Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

166 BACK ROADS GERMANY

s Oppenheim

Rhineland-Palatinate; 55276

A ruined castle and a magnificent Gothic church are powerful

reminders of Oppenheim’s medieval heyday. Raised to the status

of a Free City of the Holy Roman Empire in 1225, it lost its indepen-

dence in the following century and was leveled by French troops

during the War of the Palatine Succession (1688–97). This wine-

growing village, on a pretty, sunny site overlooking the Rhine,

also has an intriguing underground labyrinth to explore.

A one-hour

walking tour

Park at the Zentralparkplatz,

on the western

edge of the

Altstadt, before

head ing uphill

along Gaustrasse

and Burgstrasse.

At the top of Burgstrasse

ascend the Schlangenweg

path to reach Landskron

1 , a ruined imperial castle.

At the far end of the castle,

metal steps lead into a

vineyard. Take the path

through it, beyond the

gate in the town wall at

the far end. Cross the road

to the Landskronhalle.

The Burgrestaurant

Landskrone here is a good

place for a snack. Follow

the road down hill to the

Ruprechtsturm 2 , a mock-

medieval folly built in 1903

on the site of a medie val

tower destroyed during

the French occu pa tion.

Con tinue downhill to

Geschlechterbrunnen, a

Renaissance well dating

from 1546, and the arched

entrance to the church yard

beyond it. Go through this,

turning right to reach the

Michaelskapelle 3 , a 13th-

cen tury Gothic chapel. In the

basement is the maca bre

Beinhaus (ossuary), where

the bones of 20,000 citizens

of Oppenheim who died

between 1400 and 1750

lie neatly stacked. Further

along the north wall is the Lapidarium,

with gargoyles and Gothic carvings.

Continue around the outside of the

Katharinenkirche 4 (open daily), a

Protestant parish church, to enter on

the south side. Construc tion began in

1225 in the Romanesque style, but

most of what exists today is Gothic,

including the 14th-century Rose

of Oppenheim win dow. From the

south side of the church yard, go

down the steps to Merian strasse to

the Oppenheimer Stadtmuseum 5

(open daily), with displays on local his-

tory, and the tourist information office

WHERE TO STAY

OPPENHEIM

Hotel Merian moderate

A 17th-cen tury house has been

transformed into this stylish hotel in the

center of town, with 11 double rooms

and one single room.

Wormser Strasse 2, 55276; 06133 949

40; http://www.merianhotel.de

Hotel Zwo moderate

Merian’s stylish sister hotel with a

gourmet restaurant, bistro, and Davidoff

cigar lounge. Rooms are modern, with

good bathrooms and wireless Internet.

Friedrich Ebert Strasse 84, 55276; 06133

949 40; http://www.hotelzwo-oppenheim.de

SPEYER

Domhof moderate

This ivy-clad hotel is very close to

Speyer’s cathedral, with 49 single and

double rooms furnished in conser vative

style. It also has its own microbrewery.

Bauhof 3, 67346; 06232 132 90;

http://www.domhof.de

Right Red sandstone Katharinenkirche,

Oppenheim Far right Old city walls in the

town of Worms Below Outdoor cafés in

front of the Kaiserdom, Speyer

Winery sign,

Oppenheim

0 meters

0 yards

150

150

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

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ZENTRALPARK-PLATZ

Burgrestaurant

Landskrone

Geschlechter-

brunnen

Landskron

Ruprechtsturm

Michaelskapelle

Katharinenkirche

Oppenheimer

Stadtmuseum

Marktplatz

Deutsches

Weinbaumuseum

Rathofkapelle