The picturesque 4-castle town on the Neckar invites you to stroll and explore. The promenade along the river is particularly beautiful.
The earliest human settlement in Neckarsteinach probably dates back to prehistoric times. In the 7th century, the area around Neckarsteinach belonged to the Lobdengau and came with it to the Hochstift Worms. The town of Neckarsteinach was first mentioned in a document in 1142. Neckarsteinach was first mentioned as a town in 1377 and at the same time became the open house of Count Palatine Ruprecht. The town was badly affected during the Thirty Years‘ War. During the War of the Palatinate Succession, French, Saxon, Electorate of Brandenburg and Bavarian troops passed through the Neckar Valley and had to be quartered and paid contributions. In the first half of the 18th century, Neckarsteinach was a military hospital town. After 1685, many "Welsche", reformed Huguenots expelled from France because of their faith, settled in Neckarsteinach. They were cloth makers and tanners, which gave the town a certain economic upturn after the losses of the previous wars. The town initially came under the Electoral Palatinate, but as early as 1763 it fell by imperial mandate to the bishoprics of Worms and Speyer as well as to Electoral Mainz and finally in 1803 in the course of mediatization and secularization to the Landgraviate of Hesse, from which the Grand Duchy of Hesse and ultimately the State of Hesse emerged.
In the historic old town of Neckarsteinach, you can still admire many witnesses to its eventful past. Half-timbered houses, winding alleyways, remains of the town wall and town gates, old facades and fountains as well as a late Gothic church invite you to take a tour.
The unique medieval four-castle ensemble was built in the second half of the 12th century. For this reason, Neckarsteinach is also known as the "town of four castles".
Neckarsteinach is a well-known excursion and recreation destination and is well worth a visit with its numerous sights and invites visitors to stroll and hike:
The former Neckarsteinach youth hostel, a half-timbered patrician house dating back to 1587, is now home to the "Zum Ambtman" restaurant.
The evidence of former Jewish life in Neckarsteinach, the former synagogue, was built in 1888/89. Another building previously stood on the same site, which was also used as a synagogue but was demolished in 1886 due to dilapidation. The building survived the November progroms of 1938 and is now privately owned.
The town gates and remains of the town wall were built between 1360 and 1370 and enclosed the historic center of the town. Only remains of the town wall can still be seen at the town garden, on the east wall of the Rindenscheuer at the Steinach bridge and behind the former youth hostel.
The church fountain made of gray-green sandstone, located between the Catholic and Protestant churches, dates back to 1790.
Neckarsteinach‘s town hall was built between 1835 and 1837 in the classicist style.
The Rindenscheuer, a gabled half-timbered house from the 18th century, was used to dry oak bark. Until around 1900, bark from 15 to 20-year-old oak trees was dried in the barn. These were ground up and used for tanning.
The Schifferbrunnen was donated by the Schifferverein in 1997 and consists of five propellers.
The Schönauer Hof was probably a branch of the monastery of the same name in the 16th century. It consists of three residential buildings and a barn.
The so-called Spitzsche Haus, built in 1755, is a gabled building in the patrician style. It is reminiscent of the local tanning trade.
The eaves house, built in 1542, is a half-timbered house in Bliggergasse in Neckarsteinach. It was probably once owned by a member of the lower nobility.
