2023-10-28 09:04:47
Die Region
When holidaymakers want to locate Rhine-Hesse, some face geographical difficulties: somewhere on the Rhine, that’s a good thing. But where exactly? In Hessen? Incorrect. The region is bordered in the south and west by the Palatinate and in the north and east by the Rhine, which forms the state border with nearby Hesse. The approximately 650,000 residents are used to being mistaken for renegade Hessians.
In fact, after the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the wine region was assigned to what was then the Grand Duchy of Hesse. After the Second World War, however, Rheinhessen was separated from Hesse again because the Rhine also represented the border between the French and American occupation zones.
Since then, Rheinhessen has belonged to Rhineland-Palatinate. The following rhyme is often quoted to holidaymakers as a plausible explanation in one of the countless wine bars: “Without Rhei, I would be Hesse, without White Cod Seel, thanks to the Rhei, I would be Rheihessen”.
Source: Infographic WELT
The largest cities are Mainz, which is also the state capital, and Worms. Famous are Bingen with the Mouse Tower Island in the Rhine and the half-timbered town of Alzey with the Rossmarkt. But most visitors come because of the wine: Thanks to the mild climate in the sheltered location with a lot of sun and little rain, Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine-growing region – with the oldest documented vineyard: The Niersteiner Glöck wines were celebrated in a document as early as 742 AD drank.
Hiking in a hilly landscape
In Rhine-Hessian, the many hills between Alzey, Worms, Mainz and Bingen are called “Hiwwel”, and so hikers go on Hiwwel tours with a panoramic view of the Rhine and the vines. The nine circular hiking trails, between seven and 13 kilometers long, are well signposted, easy to hike, have wineries’ taverns where you can stop off and are conveniently accessible by public bus.
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The “Hiwweltour Neuborn” leads from Wörrstadt to the wine-red Burgundy tower. For ambitious long-distance hikers: The 75 kilometer long Rhine Terrace Trail leads in stages from Weinort to Weinort. It’s hard to get lost, it runs along the Rhine from Worms to Mainz and can also be reached by train.
Jewish heritage from the Middle Ages
Every year 86,000 visitors come to visit the medieval Jewish sites in Worms alone: such as the synagogue and the mikveh. This 800-year-old ritual bath in the synagogue garden is an underground, nine meter deep structure. It is currently being renovated and should then be accessible again.
In the Jewish Museum in Worms you can find out interesting information about the religion and everyday life of the Jewish community from the Middle Ages to the 20th century
Source: SchUM-Cities eV/dpa/picture alliance
In Mainz, on the other hand, there is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe; its earliest gravestone dates from 1049. These sights bear witness to the medieval heyday of the Jewish community in the Rhine region.
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Worms, Mainz and neighboring Speyer in the Palatinate formed the center of Judaism in Europe at the time. Since 2021 they have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as so-called “ShUM sites”. The term is made up of the first letters of the Hebrew city names: Shin (Sh) for Shpira = Speyer, Waw (U) for Warmaisa = Worms, Mem (M) for Magenza = Mainz. Tip: the exhibition “From the Middle Ages to Modernity” in the Jewish Museum in Worms.
A specialty in Rheinhessen
The delicate Rhenish Hesse answer to the Bavarian Obazda is: Spundekäs. A creamy, spicy dip that goes well with wine tastings. It is served in an oval shape reminiscent of the bung of a wine barrel. The recipe is as simple as it is good: 300 grams of cream cheese, 375 grams of cream quark, 125 grams of soft butter, a clove of garlic, two teaspoons of sweet paprika powder, pepper, salt, sprinkled with onions and parsley.
Source: Infographic WELT
In Rheinhessen there is also lye pretzel. Tastes best when it has been chilled for 24 hours.
Germany’s largest wine-growing region
The 6,000 winegrowers in Rheinhessen grow 72 percent of white grape varieties on almost 27,000 hectares, especially Riesling (with the best locations on the Roter Hang of the Oppenheim State Domain near Nierstein). This is followed by Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Kerner and Scheurebe, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc and, more recently, Chardonnay.
When it comes to red grapes, Dornfelder, Portugieser and Pinot Noir are favored at 28 percent. 2023 was a good harvest: the winemakers expect 2.75 million hectoliters of wine from 120 million vines.
The quote
“I am more of a servant than a master of a castle.”
This is what Markus Hecher answers when visitors ask him while weeding in the Burgundy garden of his castle: “You are the lord of the castle?” In 1975, his father bought the dilapidated Spornburg, and since then the family has lived in and renovated Rheinstein Castle in the Rhine-Hesse district of Mainz-Bingen. Today it is a popular excursion destination with a knight’s hall, museum and wine bar for hikers who climb the 360 meter steep footpath. Hecher worries: “It is becoming increasingly difficult to sail a private cultural asset through these very rough times.”
Bizarre, record-breaking, typical: You can find further parts of our regional studies series here.
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In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.
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