Westerheim, Baden-Württemberg

Infobox Ort in Deutschland
Name = Westerheim
image_photo =
Wappen = Wappen Westerheim.pnglat_deg = 48 |lat_min = 30 |lat_sec = 54
lon_deg = 9 |lon_min = 37 |lon_sec = 25
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Baden-Württemberg
Regierungsbezirk = Tübingen
Landkreis = Alb-Donau-Kreis
Höhe = 815
Fläche = 22.93
Einwohner = 2882
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 72589
Vorwahl = 07333
Kfz = UL
Gemeindeschlüssel = 08 4 25 134
Straße = Kirchenplatz 16
Website = [http://www.westerheim.de/ www.westerheim.de]
Bürgermeister = Hartmut Walz

Location

Westerheim is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

It is located at a height of 800 meters on the Swabian Alb, about 30 Kilometers north-west of Ulm.

History

Its origins stretch back to the Middle Ages. The Dukes of Helfenstein introduced the Reformation between 1555 and 1567, but Westerheim reverted to Catholicism. Today its inhabitants are mainly Roman Catholic, though the surrounding villages are Evangelical.

It was badly damaged in April 1945, when German Army units made a stand there. Before leaving they detonated their explosives which were stored in local barns Harv|Stuttgart State Archives.

Economy

Westerheim is a Luftkurort (“fresh-air health resort”). It is a ski resort in the Winter. There is a large camping area nearby.

Sight-seeing

The Schertelshöhle cave is a 212-meter long cave with stalactites. It is illuminated and can be visited daily from May to October.

References

[https://www2.landesarchiv-bw.de./ Stuttgart State Archives]

External links

* [http://www.westerheim.de/ Internet site for Westerheim]
* [http://www.schertelshoehle.de/ Internet site for the Schertelshöhle cave]