Discover Spraitbach

Spraitbach offers a range of options to consider when planning a trip: Reichenbach Reservoir for recreation, designated hiking trails and a bike trail. The town’s history can also be explored in different ways – from the transfer of St. Michael’s Church in the 19th century to a history trail intended to highlight things that existed in the past and have since changed.

Nature and activities in Spraitbach

Reichenbach Reservoir is a place for recreation. Hiking options include the Weberhaldenweg and a hike exploring the Reichenbach Valley. If you are planning a tour, check the details of the route you have in mind before setting out. This will help you tailor your plans to the specific trail you choose.

Since May 2024, the bike trail has been available for adventurous cyclists following TÜV approval. If you plan to use the trail, check the current usage details before your visit. Spraitbach thus offers a choice of different activities, without combining hiking and cycling into a single offering.

Local history

A significant moment in the town’s church history came in 1867: when the new Catholic church was built, St. Michael’s Church was handed over to the Protestant parish. This date provides a specific historical reference point for the change of parish in Spraitbach.

A history trail is intended to bring Spraitbach’s history to life and draw attention to things that once existed but no longer do, or that have since been put to a different use. If you are interested in taking part, register; you will then be notified. The trail has a different focus from the hiking and cycling options: it centers on past conditions and changes over time.

More places to explore in the Ostalbkreis

Further places and attractions add to the picture of the region as a whole. The following examples relate to Rainau, Lorch and the Tiefer Stollen visitor mine and are specifically regional attractions, not features of Spraitbach.

The Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes shapes Rainau’s historic landscape. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, it runs for about six kilometers through the districts of Buch, Schwabsberg and Dalkingen within the municipality. The Rainau Limes Park preserves significant individual monuments and the most beautiful sections of the Limes in a unique concentration. A reconstructed watchtower offers panoramic views across the Ostalb region. Those wishing to explore this history on foot can follow the approximately eleven-kilometer Limes circular hiking trail near Rainau: the walk takes around two and a half hours. The signposted trail runs from the Limes wall and tower between Buch and Schwabsberg through Mahdholz Forest to the southern edge of Schwabsberg.

Lorch Abbey represents a different historical focus. It was founded in 1102 as a burial place by Frederick I, the first Hohenstaufen, and Agnes of Waiblingen. The complex includes a medieval church, the cloister, farm buildings and the Marsilius Tower; from there, visitors can enjoy views of the abbey complex, the herb garden, the sensory garden and the surrounding area. The permanent exhibition tells the story of 900 years of abbey history, including through the decorated Lorch choir books.

At the Tiefer Stollen visitor mine, the mine train travels past mineral formations and small stalactites into sandstone halls covering 2,500 square meters, 100 meters below ground. There, a multimedia show introduces visitors to the history of ore mining in the Aalen area. A circular route through the labyrinth of tunnels leads through former underground mining areas with shafts, loading points and ore extraction chambers.

Discover more destinations: Eschach, Rainau, Neresheim, Ruppertshofen, Lorch, Jagstzell, Tannhausen, Abtsgmünd.

See the broader travel overview: Ostalbkreis.