Oberdürrbach

Did the name “Habuchotal” ever cross your ears? It’s the ancient name for the valley where Oberdürrbach now stands. Oberdürrbach, a charming district nestled in Würzburg’s Dürrbachtal, holds a history as rich as the Würzburg vineyards. Oberdürrbach wasn’t always part of Würzburg. It was once an independent village, first documented in 1160, as a generous gift from a dying schoolmaster and Domherr to the altar of Saint Kilian. Imagine Oberdürrbach back then, part of a marshy valley. Just a decade later, in 1170, Bishop Herold of Hochheim initiated a massive project to drain the swamp and establish a settlement in the Dürrbachtal. This marked a turning point for Oberdürrbach and the surrounding area. Over the centuries, Oberdürrbach changed hands, passing from the Lords of Retzstadt to the Benedictine monastery of St. Stephan in 1484. This transition is documented in a historical record that refers to Oberdürrbach as “Oberndurnbach”. Later, in 1579, both Oberdürrbach and the nearby hamlet of Gadheim were pledged to the Juliusspital, a Würzburg hospital. The two villages officially became a single municipality in 1787. This union lasted for centuries until Oberdürrbach, including the hamlets of Schafhof and Ziegelhütte, became part of Würzburg in 1976. Gadheim, however, chose a different path and joined Veitshöchheim. A quirky fact: due to Brexit, Oberdürrbach now lies a mere two kilometers southeast of the geographical center of the EU, located in Gadheim. As you stand in Oberdürrbach today, you can still see echoes of its past. The Catholic parish church of St. Joseph, built in 1816, stands proudly in the center. Its classical facade and tower dominate the skyline. Look closely at the facade and you’ll see 18th-century figures crafted by Johann Peter Wagner. Not far from the church is the old Amtshof of the Juliusspital, a grand building with a hipped roof and distinctive eared window frames dating back to the 17th century. The adjacent tithe barn and surrounding wall with its impressive portal complete the ensemble. Nearby, the former parish house, built in the 19th century, showcases the round-arch style popular at the time.