Legendary Middle Ages in Dettelbach

Dettelbach's railway station is not in the village. You set off from here in an easterly direction before turning north after 300 metres and hiking into the rolling hills of Effeldorf. Once again, head east until you turn left at the outskirts of Bibergau. At Effeldorfer Straße, which soon becomes Ritterstraße, turn right and you will find Bibergau moated castle on your left.

The foundation of the cluster village of Bibergau dates back to the Franconian country house building period in the 8th and 9th centuries. With its 610 inhabitants, it is the largest district of Dettelbach. Its silhouette is dominated by the towers of the two most important buildings in the village: the parish church of St. Simon and Judas and the moated castle.

The castle of Bibergau is a former noble residence. Unlike most other castles in Franconia, the history of the castle does not go back to the Middle Ages. A predecessor building was erected in the second half of the 16th century. Of the originally probably larger complex of the former moated castle, the square tower in the southwest and elements of the residential building have been preserved, as well as part of the moat in the east.

In the same century, the Fuchs von Bimbach family became owners of the complex and erected the present Renaissance buildings. From 1613 until the 20th century, the castle then belonged to the Lords of Seckenheim and Reinhard von Mauchenheim called Bechtolsheim.

Today the castle is in private hands. The upper floors are inhabited, and cultural and gastronomic events take place in the basement.

Continue along Ritterstraße until you reach the parish church of St. Simon and Judas. It is worth taking a look inside. It contains a graceful rococo interior and a unique wayside shrine.

Here you turn left into Lindenstraße, which you follow out of the village. Now follow the Bibergauer Mühlbach stream until you turn left on the other side of a crossing stream to continue your hike from now on amidst vineyards.

At the "Winzerhof Kieselsmühle" (Schweinfurter Str. 30, 97337 Dettelbach, Tel. 09324 33 88) you have the opportunity to taste wine. Then continue to the romantic town of Dettelbach with its winding alleys and colourful half-timbered houses.

The old town of Dettelbach is still surrounded by a town wall with towers, gates and remains of moats. It dates from the turn of the 16th century. At that time, the town was granted town and market rights by Emperor Frederick III.

The first armed conflict took place in the German Peasants' War in 1525, but during the Thirty Years' War it was no longer able to withstand modern artillery and in 1631 the population opened its town to the Protestant Swedes without a fight.

The appearance of the castle changed constantly in the following centuries. For example, many small wall additions and some of the once 52 towers disappeared. In 1872, three of the five medieval gates were demolished because they hindered the increasing traffic of carts. In the following decade, a circular park was created in the south for the local population.

Finally, in the 20th century, the spirit of the times changed. The value of the circular wall as a monument was recognised. Today it still closes around almost the entire Dettelbach old town. Particularly many of the 30 or so remaining towers can be seen along the eastern city wall between the former Neutor and the Faltertor, the more important of the two surviving gates.

A typical example of the development of the wall towers is the so-called Rössnerturm at the Östliche Stadtmauer 3. The defence tower became a residential building in the 19th century by adding a half-timbered extension. The so-called Mainstockheimer Turm at Stadtgraben 6 is considered the oldest surviving remnant of the town fortifications and is said to date back to the middle of the 15th century. The men's tower was the town prison until the 19th century. Today, together with the Faltertor, it is a popular photo motif.

You leave the medieval old town via Würzburgerstrasse and Kolpingstrasse. This is where the Dettelbach Legend and Myth Trail begins.

Dettelbach is many centuries old. Naturally, people have told each other one or two old legends over time. The Legends and Myths Trail leads for about two kilometres through the vineyards and the Dettelbach meadows. On twelve panels, hikers not only learn exciting myths about Dettelbach, but also interesting facts about the geology of the Main River, the development of agriculture and viticulture in the region.

On the way is also the Seven-Headed Charter - a boundary stone between the lands of the former authorities Diocese of Würzburg and Münsterschwarzach Abbey. The 8.5-metre-high Sacred Heart Monument on the hill of the same name was erected in 1900 by the citizens of Dettelbach in the hope that the new century would be a blessed one. From here, the view extends over the vineyards, onto the Main River and as far as the Steigerwald and the Schwanberg. The Münsterschwarzach monastery, six kilometres to the east, can also be seen from here.

From the twelfth board of the Legends and Myths Trail, take a few steps back to board 11 and here walk straight ahead towards your next destination: the Josefshöhe. To do this, hike down once and then up a small incline again. It is worth it. By the way, you are now back on the Dettelbach DreamRound. For the last time, you will learn something about the Dettelbach legends.

The Joseph Temple was built in 1892 by the winery owner Johann Knauer and is today also the logo of the winery. The temple in the Mainstockheim mountains is a stepped structure with the figure of St. Joseph with child. From under the romantic canopy, there is a magnificent view of the Dettelbach Mainschleife and the Steigerwald.

Now you have had your fill of the beautiful Main valley. For a while you will be accompanied by the vineyards and the TraumRunde Dettelbach, which you will leave to the left at the highest point of your tour today at 284 metres. From now on, you will stay at this altitude and hike through fields in a westerly direction.

After a short stretch along the state road, follow the Mühlgraben from the outskirts of Bibergau back to the station.