Discover Keldung: Hiking and local history
Accommodation in Keldung
Keldung combines a starting point for hikes into the Elz Valley with a historic village center and distinctive landmarks of local history. St. Stephen’s Chapel also helps orient you in the village: the Lower Village below the chapel forms the historic core. When choosing your destination, you can therefore take both hiking and architectural and local history into account.
Hikes from Keldung
From Keldung, you can reach the Elz Valley in about ten minutes and Burg Eltz in half an hour. The valley and the castle are two specific destinations to consider when planning. Keldung is described as a starting point for hikes into the Elz Valley; the stated times refer to the routes from Keldung to each destination. If you would also like to learn about the village’s history in addition to hiking, Keldung has its own selection of historical points of interest.
Chapel and historic village center
St. Stephen’s Chapel is connected with Keldung’s long religious history. Saint Stephen has been venerated there since the 13th century. The chapel itself was first mentioned in a document in 1420. Later, a chancel was added in 1707, and the nave was renovated in 1832. These dates mark different stages: the veneration of the saint, the first written mention of the building, and later changes to the chapel.
The historic village center lies in the Lower Village below the chapel dedicated to Saint Stephen. The chapel and cemetery form a historic complex. There is also a wayside cross with a niche dating from 1701 in front of the chapel. This wayside cross is a distinct, dated feature of the village and can be distinguished chronologically from the later changes to the chapel.
Further traces of history
Another landmark in the village’s history is the cast-iron hand pump from the 19th century in front of the house at Hauptstraße 22a. It adds a piece of everyday life to the historic buildings and memorial sites around the chapel. An archaeological find is also associated with Keldung: the hoard known as the Carolingian coin hoard of Pilligerheck was found in the area of Keldung, which belongs to the town of Münstermaifeld. The story of the find offers another way to explore the village’s past, alongside its visible buildings and fixtures.
MĂĽnstermaifeld: Walking tours, museum and cycling and hiking trail
Münstermaifeld itself also offers further historical and cultural attractions. A historic town tour takes you past the city’s main sights on a walk lasting just under an hour. A smartphone-based town tour lets you explore 31 sights. The two options focus on different things: one specifies the length of the walk, while the other gives the number of sights.
The Maifeld Archaeological Museum is located in Münstermaifeld, in the vaulted cellar beneath the Tourist Information Office in the old provost’s residence on Münsterplatz. Its permanent exhibition is titled “Wealth. Power. Salvation.” The Local History and Experience Museum has additional museum rooms in Münstermaifeld, including a historic forge.
The Maifeld cycling and hiking trail offers a different perspective on the destination. It runs along a disused railway line that is almost flat, between MĂĽnstermaifeld, Polch, Ochtendung and Mayen. The route is also a sculpture trail, with works of art forming an open-air museum in the landscape. From the former MĂĽnstermaifeld railway station, the route initially follows the main cycling and hiking trail; after about 500 meters, the route to Burg Eltz branches off. Hiking, town tours, the museum and the cycling and hiking trail offer different themes that you can consider separately when planning your trip and prioritize according to your interests.
For the broader travel overview: MĂĽnstermaifeld.
