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.
In 2012, the view from the Nierstein Brudersberg was chosen as the "Most Beautiful Vine View 2012" in Rheinhessen. The German Wine Institute (DWI) and the regional wine marketing organizations awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Vine View 2012" for the first time in all 13 German growing regions. These are viewpoints that offer particularly spectacular views of the wine landscapes. From the Brudersberg, you have an optimal view in good weather into the Hessian Ried all the way to Frankfurt (view direction east), further to the Taunus with…
The red hillside is a wine growing area with special optics between Nierstein and Nackenheim. The former formation emerged over 280 million years ago because of a collapse of the rhine ditch between the basin of Mainz and the upper rhine ditch. Another special feature is the red ground which was also determining for the name. The colouring happened because of embedded iron compounds which emerged under the subtropic climate of another era. The substance of the ground is consists of clay and sandstone and in combination with the climate…
The Catholic Parish Church of St. Gereon, built in 1716, is imposingly situated on a hill that offers visitors a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. The church is listed as an architectural monument in the list of cultural monuments in Rhineland-Palatinate and houses an impressive high altar (1698) and beautiful ceiling paintings in the choir room by Hans Thumann from 1936. The RheinTerrassenWeg leads directly past the baroque hall building.
Carl Zuckmayer set a literary monument to his birthplace Nackenheim with his play "The Merry Vineyard". Open-air performances of his works take place here regularly. You can find out about his family history in a permanent exhibition in the local museum. A bust in front of the town hall commemorates Nackenheim's most famous son.
The town hall in Bodenheim is a typical example of the Franconian-Hessian half-timbered construction style of the Renaissance around 1600 and is considered one of the most beautiful half-timbered houses in Rheinhessen. The renovation was completed in 2023; it now shines in new splendour in the old town centre of the wine-growing community of Bodenheim. It was built in 1608 under the then lord of the village, Provost Anton Walpot von Bassenheim, as a new courthouse for the Mainz Knights' Abbey of St Alban. In the bay window, we recognise the…
The Mainz Cathedral has experienced a lot in its more than 1,000 years. At the junction of significant trade and traffic routes, the city developed into a religious center north of the Alps and received the honorary title "Holy See." Archbishop Willigis had the cathedral built from 975 based on the model of the old St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. However, the first grand celebration ended differently than planned: On the day of the consecration in the year 1009, a fire broke out and destroyed the new building. It was not until 1036 that the…
In life-size, Johannes Gutenberg rises on the square named after him. The bronze statue is crafted by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and depicts the inventor of the printing press in an idealized form: bearded, elegantly dressed, with a Bible and typefaces in hand, as no contemporary portrait exists. At the inauguration in 1837, the people of Mainz celebrated for three days. Even today, the Gutenbergplatz around the monument is vibrant, especially during the Johannisnacht at the end of June, when the festival in honor of the famous…
The Gutenberg Museum, one of the oldest printing museums in the world, is closely connected to the city of Mainz. After decades at Liebfrauenplatz, the previous location in the so-called Schellbau was closed in early October 2024 to make way for a new building. Since the end of November 2024, the museum has been hosting the interim exhibition "Gutenberg Museum MOVED" at the Natural History Museum Mainz, Reichklarastraße 1. In the restored rooms of the former Clarissan convent, the museum presents itself with a modern exhibition concept…