The best traffic-free bike rides around Illschwang

Simultankirche St. Willibald The first church was consecrated to St. Martin in 1128 by the Bishop of Eichstätt and served as a branch church of Lauterhofen. In Romanesque times, the church had no tower: the choir was probably only extended into a tower at the end of the 13th century. Instead of the Romanesque fortified church, which was only a ruin, the current hall church was planned in 1794 by the master builder Franz Ignaz Himbsel from Neukirchen. The new building was completed in 1797, but due to the Napoleonic Wars, the church could only be consecrated in 1802. It consists of a nave, a slightly recessed, three-sided choir to the north, and a church tower to the west of the nave, the uppermost floor of which houses the clock and the bell tower, and which is covered by an eight-sided kinked helmet. The interior of the nave, which is spanned by a barrel vault, has double-tiered galleries on three sides. The neo-Gothic high altar by Konrad Weigand was installed in 1869/1870 in place of a Baroque altar. The altarpiece shows the crucifixion scene, framed by the images of the apostle princes Peter and Paul, and the altar is crowned by a figure of St. Willibald. On the choir walls are statues of Mary and John from the 17th century. The side altar, a Marian altar on the west wall of the nave, is a Renaissance work from around 1600. The altar comes from the demolished St. Johannis chapel in nearby Tannlohe. Introduced in 1653, St. Willibald has been used simultaneously to this day. 99 percent of the maintenance costs are borne by the Protestant church community of Fürnried. The remainder is borne by the Catholic church community of Heldmannsberg. Source: Brochure "Sankt Willibald" in Fürnried / www.wikipedia.de

The loop around Amberg is a scenic experience. Except for 2 short sections on field paths, the circular tour is super easy, with little traffic to ride.

A really nice view

Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary The nave of the hall church, built between 1672 and 1674 according to plans by Wolfgang Hurstetter, is adjoined to the east by a chancel of the same width with a three-sided apse. The rectory was built against the west wall of the nave. Rising from the gable roof of the nave to the west is an octagonal bell tower with a pointed pyramidal roof, housing the belfry with three church bells. The church was built in the Baroque style and solemnly consecrated in 1674. At that time, Heldmannsberg was a Catholic enclave in a predominantly Protestant area. Heldmannsberg did not become its own parish until 1779. The Heldmannsberg church is the only Baroque church building in the Nuremberg Land district. The high altar features the altarpiece "Assumption of Mary," painted by Carolus Brauneck in 1730 and originally from Eichstätt. The upper section of the high altar features an elaborate depiction of the Holy Trinity with the Coronation of the Virgin. This Marian figure is the central image of grace for the pilgrimage. The left side altar, erected around 1750, depicts St. Francis Xavier, and its upper section contains images of St. Anne and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Rococo reliquary on the predella houses a Sacred Heart image from 1760. The right side altar displays an image of St. Joseph, dating from around 1750. Its upper section depicts St. Sebastian. The Baroque pulpit dates from 1678. The paintings on either side of the high altar depict St. Aloysius on the left and St. Florian on the right; both paintings originate from Tannlohe. In a Catholic church, the Sacrament of Penance is administered, which is why penitential images depicting St. Peter and St. Mary Magdalene were placed above the confessionals. These images can be seen today at the rear of the church. There are also other interesting wooden figures to admire in the church. A beautiful 18th-century crucifix is mounted on the north wall, and a so-called "Wies Christ" (a type of statue) is housed in a shrine. Also on the north wall is the figure of St. John Nepomuk. Beneath the gallery sits the image of St. George, the dragon slayer. At the front of the chancel arch, the figures of the patron saints of the diocese adorn the church: St. Willibald and St. Walburga. The organ, built by Joseph Franz Bittner, was installed in the church in 1902/03. Source: Church Guide, Parish and Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary

Nice bench to relax on

This old railway line is very easy to ride.

Beautiful autumn tour in the Upper Palatinate

This bridge is truly a force to be reckoned with and a masterpiece of its time. I was really surprised when I drove over this bridge.