. In one corner of the town hall we find the pillory and the Bamberg Elle, historical evidence of jurisdiction and trade.

From the market square, we take Speiersgasse, which leads to the north-east. This lane is lined with numerous half-timbered houses and leads us to the "Alte Freyung", now known as the Göller brewery. At the end of Speiersgasse, we cross the Krumbach and turn into Kapellenbergstraße. Right at the beginning of the road, we follow a small staircase on the right-hand side, where the footpath up to the pilgrimage destination "Zeiler Käppele" begins.

Views of the Main valley

The small mountain chapel was built in 1727 as a Maria Hilf chapel and remodelled in 1897 into the current chapel as a Marian shrine with a Lourdes chapel. The "Zeiler Käppele" not only attracts pilgrims and spiritual seekers, but also offers a breathtaking panoramic view. From here, you can look out over Zeil am Main and the gentle Main valley all the way to the Steigerwald forest. To the north, the view opens up to the Rhön, to the east from the Feldaltar even as far as Bamberg and the Franconian Jura, a nature park that invites you to hike, climb and relax with its impressive rock formations, over 1,000 caves and unique flora and fauna.

For those who want to hike further, the surrounding area offers other destinations worth seeing. To the south-east of the Kapellenberg lies Schmachtenberg with the valley castle and the ruins of Schmachtenberg Castle towering above it. This large castle complex, hidden in the forest, with partially preserved tower and wall remains, tells of the power and influence of times gone by.

Culinary break in a historic setting

After our visit to the "Zeiler Käppele", we now return to the heart of Zeil am Main. The corner of Speiersgasse, which we walked along earlier, and Judengasse is the perfect place to take a short breather. The traditional Göller brewery pub "Zur Alten Freyung" is located here .

The Göller "Zur Alten Freyung" brewery is one of the oldest breweries in Bavaria and has an impressive history dating back over 500 years. In the Middle Ages, the brewing and dispensing rights were granted directly by the Archbishopric of Bamberg. No secular judge had the right to exercise his office there.

The brewery pub not only offers a cosy atmosphere, but also a varied menu with home-made sandwiches from its own slaughterhouse, home-baked cakes and tarts as well as typical Franconian dishes such as Schäufele and pork knuckle. The menu also includes vegetarian and vegan options such as a vegan vegetable dish or the popular plucked cheese, not forgetting the home-brewed beer. The beer garden invites you to linger in the warmer months.

After an eventful exploration tour through Zeil am Main, we now make our way back to the railway station. We walk southwards along Judengasse, past the historical remains of the old town wall. At Lange Gasse, we turn east and follow the route along Friedhofstraße. At the Golgotha Chapel, we turn south and return to Bamberger Straße. This street leads us straight back to Bahnhofstraße and thus to the starting point of our tour.

While we enjoy our train journey home, we reflect on the impressions we have gained. From the dark chapters of the witch hunts and the magnificent architecture of the market square to the spiritual heights of the Zeiler Käppel and the culinary delights of the local art of brewing - Zeil am Main has impressed us in many ways.