Baden-Württemberg has to be one of the most glorious of Germany’s federal states. It’s just that you never know what you’ll find, and in this case, it’s the town of Kirchardt, located within the delightful Kraichgau.
The serene countryside of the Kraichgau isn’t what first caught my attention. It was its history — where Bronze Age man, the Celts, Romans, and even the Allemanni used to call this place home. In fact, it was the village of Berwangen (one of Kirchardt’s three villages) that was once an important stop on the Ancient Romans’ road to the far reaches of its vast empire.
No wonder there used to be a Jupiter Column here… the one you see today is a replica of the original.
Berwangen’s history doesn’t just stop when the Romans picked up and left. Oh no, the village continued to thrive. Plus, it once had a bustling Jewish community from the 17th through 20th centuries. The old Jewish Cemetery is found near the Obere Mühle, or Upper Mill, and the former Jewish school dates back to around 1845.
That’s not too old considering Berwangen’s Evangelical Church is more than two decades older, and the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) is a grand half-timbered building from the 1780s.
I can actually tell you that Kirchardt has even older half-timbered houses (one all the way back from 1578), and its Evangelical Church of St. Giles has been tending to the spiritual needs of the community since 1496. Whooo, that’s a whole lotta sermons. ;-)
Inasmuch as Kirchardt is proud of its past, it is just as proud of its modernity. Today you’re able to do everything from hike along its Forest Trail (an easy 3.5 km), grill some brats at its BBQ areas, or party the day and night away at either the DorfFest (Village Festival, last weekend of June), or its popular Silvesterparty on New Years Eve.
You’re also more than welcome to join in all the fun at the Kerwe (October), the Schlachtfest (November), or the Advent Bazaar (also in November), or shop for delicious wine at the Glühweinstand in December. Sounds like a good time to me.
Now do you see why I think Baden Württemberg, and Kirchardt, are just glorious?
