Culture on the hiking trail
The Kaiserdome in Worms and Mainz, the Katharinenkirche in Oppenheim or the Rote Hang in Nierstein are known far beyond Rheinhessen and are an absolute highlight of every hike. But the RheinTerrassenWeg lives especially from the gems and moments in the wine villages. People like to talk about their regional attractions. Let yourself drift and enjoy the culture and the stories on the RheinTerrassenWeg.
The Alsheim Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in its present form was built in 1742 as a three-sided enclosed hall building with an (older) star-vaulted choir. Here, the late Gothic style is combined with architectural and pictorial art. The choir, built in 1517, has been preserved from the older church, its so-called "air ribs" "growing out" as decorative elements. The organ by Johann Ignaz Seuffert is a masterpiece of organ building from 1764. The church can be visited during the day.
The church ruins of St Mary Magdalene are located in the small hamlet of Hangen-Wahlheim directly on the RheinTerrassenWeg between Guntersblum and Alsheim. Anyone entering the old cemetery seems to enter another world: the graves and the remains of the ruined church from the 13th century are surrounded by vegetation. The church was destroyed in 1689. The ruins are the property of the Catholic parish of Alsheim; the cemetery belongs to the local parish.
The two towered western facade of the pagan tower church in Guntersblum is really impressive. It's freestanding and has a generous forecourt so the whole building is a testimony of a confident village which got to have prosperity through the trade of wine. The northern tower comes from the time of the first crusade and because of the examination of the wooden beams of the church it's safe to say that the trees that it's made of were cut down in the early summer of 1101. The southern tower was rebuilt in 1842 on the same position where it…
The Leininger castle in the center has a rich history. The shell was completed in 1708, to a further expansion, however, did not initially, because the then owner, Count Carl Ludwig of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg, died in 1709. His wife, Countess Anna Sabina of Nostitz, sold the property in financial distress in 1717 to the Palatinate Privy Council. In the following years, the castle fell more and more into oblivion, until 70 years later, in 1787, again became a member of the Leininger family owners. Count Wilhelm Carl zu…
Ruins are witnesses of history and the old walls of the Landskron castle ruin are no exception. They tell of times past, because rooms and cellars have seen glory, fame, blood, suffering, passion and love. In addition, the castle ruins offer a magnificent view over the Rhine valley. On clear days, the view stretches as far as Frankfurt and the Odenwald. A walk to the Landskrone castle ruins is already worthwhile to enjoy the distant view and the relaxed flair of one of the warmest places in Germany. If you look at the preserved masonry of the…
The St. Catherine's Church is often referred to as the most significant Gothic church building on the Rhine between Strasbourg and Cologne. It catches the eye from afar, as it majestically towers over the center of Oppenheim. Only the two western towers remain from a large Romanesque predecessor building from the first decades of the 13th century. Around 1275, the construction of the Gothic new building began with the construction of the eastern choir. It progressed westward, from the transept with the crossing tower, through the nave to the…
Oppenheim has a unique cultural monument with its wide cellar systems. A circular route through the underground town center of Oppenheim leads through corridors and cellars with a special atmosphere. The extended systems weren't just wine cellars which are popular in every other wine village, but they were also a storafe room for other goods. It's a confusing system with lots of these rooms under the old town with endless aisles and connected cellars which are partly on top of each other on several floors.
Today, only 1 free-standing tower remains of the former Schwabsburg. This consists of massive ashlars and was once the keep of the castle. Located on a Roman military road leading to Mommenheim, it once served to protect and maintain the power of the Staufers in and around Nierstein and Oppenheim. It is unknown who built the castle, but a connection to the construction of Landskron Castle in Oppenheim is assumed, which suggests that it was built between 1125 and 1245. The destruction of these buildings took place in 1620 during the 30 year…