Sinsheim is an old, old town. This region in the Kraichgau was first inhabited in 700,000 B.C. and was the site of a significant archaeological find, the fossil Homo Heidelbergensis.
This was a popular place in ancient times, the Romans called Sinsheim home from 90 A.D. to 260 A.D. and the Franks founded the first true city here in 550 A.D. In fact, Sinsheim has had official “city privileges” since 1192, granted by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV.
The Steinberg Castle will allow you to experience some of Sinsheim’s past. This large fortress is visible from most of the surrounding areas, giving it its nickname of “the compass on the Kraichgau [hills].”
This superb location provides some of the best views of the region. On a clear day, it’s possible to see the Königstuhl (or “King’s Chair”) mountain peak, the Katzenbuckel nature reserve and the Palatine Forest mountain range.
More history is waiting for you at one of the town landmarks, the Michaelsberg monastery tower from 1100. Only bits of it remain today, as it was destroyed by revolting peasants during the Protestant Reformation. It was rebuilt, largely with the massive fines placed upon the insurgents who had razed it in the first place.
The reconstruction saw the creation of a singular round dome. However, the monastery was not safe from the ravages of war and time. Since its first rebuilding, it has been obliterated time and time again, sometimes by hostile invaders, other times by scavenging citizens in need of stone.
Sinsheim has been more kind to its modern buildings. The Automotive and Technical Museum is the star attraction these days. Guests can view over three-thousand exhibits, which include over three-hundred classic cars, sixty aircraft, two-hundred motorcycles, forty sports cars and the largest permanent collection of Formula One racing cars in Europe.
See, you can easily spend a full day here, with a full service restaurant and even a hotel on the grounds. :-)
