Hirsau's economy includes small retail establishments, tourism, and light industry.

The town grew round the Benedictine monastery that is its main historical significance and was once among the most famous in Europe.

The archaeological site of Hirsau features a blend of architectural styles, with the remnants of a columned basilica, once the largest Romanesque church in southwest Germany, and the walls of a Gothic cloister.

Additionally, the site includes a representative hunting lodge from the Renaissance period.

Notably, the grounds once housed the renowned "elm tree" immortalized in Ludwig Uhland's eponymous poem.