The miniature castle Leckzapfen was built in 1891 by the brother of the Rheinhessen composer Wendelin Weißheimer, the estate and mill owner Gustav Friedrich Weißheimer (1831-1904), who was based in Osthofen, on his eponymous vineyard. The building, which was extensively restored a few years ago at the initiative of the Kulturnetzwerk Osthofen e.V., bears a striking resemblance to the romantic fairy tale castle Lichtenstein near the Swabian Jura, whose historicist reconstruction is based on the descriptions of the well-known novel "Lichtenstein" by Wilhelm Hauff. In 2011, Leckzapfen was awarded the title "Most Beautiful Vineyard House in Rheinhessen."
Several events take place at Leckzapfen throughout the year, and it can be rented through the tenants (Winery Schönauer Hof, Dieter Kratz) in Osthofen for wine tastings and festivities of all kinds. From its balcony, one enjoys a magnificent view over Osthofen, the Rhine plain, and the hilly landscape of Rheinhessen. Leckzapfen is connected visually to the other historicist vineyard towers in Osthofen and is one of the particularly attractive viewpoints along the Rhine terrace path that runs through Osthofen.
Architectural Details:
- Architectural style: Neo-Gothic within the framework of historicism
- two-story building with a gable roof, battlement gable, and balcony, flanked and overshadowed by a round tower with masonry, slender battlements
- 2007/2008 renovation by architect Jörg E. Deibert, family Schill, winery Dieter Kratz, and Kulturnetzwerk Osthofen e.V.
