Altburg, North Black Forest on Saturday, May 17, 2025
Dear Members and Guests,
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, we invite you to come with us to the Northern Black Forest above Calw. We’ll visit the small town of Altburg that has a few hidden gems to offer, all within easy walking distance, which makes for an interesting and fun afternoon.
The historic Martinskirche (St. Martin’s Church) was officially documented first in 1342; however the Church Tower dates back to around 1200, the nave and choir to 1250-1300. The church was started in late Romanesque style and was later converted to late Gothic style. The historically most valuable artistic items are murals that were restored in the last century, they had been hidden or painted over for centuries.
The rectory dates back to 1784 and was built in baroque style; it was renovated in recent years and belongs to the official cultural heritage of Wuerttemberg. It is a big house with many rooms, as a rectory not only was the home of the pastor’s (usually big) family but also held offices and assembly rooms for the congregation. We are invited by the current pastor to visit the ground floor.
The Bauernhausmuseum (Farmhouse Museum) was built in 1813 and was inhabited by a farmer and his family until 1967. Eventually, in 1989, after extensive renovation, it was opened as the current farmhouse museum. It is a wonderfully authentic example of a stately farmhouse of the 1800s/1900s with features/furnishings of the time. We’ll even be served freshly baked waffles from an 1800s wood-fired stove on a built-in waffle iron.
Adjacent to the Farmhouse Museum, in the old hen house, a fully functional old smithy has been relocated and will be fired up for us. An apprentice of the last owner of the smithy will demonstrate his craftsmanship to us.
Timetable:
13:45 – 14:00 Meet at the Parkplatz behind the Rathaus (town hall) on Speßhardter Straße 1
14:00 – 14:30 Pfarrhaus/Rectory – guided tour of the ground floor
14:30 – 15:15 Church – guided tour
15:15 – 16:15 Bauernhausmuseum (Farmhouse Museum) – guided tour – fresh waffles coffee/tea
16:15 – 17:15 Smithy
17:30 Dinner at Gasthaus Hirsch (Italian food)
Please let us know if you will be joining us for dinner.
Cost: 10 € for members; 20 € for non-members. We ask for upfront payment. After confirmation of your sign-up, we’ll send you the payment information.
Please RSVP soonest, but a the very latest by May12 2025 to:
Christel Baumann: email c.baumann@gac1948.de – or –
Ann Reed: e-mail a.reed@gac1948.de
Best regards,
Upcoming events
Saturday, 21 June Peasant’s War Museum, Böblingen
Saturday, 19 July Schlegler Castle Heimsheim
Saturday, 9 August Blues in Town, Concert, Blues Base Wernau
Sunday, 14 September Wine Wandering – Stuttgart-Degerloch
Saturday, 27 September Cannstatter Volksfest – Grandl’s Tent
Saturday, 11 October Central Fire Station, Bad Cannstatt
Saturday, 15 November Classical Concert, Liederhalle Stuttgart
Saturday, 6 December Christmas Dinner, Alte Kanzlei Restaurant, Stuttgart
Please note: Events and dates subject to change ! If you would like more information on any of these events, or would like to sign up in advance, please talk to any board member. They will put you in contact with the person planning the event.
Directions to Altburg by car:
Depending on the route and construction, it’s a +-60 mins drive of about 55-60 km from Stuttgart-Mitte.
Navigation: Speßhardter Str. 1 (or Spesshardter Str. 1), 75365 Calw-Altburg (Altburg belongs to Calw). That address leads to a small parking lot behind the Rathaus / Town Hall – parking is free.
Further parking can be found along the Speßhardter Straße and the Schwarzwaldhalle (address:
Speßhardter Straße 16, 75365 Calw-Altburg).
Please make sure to always put in the zip code and town in your navi, there are roads with the same name/#. in other nearby towns.
From Speßhardter Straße we will walk together to the Rectory, the Church, the Farmhouse Museum, the Smithy and the Gasthaus (Restaurant) Hirsch. All locations are close by and within easy walking distance. Please see sketch below.
Markings: yellow and P = parking area; P1 = Parking Speßhardter Straße 1; T = Town Hall; H = Gasthaus Hirsch; red circle=church; R = Rectory; F = Farmhouse museum
