Gothic Basilica Tiefenbronn - St. Maria Magdalena

About 15 minutes by car from Schellbronn, in Tiefenbronn, stands one of the most important sacred buildings in the Biet area: the Catholic parish church of St. Maria Magdalena. The three-aisled Gothic basilica is considered the best-preserved late Gothic church in the Northern Black Forest - the choir began around 1340, followed by nave and tower in the following decades. What looks rather simple from outside opens into a dense layer of late Gothic art inside.

Giftzwerg 88 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Five winged altars shape the space, two of them known far beyond the region: the high altar by Hans Schuchlin (1469) in the choir and the Magdalene altar by Lucas Moser (1432) in the south aisle. Added to this are Gothic stained-glass windows from Strasbourg (1370), the tower monstrance by Augsburg goldsmith Jorg Seld (around 1500), and tomb monuments of the Gemmingen line of Steinegg. If you enjoy art history, you will find substance here rather than decoration - calm, factual, without Black Forest kitsch.

The church is on Gemmingenstrasse in the village center, easy to combine with the municipality's historic village walk, the barefoot path by the cemetery, or an afternoon on the chapel trail, which includes Tiefenbronn as a stage stop. After Fasnet in January or on a sunny summer day, it makes a good short stop while exploring the Biet plateau.

In season, the basilica opens at fixed afternoon times (see opening hours below). Entry is usually free; the parish office arranges guided tours. Before you go, quickly check whether the church is open to visitors - restoration work or church services can temporarily change access.