Between the Roman fort in Niederbieber and Guard Post 1/33, the Limes runs below the Melsbach ruins of the Cross Church over the Wingertsberg down into the Aubach valley and on to the small fort of Anhausen, through the Heimbacher forest to Bendorf-Sayn.
There is a reconstruction of a palisade section, on the municipal district in the 2nd construction phase. A Limes stele provides information about the special features of this section of the Limes.
Rest areas with distant views have been installed along the Limes Trail. From here, the view extends far into the Rhine valley and the Eifel to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
Melsbach is an ideal starting point for hikes along the Limes in the direction of Rheinbrohl/ RömerWelt and Bendorf-Sayn.
Ruin of the old Melsbach Cross Church
The ruins of the Cross Church are located at the southern entrance to Melsbach, on the right-hand side of the main road (coming from Neuwied) and east of the present sports field. It stands on a flat hill and nestles against a small wood to the north. It is easily recognisable from a distance from the south.
The Cross Church was first mentioned in documents in 1399. It was a small, single-nave building in late Gothic style. The walls were made of rubble stone. There was a large front entrance to the west and a side entrance from the south. Whether there was a bell tower (ridge turret) is unknown and is considered unlikely, since such a turret was not yet common for single-nave chapels at that time. Today, the main portal, the south wall and side portal, and sparse remains of the north wall are all that remain. The south wall also shows the lower part of a window opening. The east wall is completely missing. Three steps can be seen in front of the main entrance; there may originally have been more.
Historical documents from the years 1542 and 1544 prove that Johann IV of Wied-Runkel, Count of Wied, had made generous donations. Part of the proceeds, which went to the parishes of Altwied, Feldkirchen, Oberbieber and Heddesdorf, were to be used to pay the priests of the Cross Church, among others. Even at this time, the Cross Church was a much-visited place of pilgrimage for the Augustinian nuns of Andernach. It was under the curatorial and ecclesiastical care of the Archbishop of Cologne, Hermann V of Wied, an uncle of Johann IV. It was also Hermann V who regularly initiated donations and endowments to the Wieder church parishes.
Winding tower
Not far from the ruins of the Cross Church stands the iron winding tower of the disused clay mine of Dr. C. Otto & Comp. It was built around 1938/1939. Although it is still possible to visit the winding tower today, it may no longer be climbed due to the danger of collapse.
Natural monument
Waterfall of the Laubach
Touristik-Verband Wiedtal e.V.
Neuwieder Straße 61
56588 Waldbreitbach
Tel. 02638 4017
info@wiedtal.de
www.wiedtal.de
Opening hours
Monday-Friday 8.30-12.30 & 13.30-17.30
Saturday 8.30-12.30 Sunday & public holidays 10.00-15.00 (April to October)
During the Christmas Village Waldbreitbach: Monday-Sunday daily 9.30-17.30 hrs.
Tourist Information Rengsdorf
Westerwaldstraße 32-34
56579 Rengsdorf
Tel. 02634 61113
Opening hours
Monday-Wednesday 7.30-16.00
Thursday 7.30-18.00
Friday 7.30-12.00
You can find a complete accommodation directory at http://wiedtal.de/urlaubsmagazin2020/
Rengsdorfer Straße 4
56581 Melsbach
Tel.: 02634 921349
DOMGCDM@t-online.de
Mittelstr. 13
56581 Melsbach
Tel.: 02634 922 2882
buero@hotel-elisabethhoehe.de
www.hotel-elisabethhoehe.de