Altensteig - Tubingen - Bebenhausen Kloster and Palace

Route: Stuttgart - Altensteig - Tubingen - Bebenhausen Kloster and Palace - Stuttgart
Duration: 9 h
Firstly we will visit to the Altensteiger Castle's towers high above the old town, and its impressive residential tower is the only castle in the Black Forest that has not been destroyed . The "old castle" in its present basic form was built as a fortification from around 1230 onwards. The flank towers "Heaven" and "Hell" and the late Romanesque shield wall testify to this. The bailiffs of the Count Palatine of Tübingen and a branch of the Hohenbergers resided here. After the castle and estate were sold to the Margraves of Baden at the end of the 14th century, the ensemble was the seat of the Baden bailiffs, who inscribed their names on an arched window in the knight's hall. In 1604 Altensteig came from Baden to Württemberg through an area swap. And around 1610 the new rulers commissioned the “New Castle”. Today the old castle houses a local museum with a permanent exhibition on the history of the region. Typical Black Forest professions such as raftsmen, tanners and silversmiths are shown. Altensteig was once an important center for leather production and leather processing. Next we will visit to Tubingen which is the famous university town and cultural center is one of the most beautiful areas of the southern Germany. The city is famous for numerous historic buildings, churches, castles and palaces. Wilhelmstrasse Street is considered the central street of the Old Town. Here you can see beautiful old buildings, the university library and a large botanical garden or Castle Hohentubingen.  Near the building of the university is located St. George Church, around which are installed beautiful monuments depicting nobles and princes. The old Market Square is the surrounded by beautiful half-timbered houses. The Neptune Fountaine is considered its main decoration. In the immediate vicinity of the square, you'll find a lot of significant historic buildings. Here is a 15-th century building of the Town Hall with an old astronomical clock. Nearby, is the amazing Kornhaus building - one of the most unusual architectural masterpieces of Tübingen. Once the building was used as a granary. Nowadays, it houses an attractive historical museum.  The Neckarbrücke Bridge also is one of the favourite places to stroll around. It opens a breathtaking view of the colorful historic houses.Next we will visit to an extraordinary ensemble in an idyllic setting Bebenhausen Monastery and Palace. The Medieval monastery complex of Bebenhausen is nestled in the gently rolling hills of the Schönbuch nature reserve. Some of its buildings were converted into a royal hunting palace in the 19th century. Bebenhausen Monastery is one of the best-preserved Cistercian abbeys in southern Germany , founded between 1180 and 1183 by Rudolf, Count Palatine of Tübingen. The abbey was taken over by Cistercians a few years later – and promptly developed into one of the wealthiest monasteries in the region. After the Reformation swept through in 1534, and a boarding school was established in 1560, the number of monks dwindled, until the monastery was finally dissolved in 1648.  From 1868, parts of the monastery complex were converted into a royal hunting palace, which became a favourite venue for the monarchs and their entourages. During the visit you will know about lives of the monks and schoolboys,  lavish royal hunting parties and give insights into the buildings’ architectural features. You will see the Bebenhausen Monastery (Kloster Bebenhausen), the church, main monastery building, abbot’s residence, guesthouse and infirmary, the famous Sommerrefektorium (summer refectory), Bebenhausen Palace (Schloss Bebenhausen) where the 19th century interiors, inspired by the Gothic and Renaissance styles, make Bebenhausen an important architectural heritage site. But the Grüne Saal (green room) has a distinct Art Nouveau character. The royal kitchen and bathroom dating from 1915, is unusually well preserved. The kitchen also represented the height of modernity when it was installed in 1915 – and still works today. After we return to Stuttgart.
Price: per person