Rheinhessen is in the state Rhineland-Palatinate and belongs to Upper Rhine Plain. It is to the south of the Front Palatinate, to the west of the North and West Palatinate and to the north and east of Rhine limited, which here is the national border Hesse forms. The closes north of the Rhine Rheingau on, to the east that Rhine Main Area and the Hessian Ried at. This article closes that Nahe valley below the inflow of the Glan with a.
Rheinhessen is strongly influenced by viticulture and, like many regions along the Rhine, belongs to the historical cultural landscapes of Germany, in which two of the three German imperial cathedrals are located.
The region has had the name since the early 19th century, when it fell to the Grand Duchy of Hesse (-Darmstadt) as a result of the Congress of Vienna.
Regions
Regions within Rheinhessen are (not nationwide):
- the Rheinhessen Switzerland: The lovely hilly landscape lies between Alzey and Bad Kreuznach.
- the Selztal
- the Rhine terrace between Worms and Mainz
- the Inselrhein between Mainz and Bingen
- the Nahe valley
places
- 1 Alzey
- City in the middle of Rheinhessen with a cozy pedestrian zone in the old town. Also worth a visit is the Wartberg Tower with a panoramic view of Rheinhessen.
- 2 Bad Kreuznach - Spa town on the Nahe
- 3 Bingen am Rhein - Gate to Middle Rhine Valley and organizer of the State Garden Show 2008 and the long existing park on the Rhine.
- 4 Ingelheim - with the Kaiserpfalz.
- 5 Mainz - The capital of Rhineland-Palatinate has a great history and numerous sights. Mention should be made of the Kaiserdom and the cozy old town. Numerous museums invite you to visit.
- 6 Neck home - Carl Zuckmayer's birthplace. Open-air performances of his pieces in the summer months. The Old Rhine Islands (with a bathing beach) and the hiking routes along the river are particularly special.
- 7 Nierstein - "Red wine metropolis" south of Mainz on the Rhine
- 8 Oppenheim - Small town on the Rhine with a pretty old town, overlooked by the Katharinenkirche and the Landskron ruins.
- 9 Worms - The cathedral and Nibelung city on the Rhine with a long history of numerous Reichstag is popular with visitors.
Other goals
- Zell valley: Here Germany becomes Mediterranean. When driving through the small wine-growing villages, one feels reminded of southern Europe. The valley is located approx. 15 km east of Worms and is already partly part of the Palatinate.
- Thunder Mountain: The 678 m high "roof" of Rheinhessen and the Palatinate is a small, exposed low mountain range. It belongs to the Palatinate, but is visible as a landmark in large parts of Rheinhessen.
- Osthofen - The one operated by the National Socialists in 1933/34 Osthofen concentration camp is now a memorial.
background
The region bears the title of "largest German wine-growing region". If you visit Rheinhessen, you can't ignore wine. Numerous vineyards characterize the open, hilly area. Rheinhessen is not a classic holiday area. The region need not shy away from comparison with well-known travel regions. There's a lot to discover.
Incidentally, the "mountains" in Rheinhessen are called "Hiwwel" - which means hill.
language
In Rheinhessen, dialect is spoken that sounds something like this: There are bääm in the forest, is käner do, is käner de häm. The sun shines so schä, the girls ham scheppe bä, is something tiny, is it klä.
Question: Henner Hemmer? Answer: inhibitor inhibitor. Translated, this means: do you have shirts? Yes, we have shirts.
getting there
By plane
The closest airport, especially in the north of Rheinhessen, is the unmistakable airport Frankfurt
(IATA: FRA). The onward journey usually takes place with the S-Bahn and change in Mainz Hbf. Travel time should be one to one and a half hours.
By train
Central long-distance traffic stop with a stop from ICEs and ICs is Mainz Hbf. Some IC also stop in Bingen Hbf and Worms Hbf. Regional express trains stop in Mainz Hbf, Mainz Römisches Theater, Ingelheim, Bingen Central Station, Alzey and Worms.
In the street
Rheinhessen is well connected to the motorway network. The region is to the north of the A60 (Bingen-Mainz-Rüsselsheim) and to the west of the A61 (Mönchengladbach-Koblenz-Speyer-Hockenheim) developed. The A63 (Mainz-Kaiserslautern crosses Rheinhessen centrally.
mobility
There is a transport association in Rheinhessen RNN (Rhein-Nahe Nahverkehrsverbund) in the northern part. The state capital Mainz, which is open to the RMV heard, but has transition tariffs with the RNN. In the southern sub-area there is the VRN (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar). The border overlaps on a line from east to west at the height of Alzey.
The regional railway line Mainz - Ludwigshafen is currently being expanded into an S-Bahn, the stations are being redesigned and made barrier-free.
Tourist Attractions
Compared to neighboring tourist regions such as the Middle Rhine Valley, the Palatinate or the Taunus, spectacular sights in Rheinhessen are rather few and far between and are most likely to be found in the larger cities such as Mainz, Worms and Bingen (these are listed on the relevant local page). Closed historic town centers are also rarely found here. At a second glance, however, historical "gems" are revealed in almost every place, which are worthwhile excursion destinations. In particular, some regional features such as the trulli, the "cow chapels" or the "Heidentürme" give the cultural landscape its special character.
