Westerheim, Baden-Württemberg

Location of Westerheim within Alb-Donau-Kreis district
Westerheim

Westerheim
Coordinates
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region	Tübingen
District	Alb-Donau-Kreis
Mayor	Hartmut Walz

Basic statistics
Area	22.93 km² (8.85 sq mi)
Elevation	815 m (2674 ft)
Population	2,864 (31 December 2010)^[1]
- Density	125 /km² (323 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	UL
Postal code	72589
Area code	07333
Website	www.westerheim.de

1 Location
2 History
3 Economy
4 Sight-seeing
5 References
6 External links

Location

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

It is located at a height of 800 meters on the Swabian Alb, 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.

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).

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

^ "Bevölkerung und Erwerbstätigkeit" (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg. 20 July 2011. http://www.statistik-bw.de/Veroeffentl/Statistische_Berichte/3126_10001.pdf.

Stuttgart State Archives

External links

Towns and municipalities in Alb-Donau-Kreis

Allmendingen \| Altheim (Ehingen) \| Altheim (Alb) \| Amstetten \| Asselfingen \| Ballendorf \| Balzheim \| Beimerstetten \| Berghülen \| Bernstadt \| Blaubeuren \| Blaustein \| Börslingen \| Breitingen \| Dietenheim \| Dornstadt \| Ehingen \| Emeringen \| Emerkingen \| Erbach \| Griesingen \| Grundsheim \| Hausen am Bussen \| Heroldstatt \| Holzkirch \| Hüttisheim \| Illerkirchberg \| Illerrieden \| Laichingen \| Langenau \| Lauterach \| Lonsee \| Merklingen \| Munderkingen \| Neenstetten \| Nellingen \| Nerenstetten \| Oberdischingen \| Obermarchtal \| Oberstadion \| Öllingen \| Öpfingen \| Rammingen \| Rechtenstein \| Rottenacker \| Schelklingen \| Schnürpflingen \| Setzingen \| Staig \| Untermarchtal \| Unterstadion \| Unterwachingen \| Weidenstetten \| Westerheim \| Westerstetten