Village splendour in the west of Schweinfurt

There are 40 bicycle parking spaces in the immediate vicinity of the railway station.

The tour starts at Waigolshausen railway station. Cycle along Bahnhofstraße on the right and then turn left onto Hauptstraße.

On the cycle path in the direction of Werneck, you can enjoy the view over the open countryside. After just one kilometre, the castle park begins on the left, which you cycle partly around and through to reach the main entrance to Werneck Castle.

The large baroque palace in the small town of Werneck is a jewel among southern German palaces and is considered Balthasar Neumann's most mature secular building. It stands in a large, originally also baroque park, which was later remodelled into an English garden.

There was already a castle complex on this site over 800 years ago, which, like many other castles, was devastated in 1525 during the German Peasants' War and burnt down almost 30 years later. Rebuilt half a century later, it burned down again in 1723.

In 1733, Balthasar Neumann was finally commissioned by Prince-Bishop Friedrich Karl von Schönborn to begin construction work on the magnificent summer residence, which still impresses today with its well-balanced design.

In the middle of the 19th century, the "little sister of the Würzburg Residence", as it is popularly known, was converted into one of the first psychiatric clinics in Germany. Its director Bernhard von Gudden later writes one of the psychiatric reports on the basis of which Ludwig II is deposed as King of Bavaria. Both drown in Lake Starnberg under mysterious circumstances.

To this day, the castle serves as a hospital, including one of the largest specialised orthopaedic clinics in Germany. The castle chapel, also designed by Neumann, and the castle park are open to visitors.

Attached to the hospital is the Balthasar café and bistro, which serves savoury snacks as well as coffee and cake.

Follow Würzburger Straße and the Wern cycle path westwards onto Rudolf-Diesel-Straße and out of the town. The tour soon leads you to the left and along the idyllic Wern to Zeuzleben. Here you turn right along Nepomukstraße to the market square with the parish church of St Bartholomew.

The parish church of St Bartholomew combines two eras and architectural styles. The tower from the late 13th century was used for defence in the event of attacks. It was later extended and between 1600 and 1602 it was given the pointed tower typical of many Franconian churches. From the outside, the tower looks three storeys high, but inside it has five storeys.
The church was given its current appearance in 1753. The very small nave was replaced by a new nave and choir. The plans for this were drawn up by the office of the famous architect Balthasar Neumann. The church was consecrated in 1755.

Before you leave Zeuzleben, take a quick look at the wayside shrine on the village square, which is so typical of the area. It is a cast of the oldest wayside shrine in the district of Schweinfurt, dating back to 1536. The next stage will take you past numerous houses in typical Franconian style, half-timbered houses and old farmyard gates made of locally quarried sandstone.

But now let's get going! Follow the Oberes Tor road to the left and the Stängersgraben to the right to Schraudenbach. The building plans for St James' Church in Gambachstraße, built in 1752, were also submitted to the office of master builder Balthasar Neumann at the time.

Via Stettbacher Straße, Kirschental and along Lachgraben, the route leads you to Vasbühl under the motorway to Brebersdorf and behind the village under the motorway for the second time to Kaisten. You cross the village and cycle through open fields to Teueregraben. On the other side of the ditch, the route continues along the edge of the forest and through fields to your next stopover in Schwemmelsbach.

You can't miss the baroque church of St Cyriacus. With its volute gable, it towers over the pretty Franconian village of Schwemmelsbach. The foundation stone for this church was laid in 1738. The old church had to be demolished for the new building, with only the typical Franconian Echter tower remaining. A three-axis nave with a choir in the east was built. Balthasar Neumann's plans for a church in Greßthal, which could not be built there due to the geographical conditions, served as a model for this building.

Follow the main road and the cycle path along the B303 via Rütschenhausen to the Franconian Passion Play town of Sömmersdorf, which is known far beyond the region. Here you will find the most modern open-air theatre in Europe. The route continues to Euerbach. From the entrance to the town about 400 metres along the main road, you will find your last destination on this architectural journey of discovery in Kirchgasse.

Just a few steps from the fortified church complex with the Protestant-Lutheran church of St Cosmas and Damian stands the Roman Catholic church of St Michael in Euerbach. It was built between 1738 and 1746 after the joint use of St Cosmas and Damian as a simultaneous church had repeatedly led to disputes. The architect Balthasar Neumann was commissioned to plan the new church building. The church is decorated in the rococo style. The organ, built by the Würzburg court organ builder Johann Philipp Seuffert, dates back to 1761.

Cross Euerbach on the main road and turn left onto Kronunger Weg, which leads you north out of the village through the fields. After 800 m, turn right onto a country lane that leads under the motorway to Oberwerrn. After the railway bridge, turn left to Oberwerrn railway station.