- Bell Church near Eckelsheim - late Gothic church ruins, in whose atmospheric ambience sometimes events such as concerts take place.
- Bismarck Tower at Gau-Algesheim - On the Westerberg between Ingelheim and Gau-Algesheim there is a Bismarck tower from 1912. It allows a wide view of the Rheingau. At the foot of the tower there is an excursion restaurant and a tiger garden, in which several Bengal tigers can be viewed.
- Stain wall in Flörsheim-Dalsheim - An almost completely preserved city wall from the 15th century stretches around the district of Dalsheim (length approx. 1100 m, height up to 10 m). Several towers can still be seen. The name goes back to the term "stains", which referred to a place with market rights. Some of the wall can be walked on a circular path.
- "Pagan towers" in Alsheim, Dittelsheim-Hessloch, Guntersblum and Worms - Several churches in the south-eastern part of Rheinhessen are provided with so-called "Heidentürmen": This is a tower shape that is reminiscent of oriental shapes due to the special construction of the domes. Sometimes the term "Saracen Tower" can also be found. St. Bonifatius in Alsheim, the Protestant church in Dittelsheim-Hessloch, the Protestant church in Guntersblum and St. Paulus in Worms have "Heidentürme". Although there are a few such towers in Wetzlar and Saarland, an accumulation such as in Rheinhessen is unique in Germany.
- Imperial Palace in Ingelheim - The Kaiserpfalz, founded in the 8th century AD, is one of the most famous sights in Rheinhessen. Charlemagne already visited the Palatinate regularly. Numerous ruins such as the Aula regia, the Heidesheimer Tor and the hall church from the 10th century bear witness to the great past of this important place. The monument area is located in the middle of a residential area and is freely accessible. In a museum center you can get comprehensive information about the building ensemble and its history.
- Basement labyrinth in Oppenheim - From the 14th century, an approx. 40 km long tunnel system was built in the city, which served as a storage room for goods, but also as a place of refuge in times of war. A small part of this fascinating structure can be viewed on a guided tour. They also serve as a venue for the Oppenheim Festival.
- Katharinenkirche in Oppenheim - The church, which dominates the cityscape, is the most important Gothic church between Strasbourg and Cologne.
- "Cow bands" (various locations) - In the 19th century, due to fire protection considerations with state funding, approx. 300 cross vaults, which were designed as cow stalls, were built in Rheinhessen. Due to this regional historical curiosity, around 200 of these "cow chapels" are still preserved today. After being long forgotten, many cross vaults have been revived by their owners in recent decades and often renovated into "wine vaults". Some of the vaults are now accessible as ostrich taverns, some as part of special events. On the annual "Open Wine Vault Day", a number of the "cow chapels" open their doors to visitors.
- Rochusberg at Bingen - The hill south of Bingen has several worthwhile excursion destinations: The neo-Gothic Rochus Chapel (view of the Rhine-Hessian hill country, further east benches with a beautiful view of the island Rhine), the Hildegard Forum of the Sisters of the Cross as a stop and the Kaiser Friedrich Tower in the west which opens up an impressive view of the Nahe estuary and the Binger Loch.
- Landskron ruins in Oppenheim - The hilltop castle built in the 13th century was destroyed in the Palatinate War of Succession in 1689. The ruinous palace in particular offers an atmospheric example of romantic ruin aesthetics and serves as an atmospheric backdrop for the festival.
- White house near Flonheim - In Rheinhessen you can find numerous "Trulli" encounter. These are historical vineyard houses, which presumably go back to guest workers from Italy. Perhaps the most beautiful is on a vineyard south of Flonheim and is known as the "White House". The year "1756" can be seen above the lintel. The trullo is now one of the landmarks of Rheinhessen. From the point of view of the house there is a beautiful view of the Alzeyer hill country (picnic table).
- Wissberg With Kreuzkapelle near Gau-Bickelheim - in the midst of the vineyards halfway up the Wissberg, at the end of a Way of the Cross, lies the picturesque Kreuzkapelle, which was built from 1907 to 1910. A panorama path is signposted around the summit plateau, on which there is a golf course, which offers wide views and numerous resting places.
activities
- Cycling on the Selztal cycle path and the others Cycle routes in Rheinhessen
- hike
Rheinhessen is not a "classic" hiking destination. Since there are no larger forest areas with a few exceptions (Lennebergwald, north side of the Rochusberg, Rheinhessische Schweiz), the region has few areas that appear close to nature. The existing paths are mostly farm roads that are either paved or graveled. Narrow nature trails are an exception here. The big plus of the Rhine-Hessian landscape, on the other hand, lies in the countless panorama paths, which, especially in autumn, when the leaves of the vines turn brightly, offer an impressive landscape experience due to the seemingly endless expanse. From some points of view, up to four neighboring low mountain ranges can be seen at the same time (Taunus, Hunsrück, Odenwald, Palatinate). One advantage of the Rhine-Hessian landscape is that due to the extensive openness of the area, getting lost is hardly possible and orientation is usually easy even without markings and a map. Nevertheless, numerous hiking trails have been newly created and marked in recent years. Due to the mostly low incline and the nature of the path, many routes are also ideal for Nordic walking.
