Neuhausen auf den Fildern

Hidden within the bustling energy of Stuttgart lies Neuhausen auf den Fildern. This charming town whispers tales of history and culture. Neuhausen auf den Fildern first appeared in records in 1153. It was initially under the control of local nobles, the Lords of Neuhausen. Neuhausen auf den Fildern became a Hohenberg fief in 1269. It then fell under Habsburg rule in the 14th century. Count Rudolf III of Hohenberg sold it due to his debts. This resulted in Neuhausen auf den Fildern becoming part of Further Austria. The Reformation swept through the surrounding Württemberg villages. They embraced Protestantism, but Neuhausen auf den Fildern remained a Catholic enclave. The town’s fate shifted yet again in 1769. The Bishopric of Speyer acquired it. Napoleon Bonaparte’s reorganization of southwestern Germany brought Neuhausen auf den Fildern under the Electorate of Baden in 1803. However, it was traded to the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1806. It became part of the Esslingen district in 1808. Neuhausen auf den Fildern remained in the Esslingen district through the district reform during the Nazi era in 1938. After World War II, it became part of the American occupation zone. This led to its inclusion in the newly founded state of Württemberg-Baden. This state eventually merged into the present state of Baden-Württemberg in 1952. The town even housed the novitiate of the Upper German Province of the Jesuits until 1969. Neuhausen auf den Fildern maintained its independence during the municipal reform of 1973. Today, Neuhausen auf den Fildern boasts a population of over 12,000. The Basilica of St. Peter and Paul dominates the skyline. This neo-Romanesque marvel, built between 1850 and 1852, is often called the largest village church in Europe. Inside, you’ll find not one, but two remarkable organs. One was created by Eberhard Friedrich Walcker in 1854. The other, a protected historic organ by Hieronymus Spiegel from 1762, was originally housed in Neuhausen’s Liebfrauenkapelle before finding its home in the basilica. Neuhausen auf den Fildern also proudly holds two castles. The Altes Schloss (Old Castle), also known as the Upper Castle, dates back to 1518. The Neues Schloss (New Castle), constructed between 1561 and 1567, serves as the town’s administrative center. Neuhausen auf den Fildern also has a unique museum dedicated to funeral culture. Its most notable exhibit is a stone cross crafted by Sem Schlöer. It was created for the altar of the castle chapel in the Old Castle in Stuttgart in 1563. King Wilhelm I gifted this cross to Neuhausen’s Catholic parish in 1819. Neuhausen auf den Fildern stands as a testament to the enduring power of community and tradition, a vibrant thread in the rich tapestry of German history.