Steinen is best understood as a municipality of seven districts rather than a single village. Its central settlement and Höllstein lie in the Wiesental beside the river Wiese, while Endenburg and the other outlying communities climb toward the southern Black Forest and the Dinkelberg. The municipal register counted 10,605 residents across all seven districts on 1 January 2024. The contrast between a rail-connected valley centre and quieter wooded slopes is the place’s defining travel experience.
A written record, stone quarries and textile industry
The municipality’s history page records Steinen as “Steina” in 1113. Alemannic row graves point to an earlier settlement, but they do not establish a precise foundation date. Red sandstone became an important resource: the bishops of Basel acquired quarries near Steinen in 1388 and 1469 for rebuilding the cathedral damaged in the 1356 earthquake. Steinen became a market town in 1602 and received a livestock and traders’ market in 1776. In the nineteenth century, investment from Basel helped turn an agricultural community into an industrial place. The spinning and weaving mill in Steinen and the textile works in Höllstein reshaped employment and settlement; today the municipality describes a broader mix of small and medium-sized businesses, services and local commerce.
Seven districts, different ways to explore
In the central village, the historic Vogtshaus has building sections dating to 1553 and stands near the Cornimontplatz and the municipal services. Höllstein has its own village core, shopping area and sports facilities; its textile past can be read in the change from factory site to commercial area. The hill district of Endenburg is about 12 kilometres from the centre, on a panoramic road between the Kandertal and Wiesental. Forest and open farmland frame broad views toward the Swiss Jura and the Bernese Alps. In Kirchhausen, the Schneiderhof is a farmhouse museum in a house built in 1696. Guided visits show how a rural household and its working spaces were arranged; its seasonal opening hours make advance checking useful. Artist Meret Oppenheim spent part of her childhood in Steinen, a connection remembered in the name of the local school centre.
Getting around and planning a day
Steinen’s station is a practical base for a car-free visit. The municipality describes S-Bahn connections along the Wiesental toward Lörrach, Weil am Rhein and Basel, and in the other direction toward Maulburg, Schopfheim and Zell im Wiesental. The B317 and local roads connect the valley settlements. A simple itinerary is to explore the central village and its market, then travel or drive to Höllstein and continue uphill to Endenburg or Kirchhausen for the museum and countryside. The municipality is also a recognised gateway to the Southern Black Forest Nature Park. Market days, museum visits and regional services have their own schedules, so check opening hours and transport times before travelling.