Bassenheim: Local History and Hiking Trails

Bassenheim combines local history with walking and cycling routes. Cultural highlights include the Early Gothic relief of St. Martin, a museum with several exhibition themes, and memorial sites. When planning a tour, the routes differ mainly in their starting points, itineraries, and modes of transport.

Church and St. Martin Highlights

The Catholic parish church of St. Martin stands in the historic town center. Above the left side altar is the Early Gothic sandstone relief of St. Martin, known as the “Bassenheim Horseman.” The church was built in 1899–1900. This brings two distinct periods in art and architectural history together in one place: the Early Gothic relief and the church building from the late 19th century.

The Bassenheim St. Martin Museum focuses on exhibits about St. Martin, the Walpots of Bassenheim, and the family of the Barons von Oppenheim. The museum thus broadens the focus beyond the individual relief of St. Martin.

Walpotplatz and the Castle

Walpotplatz is decorated with sculptures of the Walpot counts carved in basalt and a fountain depicting the history of Bassenheim. The memorial at the square also commemorates a specific episode: the meeting between Konrad Adenauer and Robert Schuman at Bassenheim Castle on October 18, 1948. At the meeting, they discussed opportunities for German-French understanding. The fountain depicts the history of Bassenheim in a broader context, while the memorial focuses on a single, precisely dated meeting.

The present-day Bassenheim Castle dates back to the 16th century, when it was built as a fortified structure with a moat. Its history also includes its restoration and redesign by Raschdorff.

Park and Tree-Lined Avenue

Bassenheim Park is an approximately 20-hectare landscaped park in the English style. Three large ponds, streams, and waterfalls shape its grounds. Public access is restricted; guided tours of the park are offered by the Bassenheim municipal administration.

A tree-lined avenue lies along the route from Bassenheim to Karmelenberg. Over the centuries, it has been crossed by groups of pilgrims, processions, and walkers. Some of the trees are centuries old and have unusual shapes. Karmelenberg is designated as a nature reserve.

Walking and Cycling Routes

The BA1 “Around Bassenheim” hiking trail is a circular route around Bassenheim. It starts at the church in the historic town center and runs via Schamberg to the barbecue hut. An information board along the route points out traces of Celtic settlements. The Celtic Trail at Goloring is another circular hiking route: it is about 10.5 kilometers long and starts at Walpotplatz. This makes for a practical comparison when choosing a route: BA1 takes in the church, Schamberg, and the barbecue hut, while the Celtic Trail is defined by its starting point at Walpotplatz and its approximate total length.

The Maifeld Cycle Route from Bassenheim to Mayen Ost station is 24.0 kilometers long. Starting in Bassenheim, the route passes through a shady green tunnel of cherry trees, oaks, and birches. The Maifeld Cycle Route is signposted with its logo.

Discover more destinations: Acht, Weißenthurm, Herresbach, Kobern-Gondorf, Spay, Lonnig, Mertloch, Mülheim-Kärlich

See the regional travel overview: Mayen-Koblenz.