First impressions, for the most part, are usually correct. Not this time, my friends. It took a second look at the town of Kleinwallstadt for me to fully appreciate this Lower Franconian town.
I thought being only 15 square kilometers it couldn’t possibly have much to offer me. I’ll be honest, it doesn’t have a whole lot in terms of having a multitude of castles or more sporting activities you can shake a stick at, or a whole bunch of village churches like you find around some other towns.
What it does have, are little lanes and streets of half-timbered houses like the ones on Eichelsbacher Straße in its village of Hofstetten. Some of them are from the 17th century, so that’s how long they’ve been here. Also on Eichelsbacher Straße is the Pfarrkirche St. Michael, a Lutheran church whose tower is its oldest part — from 1473, if you’re curious.
If you follow Eichelsbacher Straße a bit further, you’ll find an old cemetery with a gatehouse that was built in the 1400s.
In Kleinwallstadt itself, you’ll find parts of the city’s original defense wall (from the 15th century) along Fährstraße; and on Hauptstraße there are even more half-timbered houses. Keep a look out for the Gasthaus zum Hasen, one of those framework gems that was built in the 16th century.
Also in Kleinwallstadt is the Church of Sts. Peter & Paul, a Catholic church with some 400 years of art and architecture. If you find yourself on Obere Straße, that round tower you’re looking at is a 15th century battlement (not to be confused with the 16th century Doppeltor). Don’t forget to take pictures of Kleinwallstadt’s Rathaus (Town Hall), an architectural beauty that was built in 1773.
As for the village of Hausen (a hamlet of just 8 square kilometers), look for the Muttersgotteskapelle (built 1754), the Old Church of St. Michael (built 1851), and a tiny 20th century chapel.
As you can see, it isn’t right to judge a book by its cover. Or, in this case, to judge a town by what it doesn’t have — because then you’ll never know what it does have.
