Harburg

The heart of Bavarian Swabia

The little town of Harburg lies in the valley of the river Wörnitz between the hills of the Swabian and Franconian Jura. In the old town centre, irregular little half-timbered mediaevalstyle houses snuggle alongside baroque gabled dwellings in between the river Wörnitz and the Burgberg. Above the town, the mighty Harburg sits in regal splendour. It is one of the best-preserved castles in Southern Germany and today belongs to the not-for-profit Fürst zu OettingenWallerstein cultural foundation.

History

  • 1150 AD First documentary mention of ‘Harburg’, owned by the Hohenstaufen family
  • 1299 Castle and market mortgaged to the Counts of Oettingen-Oettingen
  • 1539 Introduction of the Reformation
  • 1612 Construction of the Evangelical Parish Church of St. Barbara
  • 1731 Harburg passes to the counts of Oettingen-Wallerstein
  • 1800 Castle besieged by French troops: ‘Bockfest’ as festival of thanksgiving (destruction of the castle) was prevented; still held today
  • 1849 Town charter and railway connection
  • 1971-78 Incorporation of 10 neighbouring villages
  • 1985 First Bridge Festival on the stone bridge

Highlights

Program offers

Map

Amt für Tourismus
Schlossstr. 1
86655 Harburg (Schwaben)
+49 (0) 9080 9699-24
tourismus@stadt-harburg-schwaben.de