You can still meet the famous trumpeter of Säckingen in Bad Säckingen today. Dressed in historical garb, he walks with guests on guided theatre tours through the alleyways of the town and to original locations from the famous epic poem by Joseph Victor von Scheffel. It was in Säckingen that the poet heard the romantic love story that took place here: A commoner's son and an aristocratic girl fell in love. Because the union was not befitting their station, they married far away and later returned home. "Der Trompeter von Säckingen" was a bestseller and also delighted audiences as an opera and silent film. The place where the two protagonists fell in love, Schönau Castle, still stands today and is home to several museums: from the history of the town and archaeological finds in the High Rhine Plain to a unique collection of trumpets from over 400 years of trumpet making and the "Scheffel Rooms", visitors can find all kinds of treasures in the castle. Additional temporary exhibitions in the "Moving Rooms" round off the programme.
Its park, the Schlosspark, is a wonderful place to stroll in the greenery. The café also invites you to take a break and impresses with its location directly on the Rhine and a wonderful view, from which you can see another highlight of Bad Säckingen: A wooden structure rests proudly on mighty stone pillars, surrounded by the waters of the Rhine. At 204 metres, it is the longest covered wooden bridge in Europe. The national cultural monument, which can be used on foot and by bike and which connects Germany with Switzerland, is over 450 years old.
Long gone are the days when passers-by had to pay a Kreuzer bridge toll. Today, visitors can stroll back and forth between the two countries and let themselves drift through the alleyways of Bad Säcken. All of a sudden, the view opens up onto Münsterplatz in the heart of the old town: colourful facades line it and the towers of St. Fridolin's Minster rise up in the middle. With its many cafés and eateries, this is a wonderful place to linger. It's quite possible that the trumpeter will also stop by - on his way to the lovers' tomb at the cathedral.
