Roxheim: Viticulture and Church History

Roxheim can be explored through several specific themes: viticulture, church history and routes through the wine-growing landscape. The historic churches, the work of the wineries and Roxheim’s “Roxl” each add their own distinctive features.

Church History in Two Buildings

The Protestant parish church in Roxheim reflects several phases of construction. Its current form dates to 1736; the choir tower dates from around 1300, and the Baroque nave from 1738. The choir tower forms the end of the church building and does not contain the entrance. Three bells in the tower also strike the hours. Until 1869, the church was used by both denominations. The historic rectory, which also dates from 1738, is part of the church complex.

A different period of construction defines the Catholic parish church of St. Sebastian: it was built from 1869 to 1871 in the Romanesque Revival style. Together, the two churches offer a concrete glimpse into different eras of local history. The dates help distinguish the buildings: the medieval choir tower and Baroque nave of the Protestant church, and the Romanesque Revival architecture of St. Sebastian.

Viticulture and Seasonal Cuisine

Weingut Merz cultivates around seven hectares of vineyards in Roxheim, neighboring communities and Bad Kreuznach. At its NAHE tasting room, the winery offers tastings of wines from various vineyards around Roxheim. The steep slopes of Roxheimer Höllenpfad and Roxheimer Birkenberg are also part of local winegrowing; they are associated with fine-grained Upper Rotliegend sandstone.

A deed of donation to Fulda Abbey from the year 773 mentions vineyards. This entry is associated with Roxheim’s winegrowing tradition. For a seasonal culinary highlight, Weingut Heil presents Heil’sche Spansau as an October specialty, served with homemade Füllsel potatoes, salad and Federweißer. Dates and availability may vary. If you would like to include this specialty in your plans, check the current dates and availability.

Exploring on Foot and by Bike

The Roxheim “Roxl” Wine Experience Trail is 4.4 kilometres long, rated easy and takes about 1 hour and 14 minutes. Along the way, it offers impressions of the changing seasons in the vineyards, information about wine, views and places to stop and rest. The route and stated duration give you a concrete basis for planning your day; its wine and landscape themes also make the trail a way to get to know Roxheim on foot.

For years, a wayside cross on the edge of Roxheim’s vineyards served as a popular resting place for hikers and cyclists. Another public place to rest is the vineyard hut at the meeting point of the vineyards of St. Katharinen, Mandel and Roxheim. It was handed over for use by hikers and cyclists in 2025. As local infrastructure may be subject to maintenance, check the condition of the hut before your visit.

The Verbandsgemeinde of Rüdesheim has marked hiking trails and cycling routes that make it possible to explore historic villages and buildings. Local circular routes pass through nature, vineyards and villages. A longer cycling option is the Nahe Cycle Route: it runs for around 135 kilometres from its source in Saarland to its mouth in Bingen, passing through the wider region. This offers routes on different scales—from the Roxheim themed trail to a regional cycling route.

More Culture in the Wider Destination of Bad Kreuznach

In the wider destination of Bad Kreuznach, distinct cultural sites offer a broader perspective beyond Roxheim. In Bad Kreuznach, the bridge houses were built from 1480 on the piers of the old Nahe Bridge due to a lack of space. The half-timbered buildings stand on a bridge built around 1300. Also in Bad Kreuznach are the city’s museums, housed in the listed former Bangert manor, which is set in a historic park. The museums have been located there since 1985/86.

The Salinental between Bad Kreuznach and Bad Münster is a historic cultural landscape with 1.1 kilometres of graduation towers, nine metres high, and an open-air inhalatorium. In Bretzenheim, the Felseneremitage can be viewed from the outside year-round and without a guided tour. The place of worship, carved entirely into the rock, probably originated in prehistoric times and was repurposed in the early Christian period. These examples are separate destinations within the wider destination of Bad Kreuznach, not attractions in Roxheim.

Tailor Your Stay to Your Interests

If you would also like to include cultural sites in the wider destination of Bad Kreuznach, take them into account when choosing where to stay. This way, your search begins with the experiences that matter most to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Simmertal, Roth, Traisen, Wallhausen, Bärweiler, Duchroth, Feilbingert, Warmsroth.

Back to the wider travel overview: Bad Kreuznach.