On the ridge between the Nagold and Würm valleys, we visit numerous remarkable chapels and churches.
The Biet Chapel Path was created on the 75th anniversary of the Catholic deanery of Pforzheim together with the Black Forest Club. It runs along the edge of the Northern Black Forest over the „Biet“, a plateau between the Nagold and Würm valley in the southeast of Pforzheim.
In the 15th century, the Freiherren of Gemmingen received the entire “area” as a fief from Margrave Karl I of Baden: it included the villages Steinegg, Tiefenbronn, Hamberg, Schellbronn, Hohenwart, Lehningen, Neuhausen, and Mühlhausen. Since the Lords of Gemmingen did not join the Reformation, the area remained Catholic while the surroundings are Protestant.
On the themed path, we visit chapels and churches from the 12th to 17th centuries with remarkable interiors by the Augsburg artist Jörg Seld (1500) as well as the Magdalene Altar by Lucas Moser.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
There are no safety-relevant sections of the path.
Tips and suggestions
Tourist Information Pforzheim
Schloßberg 15-17, 75175 Pforzheim
Tel: 07231 39-3700; Fax: 07231 39-3707
tourist-info@ws-pforzheim.de, www.pforzheim.de/tourismus.html
Catholic Deanery of Pforzheim:
www.dekanat-pforzheim.de
Biet Chapel Path from www.neuhausen-enzkreis.de:
www.neuhausen-enzkreis.de/Tourismus/RadWanderweg/kapellenweg.html
City Wiki Pforzheim-Enz: www.pfenz.de/wiki/Kapellenweg
Black Forest Club
“On the Chapel Path over the heights of the Biet”, in “Der Schwarzwald”, issue 1, 2005, p. 37
Local group Pforzheim-Brötzingen
www.schwarzwaldverein-pforzheim-broetzingen.de
Roadbook
We start the themed hike in the Pforzheim district of Hohenwart at the bus stop at the signpost location of the same name „Ortsmitte". We walk about 150 m slightly uphill along Wilhelmstraße and reach the Holy Cross Chapel. There we follow the Blue Rhombus which takes us in 15 minutes to the lookout tower „Hohe Warte" built in 2002 (537 m). From the 36 m high tower, you can enjoy a wonderful view over the Biet.
We continue to follow the blue rhombus over „Hofäcker“, hike through the forest, past the „Schellbronn Water Tower“ and forest playground, and finally reach the Schellbronn holiday park. Past the „Swimming Pool“, through Unterreichenbacherstraße and further towards the town center, we arrive after 400 m at the signpost „Schellbronn“ at the St. Nicholas Chapel. We continue to follow the blue rhombus towards „Hartäcker“ into Goldschmiedstraße, Schönblickstraße, and then turn right into Lauwiesenweg towards the forest.
Over beautiful forest paths, we reach the connecting road Monbachtal-Unterreichenbach. There we walk about 100 m uphill, cross the street, and then at the location „Upper Monbachtal“ reach the Ostweg of the Black Forest Club. Here stands a memorial stone for „100 Years Ostweg“ (1904-2004).
Now we follow the sign of the Ostweg, the black-red rhombus, towards „Neuhausen Town Hall“. Shortly afterwards we reach the St. Sebastian Chapel in Neuhausen. At the town hall we go towards „Welzgraben“ to the Parish Church St. Urban and Vitus and Kerker Christi Chapel. Through Aschengasse, we reach the St. Wendelin Chapel located outside the town. From there, hikers are offered a wide view.
In front of us we already see the town of Steinegg. At the signpost „St. Wendelin Chapel“ we turn right to the „Zeller Path“, and at the next location straight ahead to „Steinegg/Fountain“, then left down to the „Steinegg Castle“. Past the Castle Chapel, we reach the Hamberg Forest Chapel after 200 m. Back at the castle, we walk back to Steinegg, where we leave the Ostweg at the „Fountain“. From Goethe Street, the blue rhombus accompanies us again towards „Lower Hau“ / Mühlhausen.
Past forest and meadows, we reach on the „Valley Path“ at the edge of Mühlhausen the Trinity Chapel. After the „Würmtal Hall“, we cross the Würm bridge and look right at Mühlhausen Castle. At the signpost „Würm Bridge“, we orient ourselves towards „Chapel“. On Würmtalstraße, we pass the Cross Church; on Mittelstraße lies St. Alexander Church. Going uphill on Tiefenbronnerstraße, we reach at the height the Marien Chapel.
Now we follow the yellow rhombus left to „Stadelbach“ on the foot and bike path over Tiefenbronnerstraße, Gartenstraße, and Rosenstraße to the bus stop „Bergstraße", cross the street, walk right on Bergstraße, left into Schönblick and further through Panoramastraße. Where it turns right, we go straight on to the signpost „Stadelbach“. Here the yellow and blue rhombus join. Our direction („Tiefenbronn/Black Eagle“) remains, and past fields and through forest, we then see our destination Tiefenbronn and the striking church tower of the parish church St. Maria Magdalena at the „Tiefenbronn Town Hall“. Here there is the possibility to return by regular bus.
Parkplatz
Hohenwart Ortsmitte
Heilig-Kreuz-Kapelle
Hohe Warte in Hohenwart
Hofäcker
Wasserturm/Schellbronn
Wasserturm Schellbronn
Schellbronn/Schwimmbad
St. Nikolaus Kapelle
Schellbronn
Hartäcker
Oberes Monbachtal
St. Sebastian Kapelle
Neuhausen/Rathaus
Pfarrkirche St. Urban und Vitus
Kerker Christi Kapelle
Neuhausen/Welzgraben
St. Wendelin Kapelle Neuhausen im Biet
St. Wendelinkapelle
Neuhausen/Zeller Pfad
Steinegg/Brunnen
Schlosskapelle
Burg Steinegg
Waldkapelle
Unterer Hau
Talweg
Dreifaltigkeitskapelle
Mühlhausen/Würmtalhalle
Schloss Mühlhausen
Mühlhausen/Würmbrücke
Kreuzkirche
Kirche St.-Alexander
Marienkapelle
Mühlhausen/Kapelle
Stadelbach
Tiefenbronn/Schwarzer Adler
Tiefenbronn/Rathaus
Pfarrkirche St. Maria Magdalena
Public transport
Hohenwart is reached from Pforzheim by bus line 742 from Central Bus Station Mitte/Hbf (platform 5). Get off at the 2nd stop in Hohenwart: “Ortsmitte”.Return by regular bus from the stop Tiefenbronn Town Hall with bus line 666 (direct to Pforzheim Hbf) and 742.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
Motorway A8 exit Pforzheim North, onto B 294 into the city, then towards B 463 Calw, at the city exit onto L 574 towards the district Huchenfeld, further to Hohenwart, Schönbornstraße; left and then right into Kreuzwiesenstraße.Parking
Parking spaces in Kreuzwiesenstraße (UTM 32U 480286 5409004)Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
Hiking maps of the Black Forest Club 1:25,000:
- Pforzheim (W226), ISBN 978-3-86398-452-6
- Calw (W227), ISBN 978-3-86398-453-3
Publisher: State Office for Geoinformation and Land Development Baden-Württemberg
Book recommendations for this region:
Recommended maps for this region:
Equipment
Sturdy footwear with good tread - half of the path is paved.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

User Questions