Village splendour in the west of Schweinfurt

If you need technical assistance, you can head for these repair stations along the route:

- Bike shop Speed-Max, Am Marktplatz 6, 97440 Werneck, Tel. 09722 940593
- Bicycle shop Martin Kirchner, Einsteinstraße 7, 97440 Werneck, Tel. 09722 940930

There are 40 bicycle parking spaces in the immediate vicinity of the station.

The tour starts at Waigolshausen station. You cycle along Bahnhofstraße on the right and then turn left into Hauptstraße.

On the cycle path in the direction of Werneck, enjoy the view over the open countryside. After only one kilometre, the castle park begins on the left, which you partly cycle around and through to reach the main entrance of Werneck Castle.

The large baroque palace in the small town of Werneck is a jewel among southern German palaces and is considered Balthasar Neumann's most mature secular building. It stands in a large park, originally also Baroque, which was later transformed into an English garden.

More than 800 years ago, there was already a castle on this site, which, like many other castles, was devastated in 1525 during the German Peasants' War and burnt down almost 30 years later. Rebuilt half a century later, it burned down again in 1723.

Finally, in 1733, Balthasar Neumann, commissioned by Prince-Bishop Friedrich Karl von Schönborn, began construction work on the magnificent summer residence, which still impresses with its balanced design today.

In the mid-19th century, the "little sister of the Würzburg Residence", as it is popularly known, is converted into one of the first psychiatric hospitals in Germany. Its director Bernhard von Gudden later writes one of the psychiatric reports on the basis of which Ludwig II is deposed as King of Bavaria. Both drown in mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg.

To this day, the castle serves as a hospital, including one of the largest specialist orthopaedic clinics in Germany. The castle chapel, also designed by Neumann, and the castle park are open for visits.

Attached to the hospital is the Café and Bistro Balthasar, which serves coffee and cake as well as hearty snacks.

Follow the Würzburger Straße and the Wernradweg westwards onto the Rudolf-Diesel-Straße and out of the town. Soon the tour takes you to the left and along the idyllic Wern to Zeuzleben. Here, turn right along Nepomukstraße to the market square with the parish church of St. Bartholomew.

The parish church of St. Bartholomew combines two epochs and architectural styles. The tower from the late 13th century served as a defence during attacks. Later it was raised and in the years 1600 to 1602 it was given the pointed tower typical of many Franconian churches. From the outside, the tower looks three-storeyed, but inside it has five storeys.
In 1753, the church was given its present appearance. For this, the very small nave was replaced by a new building of nave and choir. The plans for this were provided by the office of the famous architect Balthasar Neumann. The church was consecrated in 1755.

Before you leave Zeuzleben, take a quick look at the wayside shrine on the village square, which is so typical of the area. It is a cast of the oldest wayside shrine in the district of Schweinfurt, dating from 1536. The next stage will take you past numerous houses in typical Franconian style, half-timbered houses and old farm gates made of locally quarried sandstone.

But now let's get going! You follow the road Oberes Tor on the left and Stängersgraben on the right to Schraudenbach. The building plans for the church of St. Jakobus in Gambachstraße, built in 1752, were also submitted to the office of master builder Balthasar Neumann at the time.

Via Stettbacher Straße, the Kirschental and along the Lachgraben, the path leads you to Vasbühl under the motorway to Brebersdorf and behind the village the second time under the motorway to Kaisten. You cross the village and ride through open fields to the Teueregraben. On the other side of the ditch, you continue along the edge of the forest and through fields to your next stopover in Schwemmelsbach.

The baroque church of St. Cyriakus cannot be overlooked. With its volute gable, it towers over the pretty Franconian village of Schwemmelsbach. The foundation stone for this church was laid in 1738. The old church had to be demolished for the new building, only the typical Franconian Echter tower remained. A three-axis nave with a choir in the east was built. Plans by Balthasar Neumann for a church in Greßthal, which could not be built there due to the geographical conditions, served as a model for this building.

You follow the main road and the cycle path along the main road 303 via Rütschenhausen to the Franconian Passion Play town of Sömmersdorf, which is known far beyond the region. Here you will find the most modern open-air stage in Europe. Continue on to Euerbach. From the entrance to the town about 400 m along the main road, you will find your last destination on this architectural voyage of discovery in Kirchgasse.

Only a few steps from the fortified church complex with the Lutheran church of St. Cosmas and Damian stands the Roman Catholic church of St. Michael in Euerbach. It was built between 1738 and 1746 after the joint use of St. Cosmas and Damian as a simultaneous church had repeatedly led to disputes. The architect Balthasar Neumann was commissioned to plan the new church. The church is furnished in the rococo style. The organ by the court organ maker of Würzburg, Johann Philipp Seuffert, dates from 1761.

Cross Euerbach on the main road and turn left into Kronunger Weg, which leads you north out of the village through the fields. After 800 m, turn right onto a dirt road that leads under the motorway to Oberwerrn. Behind the railway bridge, turn left to Oberwerrn railway station.