Gundelsheim am Neckar — Welcome To Dracula’s Transylvania

Welcome to Gundelsheim am Neckar, a place of history and culture of Transylvannia. Yeah, like Dracula’s Transylvania.

Uhh, you mean we’re not in Baden-Württemberg? Did someone take a wrong turn somewhere on the map?

Ha, just messing around—of course you’re in Baden-Württemberg. But, I’m not kidding when I tell you that you’ll find history about the land of Vlad the Impaler here.

A few hundred years ago there was a huge German population in Transylvania, now part of modern-day Romania. This history is highlighted in the Castle Horneck, which is where you’ll find the Transylvania Museum. No vampires, I promise.

Castle Horneck is an interesting piece of German history in itself. Built sometime in the 12th century, it came to be owned by the Teutonic Knights around 1420, and was destroyed during the Peasant’s War in 1525. It was rebuilt a few years later, only to be looted during the 17th century Thirty Years’ War.

Forget history for a minute, its ceiling frescoes are absolutely beautiful.

OK, we’re back on the history thing again because Gundelsheim’s St. Nicholas Church also belonged to the Teutonic Knights (it was their hospital church), as did the Pharmacy.

Close to the Pharmacy (built 16th century) is Gundelsheim’s Rathaus. Look around from here, you’ll find all sorts of half-timbered houses. Aren’t they great?

Want to stay in one? Try the Gasthaus zum Lamm, a half-timbered guesthouse built in 1607. Oh, it’s so pretty and historic.

Sure is a lot of history in one place, isn’t it? Might be why Gundelsheim holds an Altstadt (Old Town) Festival every year.

There’s more to it than that, ya know. Gundelsheim sits on the Neckar River, just along the Odenwald—so you’ve got it made if you’re looking to do some hiking. With every step think about how the Celts, Romans, and Alemannic people walked the same trails.

Leave it to me to find the history in an outdoor activity. I’m just glad I’m still in Germany’s Transylvania; the real one’s got vampires (or so I’ve heard). ;-)

 

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