Puneet Varma (Editor)

Westerheim, Baden Württemberg

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Country
  
Germany

Admin. region
  
Tübingen

Elevation
  
815 m (2,674 ft)

Area
  
22.93 km²

Local time
  
Saturday 8:10 AM

Dialling code
  
07333

State
  
Baden-Württemberg

District
  
Alb-Donau-Kreis

Time zone
  
CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

Population
  
2,858 (31 Dec 2008)

Postal code
  
72589

Administrative region
  
Tübingen

Westerheim, Baden-Württemberg staticalbcampingdesitesdefaultfilesstylesl

Weather
  
8°C, Wind N at 5 km/h, 67% Humidity

Location

Westerheim is a municipality in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

Contents

It is located at a height of 800 meters on the Swabian Jura, about 30 Kilometers north-west of Ulm.

History

Its origins stretch back to the Middle Ages. The Dukes of Helfenstein introduced the Reformation between 1555 and 1567, but Westerheim reverted to Catholicism. Today its inhabitants are mainly Roman Catholic, though the surrounding villages are Evangelical.

In 1911-12 Westerheim received electricity.

It was badly damaged in April 1945, when German Army units made a stand there. Before leaving they detonated their explosives which were stored in local barns (Stuttgart State Archives).

2011: Celebration for 1150 years of Westerheim.

Mayor

In October 2002 Hartmut Walz was elected the new mayor, he was reelected in 2010.

Economy

Westerheim is a Luftkurort (“fresh-air health resort”). It is a ski resort in the Winter. There is a large camping area nearby.

Sight-seeing

  • The church of St. Stephen, constructed in 1777/1778, has a barock high altar.
  • The "Schertelshöhle" cave is a 212-meter long cave with stalactites. It is illuminated and can be visited daily from May to October.
  • The "Steinerne Haus" (house of stone) is a 55-meter long cave with an 8-meter high entrance, located close to the Schertelshöhle. In winter hundreds of large icicles are formed here, which melt in the spring. Part of the cave is closed off in winter, to house hibernating animals.
  • References

    Westerheim, Baden-Württemberg Wikipedia