- * Three towers hike: This approx. 12.5 km long circular route around Nierstein connects the Niersteiner Warte, the keep of the Schwabsburg in the town of the same name and the modern "Trutzburg" to a tour with great views.
- * "Hiwwelrouten" in the Rheinhessen Switzerland: Four premium hiking trails between 10 and 12 km long and certified by the German Hiking Institute open up the natural beauty of this ecologically and geologically structured region. The "Hiwweltour Eichelberg", the "Hiwweltour Tiefenthaler Höhe", the "Hiwweltour Bismarckurm" and the "Hiwweltour Heideblick" offer sections with forest and heather passages that you would not easily associate with Rheinhessen.
- * RheinTerrassenWeg: The route from Mainz to Worms always runs along the slope edge of the Rheinhessen hill country to the Rheingraben and offers almost continuously excellent views of the Hessian Ried, the Odenwald and the Hochtaunus. The route between Nackenheim and Nierstein over the red slope is particularly impressive.
- * Selztal terroir routes: In the Selztal, around Jugenheim, Stadecken-Elsheim and Essenheim, five shorter routes have been laid out, which not only allow great views of the surrounding landscape, but also offer insights into the geological properties of the soil.
Interesting walking areas close to the city are also the Lennebergwald in the west of Mainz with its labyrinthine network of sandy, root-rich paths (refreshment stops and prospects at Lenneberg Tower) as well as the neighboring ecologically significant nature reserve Mainz sand between Mainz-Mombach and -Gonsenheim.
kitchen
Rheinhessen is a wine country. There are many inexpensive taverns and taverns where you can stop off after a hike or bike ride and drink a spritzer or wine and strengthen your stomach. The ostrich taverns are only allowed to be open 4 months a year and offer simple dishes that are lovingly and tasty prepared .
The Rheinhesse actually only wants Weck, Worscht and Woi (bread rolls, sausage and wine). The winemaker chefs bring much better things to the table. Typical starters are Spundekäs with small pretzels that fill you up on their own or Handkäs with music. Then you order something hearty like vintner's gnarly or vintner's steak with fried potatoes or, in May and June, an asparagus dish, fresh from the field next door. Warning, the vintners are very stingy with water because they have to buy it, so the spritzer is only fortified with water.
nightlife
There is a lot of celebrations in Rheinhessen. Every village has its wine festivals. In addition, the winemakers clear their courtyards and offer a lot of culinary and often cultural items in addition to their wines.
climate
Rheinhessen has the mild and dry climate of the Upper Rhine. When spring arrives here and the green sprouts, it will still be a few weeks in other parts of Germany.
With average annual rainfall of just 500 - 600 mm, the region is one of the driest areas in Germany. The surrounding low mountain ranges have significantly higher rainfall. The Palatinate Forest to the south, for example, receives up to 1100 mm of precipitation in the ridge areas. [1].
The other side of the coin are the hot summers. The sun then burns mercilessly in the tree-poor landscape. The frequent short heat thunderstorms bring relief here. Of course, you shouldn't be outdoors with them.
Weather forecast - "Worms" weather station from Meteomedia AG by Jörg Kachelmann 4-day forecast
trips
Neighboring regions worth seeing:
- Rheingau and Taunus
- Middle Rhine Valley
- Hunsrück
- Palatinate with the German Wine Route and the Palatinate Forest
- Mountain road and Odenwald
- Rhine Main Area With Frankfurt am Main
- Rhine-Neckar area
Hikes:
- Hiwweltouren are selected hiking tours in Rheinhessen, which are particularly varied, have interesting routes, are well signposted and have an infrastructure that is desirable for hikers, such as historical sites, viewpoints, restaurants and hotels. The name "Hiwwel" comes from the Rheinhessen dialect and means "hill". There are currently nine different hiking routes, all of them circular hikes, with a length between 6.8 and 13.3 km.[2]
References to literature and maps
- Official topographic map 1: 50000 - Mainz and Rheinhessen, publisher: State Office for Surveying and Geospatial Information. There is a map with built-in hiking and cycling trails.
- Cycling map of Rheinhessen Süd - Alzey-Worms district - The local cycling map of the ADFC Worms on a scale of 1: 30000 presents the southern Rheinhessen on 6 tours. The tour suggestions are both entered on the map and described in a booklet: 1st edition 2009 ISBN 978-3-931273-52-1 ; Price: 7 euros; Sheet cut of the map. The card is in the publisher Meki maps published.
Individual evidence
- ↑Physics University of Karlsruhe card: Mean precipitation in Germany between 1960 and 1990
- ↑Hiwweltouren in Rheinhessen
Web links
- Rheinhessen tourism
- The "Hiwweltouren" - Article from SWR1 RP
