Schwabsoien: Blacksmithing, Carriages and the Mill Trail
Accommodation in Schwabsoien
Schwabsoien combines a history of craftsmanship with ecclesiastical heritage and a landscape shaped by water. The Hammerschmiede Museum offers a good starting point; the Soier Mill Trail connects culture and nature. The area is also home to historic carriages and sledges, as well as the Schönach, which flows through the village. These themes lead from local history along regional trails to the Schönach’s source area west of Schwabsoien.
File:Schwabsoien WM Kirche St Stephan.jpg
Photo: Thomas Springer via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Blacksmithing, Church and Carriages
The Hammerschmiede Museum in Schwabsoien houses a faithfully reconstructed hammer mill. A waterwheel drives three heavy tail hammers via a large shaft. Historic tools are also on display. The white hammer or weapons forge can be traced back to 1806. The hammer mill’s technical equipment thus meets a historical connection reaching far back in time.
Today’s parish church of St. Stephen marks a different point in time. The previous church was destroyed in the village fire on September 6, 1823; the present church was consecrated on August 5, 1827. The two dates mark destruction and consecration, placing the present church within the history of the village.
The carriage museum displays more than 30 historic carriages and sledges. Its collection therefore differs in theme from the water-powered hammer mill: here, historic vehicles take centre stage. The carriages and sledges are still harnessed on various occasions. The collection thus connects its historic objects with their continued use at such events.
The Mill Trail and a Regional Cycling Loop
The Soier Mill Trail is an experience trail that connects culture and nature. Groups can take part in guided tours of the Mill Trail and museums throughout the year by registering with the municipality in advance. If you are planning such a tour, arrange your registration with the municipality before your trip.
The nearly 125-kilometre-long auerbergland@venture route offers another perspective. This cycling loop through the Auerbergland connects the Hammerschmiede Museum and the Mill Trail in Schwabsoien with other museums, sacred buildings and experience trails in the region, among other attractions. The route thus leads beyond Schwabsoien’s stops to a variety of cultural and landscape highlights in the Auerbergland.
The Schönach, Springs and Traces of Earlier Land Use
The Schönach flows through Schwabsoien, Schwabbruck, Altenstadt, Schwabniederhofen and Hohenfurch before emptying into the Lech. Charcoal platforms from earlier charcoal burning have also been preserved in the forest and in fields near the forest edge around Schwabsoien. They are up to 15 metres in diameter and add traces of the landscape’s earlier use to the picture.
Seven springs lie in the Schönach’s source area west of Schwabsoien. They discharge around 350 to 400 litres of water per second at a constant 8°C. The springs are part of the source area, while the Schönach continues as a river through several villages before reaching the Lech. The springs and the course of the river thus describe different sections of the same water system.
Discover more destinations: Hohenfurch, Ingenried.
For the main travel overview: Altenstadt.
