Discover Maxsain: Half-timbered houses, mills and trails along the Saynbach

Maxsain combines a rich local history with waterways that converge in the town center. The Saynbach and Steinchesbach meet here; the stream landscape provides a backdrop for walks, cycling tours and relaxation in the Westerwald hills. Half-timbered buildings, varied masonry and the history of an ironworks offer further points of interest to explore. If you are looking for accommodation, you can decide whether architecture, mill history or outdoor trails should be the focus of your stay.

Waterways and trails

The Kölner Weg reaches Maxsain with views of the Saynbach valley, passes a half-timbered house and then continues to Selters. Sights along the route in the Maxsain section include the parish church and the former mayor’s house. The trail runs mainly along wide forest tracks and includes a substantial climb before Maxsain. The trail conditions and elevation gain are therefore useful points of reference when planning your tours.

A cycling tour from Selters reaches Maxsain via a 1.5-kilometer section of cycle path. In town, the route follows the Steinchesbach along Alleestraße as far as Kirchweg, then leaves Maxsain via Schönstraße. The route information differs: the cycling tour specifies a particular section of path, while the Kölner Weg highlights trail conditions and the climb. This can help you decide which route better suits your interest in cycling or hiking.

Half-timbered houses and architectural history

Key sights include a Protestant church with a historic tower and the “Sahm” half-timbered house, considered a surviving example of regional architecture. The Protestant parish church on Kirchweg combines a Romanesque tower with a hall built in 1786. Other buildings also reveal a range of architectural styles: the partly solidly built half-timbered house at Alleestraße 7 dates from the second half of the 18th century. The half-timbered house at Kirchweg 13 bears the date 1688.

At Alleestraße 8 stands a building with a half-hipped roof and rusticated ashlar masonry, dating from around 1910 to 1920. The communal bakehouse at Hauptstraße 32 is now used as the municipal office; the ashlar building dates from the late 19th century. The former school building at Kirchweg 1 is also from the late 19th century, and is built of rubble stone. The fountain on Alleestraße dates from the second half of the 19th century.

Northeast of the settlement, toward Zürbach, lies the Jewish cemetery, designated as a historic monument zone. The cemetery contains about 35 gravestones, including stones dating from around 1810. The town’s history thus encompasses not only homes and municipal buildings, but also a place of remembrance with a long history.

The Hammermühle and its history

The Hammermühle at Hüttenweg 17 is a half-timbered building partly constructed of masonry; it is believed to date from 1727. A new ironworks with an iron hammer was built below the Maxsain pond and completed in 1729. In 1861, a derelict ironworks was converted into what is now the Hammermühle. The Schneider family also installed a power station at the mill, which supplied electricity for the first time in 1902. These milestones connect the history of the iron hammer with milling and electricity generation.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Westernohe, Alsbach, Oberhaid, Wirges, Hellenhahn-Schellenberg, Hartenfels, Nistertal, Kadenbach.

For the main travel overview: Westerwald.