The German clock route is a holiday route, it was opened in 1992 and runs 320 km through the Black Forest and Baar. In the villages and towns along your route you can learn a lot about the history of clocks, but also about the technical development of timekeeping, about life in the region then and now.
background
The history of Black Forest clocks begins in the 17th century. At first they were made as simple, unadorned timepieces by honest craftsmen who were able to earn a modest additional income in this way. In the course of time, wooden components were replaced by products made of metal, and clocks became more precise and complex. In addition to the initially typical clocks with lacquer shield and striking mechanism, there was the cuckoo clock from around 1850, later a large number of industrial companies were established that produced a wide range of clocks of various types.
Information on the clock road can be obtained from Working group on the German Clock Route, Erzbergerstraße 20, Schwenningen train station, 78054 Villingen-Schwenningen. Tel.: (0)7720 82-1209. Open: weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
getting there
It is advisable to split the Uhrenstraße into suitable stages and to look for a starting point that is easily accessible with the chosen means of transport. The following is based on the vehicle as a means of transport. A bike tour is possible, but quite arduous due to the sometimes large differences in altitude.
route
The entry point can be selected at will. Villingen-Schwenningen is very well suited for this, as the city is easily accessible both by car and by train.
From Villingen-Schwenningen to Waldkirch (114 km)
- 1 Villingen-Schwenningen: In the Schwenningen district: Clock Industry Museum, the local history and clock museum Schwenningen. The City-Rondell shopping center was formerly the building of the Mauthe watch factory, 15 large clocks still bear witness to this today. In Villingen, the Franciscan Museum has a watchmaker's workshop and numerous watch signs
- The route leads on the L173 via Unterkirnach to Vöhrenbach (20 km)
- 2 Voehrenbach: In the small town in the upper Bregtal it says Watchmaker's house, also worth seeing the Linach dam
- The L172 takes you to Eisenbach (15 km)
- 3 Eisenbach: The Wolfwinkelhalle home parlor houses a collection of over 100 clocks as well as minerals from all over the world. The Hotel bathroom is known as an archery hotel, in its dining room is a world clock from 1865.
- Continue on the L172 to Neustadt (6 km)
- 4 Titisee-Neustadt: Among other things, there is a watchmaking town in the Neustadt home parlor. The company also manufactures here Honeys Cuckoo clocks.
- The L156 leads to the neighboring Lenzkirch. (10 km)
- On the B315 and then on the B317 to Titisee, then on the L156 to Hölzlebrück, on the L128 through the Oberjostal. On the B500 west to the Thurner, again on the L128 to St. Märgen and finally on the L127 to St. Peter. (25 km)
- 6 St. Märgen: Former Augustinian canons monastery with Black Forest clock collection in the Monastery museum. There are also exhibits on trade routes for clocks and the fate of Black Forest clock dealers in the distance.
- 7 St. Peter: Former Benedictine monastery with prince's hall, rococo library and baroque parish church of St. Peter with an organ clock.
- On the L112 down the Glottertal to the Rhine plain near Denzlingen, then on the B294 to Waldkirch (28 km)
From Waldkirch to Schramberg
- 8 Waldkirch: In the Elztal Museum there are numerous barrel organs and jukeboxes that were made here in the 19th century. In addition to the historic old town, the Gemstone cutting winter coat and des Silver mine in the Suggental.
- On the B294 to Gutach, then on the L173 to Simonswald (18 km)
- 9 Simonswald: The historic water-powered Oil mill and the Local history museum Jockelehof show the life of previous generations. Also worth seeing are those that can be reached on foot Zweribach waterfalls.
- Continue on the L173 to Gütenbach (10 km)
- 10 Guttenbach: Cuckoo clocks and music boxes in the Village museum, the sawmill in Hintertal and the Miniature worlds the Model construction company Faller. A specialty is that Balzer Lord God, a figure of Christ grown into a trunk.
- On the L173 and then on the B500 to Furtwangen (4 km)
- 11 Furtwangen: The Watch museum not only shows Black Forest clocks, the exhibits range from ancient timepieces over the entire range of mechanical clocks to quartz-powered precision clocks and atomic clocks. That too Computer Museum A visit to the university is worthwhile
- On the B500 to Schönwald (12 km)
- 12 Schönwald: Allegedly the cuckoo clock was invented here. Also worth seeing are the ski jumps and that Rohrhardsberg nature reserve.
- Continue on the B500, then on the K5751 to Schonach (15 km)
- 13 Schonach: At the center of the Black Forest clock industry are two oversized cuckoo clocks, the first one was made by Josef Dold manufactured and is in Untertalstrasse, the second, somewhat larger one, is in Eble watch park in neighboring Triberg. Also worth seeing Home parlor in the guest's house with a large mechanical Christmas crib. Ski fans are more interested in them Langenwaldschanze.
- On the L109 to Triberg (4 km)
- 14 Triberg: The Black Forest Museum In addition to a large collection of lacquer clocks, music boxes and cuckoo clocks, it also has typical instruments such as barrel organ and orchestrion, you can find Black Forest costumes, professions such as watchmaker and straw weaver are presented, other departments are mining, carnival and winter sports. Not to forget the carved one Town Hall Hall, but above all the highest waterfalls in Germany.
- On the B33 to Hornberg (10 km)
- 15 Hornberg: It cannot be overlooked Watch game with 21 moving figures in Hornberg-Niederwasser, not even the viaduct of the Black Forest Railway. For nature lovers this is Black Forest mushroom teaching show a popular place to go.
- On the L108 to Lauterbach (13 km)
- 16 Lauterbach: Sights in the climatic health resort include the grandfather clock in the former town hall, the Fool's well and the Mooswaldmühle.
- Continue on the L108 to Schramberg (10 km)
Schramberg - Villingen-Schwenningen
- 17 Schramberg: The world of cars and watches with the Steim car collection, the Diesel Museum and the car and clock museum Inventor times are in the industrial park of the former H.A.U. The history of clocks, castles, straw weaving and earthenware are themes of the City Museum in a classical castle. Stained glass and nativity scenes are in the Laurentiuskirche.
- On the L175 via Tennenbronn to St. Georgen (20 km)
- 18 St. Georgen: the Phonomuseum and the local museum Black Gate well worth a visit
- On the B33, then on the L177 to Königsfeld (10 km)
- 19 Koenigsfeld: The Village museum in the Buchenberg district shows clocks from 2 centuries. That is probably better known Albert Schweitzer House
- On the L181 to Niedereschach (18 km)
- 20 Niedereschach: The clockwork of a church tower clock can be seen in the town hall of the municipality. Also worth seeing is a Roman estate with a Roman bath in the Fischbach district.
- On the L423 via Fischbach to Rottweil (10 km)
- 21 Rottweil: There are sundials in Rottweil at the Heilig-Kreuz-Münster and at the city archive. The saltworks museum, the Dominican museum and the historic old town are also worth seeing.
- On the B27 to Deißlingen (8 km)
- 22 Deißlingen: A clock museum is housed in the town hall.
- Continue on the B27, then on the L433 to Trossingen (14 km)
- 23 Trossingen: The name of the city is primarily associated with musical instruments, that Harmonica Museum shows the history and production of harmonica and harmonica. A collection of Black Forest clocks including a workshop can be found in the Auberlehaus Museum.
- On the L429, then on the B523 to Villingen-Schwenningen (15 km)
Go on
literature
Web links
- German clock route
- Cuckoo clock paradise
- Black Forest clock informative site of a private company
- Black Forest tourism official website