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The Staufer stele has been relocated. It is now set off to the right of the church entrance. The Staufer stele is definitely worth a look. Since 2000, 38 Staufer steles have been erected in six European countries as part of a project unique in the world. The steles are located at sites related to the history of the Staufers, who were dukes, kings, and emperors in the High Middle Ages.

Built as an imperial castle around 1240, it was further expanded from around 1250 onward. In 1481, under Count Eberhard the Beard, it was expanded and converted into a palace, where the old Imperial Storm flag was kept. Partially demolished in 1724. The stones were used, among other things, for the construction of the Ludwigsburg Residence. In 1808, a new building was constructed: a penitentiary, later an orphanage. From 1873, it served as a teachers' college, now a secondary school.

The town hall was built in 1441 as a merchant's hall, council building, and courthouse. One stands before a half-timbered building whose distinctive style is impressively evident and its inherent beauty immediately reveals itself. The building's aesthetics are complemented by a monumentality that inspires awe. Photogrammetric measurements taken in the 1960s show the building's respectable dimensions: The width in plan is between 15.46 m and 15.47 m, the length between 24.93 m and 24.96 m, and the height of the building, depending on the ridge point, measures between 26.24 m and 26.41 m.

Market square with town hall and market fountain. In 1499, the ducal master builder Peter von Koblenz built a four-kilometer-long water pipe for the market fountain. Given the only 22-meter difference in height between the spring in the Oberer Leudelsbach area and the market square, this was a masterpiece. The tubular fountain, with its constantly flowing spring water, made daily life much easier. On market days, nets of live fish were hung in the trough to keep them fresh. In 1580, the Leonberg stonemason Jeremias Schwartz created the fountain figure, a knight in Renaissance armor holding a shield bearing the duchy's coat of arms and the Markgröningen town coat of arms. In 1866, the old stone fountain trough was replaced with a cast-iron fountain basin. In 1930, the figure was restored and mistakenly depicted holding a sword. In 1945, the French occupiers cut off the sword and buried it in the market fountain. In 1959, sculptor Hermann Berner created a cast of the armorer, restoring the Märktbronnamå's command staff, a symbol of the authority of the authorities. The original now stands in the Wimpelin Courtyard.

The simple Gothic church was built in several phases from the 13th to the 15th century. It was built on the site of a Romanesque predecessor, whose size was almost the same as the present nave. The church's impressive size reflects the importance of the town and its builders. Hartmann, Count of Grüningen (d. 1280), is the church's founder. It was originally dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul. Numerous images in the church refer to them, such as the keystones in the choir, which depict Paul with the sword and Peter with the key, and one of the carvings on the choir stalls from the 14th century. When and under what circumstances the church changed its patronage and became a St. Bartholomew's Church is unclear. A connection to the traditional St. Bartholomew's Market is plausible, but not conclusively proven. St. Bartholomew is considered, among other things, the patron saint of shepherds, farmers, winemakers, and leather workers. For centuries, on his name day, August 24th, the shepherds' guild meeting took place in the town, opening with a church service. The Shepherds' Run, held on the last weekend in August, keeps this tradition alive.

Wide bridge over the Enz for cyclists and hikers with a very good view of the water.

Further panoramic view of the Enz Valley, which extends from Unterriexingen over the Leudelsbach Valley to Bietigheim-Bissingen.

Looks nice driving by.