Bell: Bread Oven Craft, Local History and Hiking Trails

Bell brings together historic village landmarks, bread oven craft and its own hiking area. When looking for a hotel in Bell, these themes offer different points of reference: churches and fountains shape the village’s history, bread ovens represent local craftsmanship, and the network of trails opens up the landscape. The details below will help you explore these highlights according to your interests.

Churches and Village History

The Catholic parish church of St. Florinus is an impressive tuff-stone building. Construction began in 1913; it was completed and consecrated on July 10, 1916. The St. Nicholas Chapel offers a much older historical connection: it is late Romanesque and was first mentioned in a document in 1249. In Bell, you can therefore encounter both a church from the early 20th century and a chapel with medieval roots.

On the new village square in Hummesgasse, established in 2010, there is a historic forge and a fountain installation featuring Bell’s landmark, “einer Jäß.” In the south of Bell, at the end of Brunnenstraße, is Hasenbrunnen, also known colloquially as Hassebuhr. It is the source of the Bellerbach stream. The names and places provide tangible points of reference for the village’s history, distinct from its larger buildings: here, the focus is on fountains, the forge and the village square.

Bread Oven Building as a Craft Tradition

Bread oven building is not just a historical subject in Bell; the tradition continues to this day. Three companies carry it on using a different method: the steam-fired steel bread oven. In this way, Bell combines traditional craftsmanship with an ongoing local trade.

The demonstration bread oven in the area around Hauptstraße, Wehrer Straße and Gänsehalsstraße can be visited. Some of the tools used by bread oven builders are on display there alongside the oven. The original Bell stone bread oven on the village square is also still in use. These details make bread oven building a distinct highlight for anyone interested in local craftsmanship.

Hiking and Finding Your Way Around

Bell’s hiking area covers about 150 hectares and consists mostly of open high forest with beech and oak trees. Its flora and fauna are considered diverse. The network of hiking trails has rest benches, barbecue areas and shelters for hikers. When finding your way around, you can take into account both the area’s woodland character and the available places to rest and shelter.

When choosing a route, you can compare the distance and starting point: the Waldseepfad Rieden is 14.2 kilometers long; the quickest access point from Bell is the Gänsehals hiker parking lot. The 12.9-kilometer Vierberge Tour is quickest to access from Bell via the village square. The Vierberge Tour is therefore shorter, and the two routes start from different points. Before planning your specific hike, check the distance and starting point again.

A regular event in village life is the annual fair: traditionally held on the third Sunday in July, it has been a village fair in the summer calendar of Bell and the region for decades. For travel planning, we recommend checking the specific date and program for the relevant year.

An important point to bear in mind when finding your way around concerns the older Gänsehalsturm tower and the shelter attached to it in the vicinity of Bell: both have been privately owned since 1960 and are not open to the public. Please take this restriction into account when planning your visit.

Mayen-Koblenz as a Wider Travel Destination

The wider travel destination of Mayen-Koblenz adds further cultural themes to Bell. Genovevaburg Castle was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier. Sayn Abbey was founded around 1200; its abbey church was consecrated in 1202. Sayner Hütte adds an industrial heritage dimension: it is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the only monument in Rhineland-Palatinate to hold this distinction. Following restoration, its modern exhibitions and multimedia presentations invite visitors to explore; guided tours and creative workshops are also offered. The wider destination thus spans everything from castle and monastery history to industrial heritage.

Discover more destinations: Rieden

Back to the wider travel overview: Mendig.