Discover Görgeshausen: Pilgrim Route and Local History

Discover Görgeshausen through traces in stone, clay and tradition. A pilgrim route reaches the town via forest and field paths; the history of the Löwenstein and the Kirmes festival also form part of its story. If you enjoy combining outdoor activity with discoveries in local history, you’ll find a variety of starting points here for planning your trip.

Along the pilgrim route through Görgeshausen

A pilgrim route reaches Görgeshausen from Nomborn via the Schwedensteg and forest and field paths. At the edge of town, it passes the sports field and barbecue hut, then runs through the forest towards Aull and the Lahn Valley. The Lahn Cycle Route continues as far as Limburg. This makes it easy to orient yourself using specific landmarks: the route through woodland and open countryside, the named points on the edge of town and the direction towards the Lahn Valley.

The barbecue hut is a public facility operated by the municipality of Görgeshausen. It lies along the described section of the route at the edge of town. This combination of a route and a named landmark makes it appealing to anyone who wants to experience a pilgrim route not just as a line on a map, but also through its stops along the way.

Local history in basalt, clay and art

Four basalt columns bearing the coat of arms of Görgeshausen were erected at the town entrances in 1986. Fired bricks also shape the townscape: numerous buildings, including the old school, were built with bricks made from local clay. Basalt and clay thus tell the story of the town in different ways—through columns bearing the municipal coat of arms and through the building material used in many buildings.

Another date is associated with the new chapel: its foundation stone was laid on 1 May 1949. The central panel of the church’s altarpiece depicts Easter morning, with Christ leaving the tomb. The scene gives the church artwork a clear narrative focus.

The Löwenstein dates back to 1492. In 1981, it was moved from the forest to the new community centre, where it now stands in the entrance hall. A replica was placed at its former location. These details tell the story of the original’s relocation and the replica’s placement, while keeping the original object in the community centre in view.

The Kirmes festival is part of local tradition and is traditionally celebrated on the second weekend after Easter. It continues to take place when enough Kirmesburschen—young men who organise the festival—can be found, and it largely follows old customs. The date is a regular fixture in the annual calendar, while whether the festival takes place depends on the availability of participants.

Bus service and finding accommodation

Bus route 575 serves the Görgeshausen, Löwensteinhalle stop on the Nentershausen–Hambach–Diez route. As routes and timetables can change, check the connection before travelling.

The Westerwald as a wider travel destination

In the Westerwald, the Wäller Tours use a clearly visible logo for marking and navigation. At 657 metres, the Fuchskaute is the highest elevation in the Westerwald. The Holzbach Gorge offers a different landscape: this breakthrough valley, about one kilometre long, has basalt walls up to 30 metres high. These regional examples showcase different highlights—a wayfinding system for tours, a distinctive high point and a valley with steep basalt walls.

Culture and geological history also have their own place in the Westerwald. Stöffel Park is a former basalt quarry covering around 140 hectares, combining industrial heritage, geological history and nature. Fossils are on display at the TERTIÄRUM, including the famous “Stöffel Mouse”, which documents around 25 million years of Earth’s history. The Westerwald Ceramic Museum focuses on the history of working with clay; most of the objects on display originated in a Westerwald clay pit. In the museum workshop, you can get creative yourself with expert guidance. Check the current workshop programme and booking conditions before your visit.

When choosing a destination, it is therefore worth deciding first what you want to focus on. If other nature, geological history or cultural experiences in the Westerwald are the deciding factor, compare the regional destinations accordingly. This keeps your search focused on the experiences that matter for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Staudt, Kaden, Neuhäusel, Gehlert, Dernbach, Neustadt/Westerwald, Guckheim, Kundert

Back to the main travel overview: Westerwald.