The question is not what is there to see in Schifferstadt, but what will you see first?
It seems that at every turn, at the end of every street, there’s something to delight and surprise you. In other words, Schifferstadt is a beautiful town for everyone to enjoy.
There are small chapels scattered throughout the town, like the tiny Lorenz Chapel at the corner of Baker Lane 1 and Small Chapel Road, dating all the way back to the year 1428. Or, the Maria Peace Chapel (Maria-Frieden-Kapelle), though over 500 years younger than the Lorenz it’s still a tranquil oasis dedicated to faithful, fitting into the natural landscape.
On a more grand scale, the St Jacobus Church dates from 1101, the tower from the early 12th century, but much of what you see today dates from the 1800s. No matter what century it’s from, it really shouldn’t be missed!
The local town hall is a snapshot in time from 1558 when it rebuilt after being destroyed in 1552, as well as the half-timbered houses from the 1700s. What better a way to learn about local history than the Local History Museum, a former Bierbrauerei (yes, that’s a beer brewery) from 1715.
In 1835, a Bronze Age headdress made of gold from approximately 1300 B.C. was found here. It’s now known as the Golden Hat of Schifferstadt and is housed in the History Museum of Speyer. The town has even erected a stone plaque in honor of the Schifferstadt Synagogue that was completely ruined on Kristallnacht in November 1938.
If you still have energy after all the sightseeing, there are about 83 km of walking and biking trails around the forest in the south (with 18 km of sign posted horse riding trails).
If you’re not all that motivated, then a stroll along the Schillerplatz, the town square and market or the Bird Park, home to plenty of native species, will make it. The town even holds a four day radish festival, the Rettichfest, every summer since 1936; plus six more festivals throughout the year.
