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Landkreis Bad Dürkheim

Old Tower, Appenthal

Landkreis Bad Dürkheim

Elmstein

Old Tower, Appenthal

Highlight • Monument

Old Tower, Appenthal

Recommended by 53 hikers out of 56

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald-Vosges du Nord

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Location: Elmstein, Landkreis Bad Dürkheim, Palatinate Forest, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

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Best Hikes to Old Tower, Appenthal

4.3

(16)

hikers

1. Wolfsschlucht Hut – Old Tower Appenthal loop from Helmbach

13.7km

03:48

240m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

5.0

(2)

hikers

2. Wolfsschlucht Hut – Old Tower Appenthal loop from Appenthal

8.74km

02:30

200m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

5.0

(3)

hikers

3. Helmbachweiher – Bolko Haase Trail loop from Helmbach

11.4km

03:16

270m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Euphemia Anna 🌳

May 20, 2022

This tower is missing a spire because it used to be a church tower. Today, a support association looks after this medieval cultural monument. - But these are NOT the remains of a pilgrimage church, as the (outdated!) information board on site incorrectly states!

"The 'Old Tower' in Appenthal belonged to a respectable sandstone church built at the end of the 15th century. After the church had already fallen into disrepair in the 16th century, the red sandstones were reused for house construction."
The church was donated by Count Palatine Philip. "Although he resided in Heidelberg, he often came to the Elmstein-Appenthal forests belonging to his lands to hunt. The church was dedicated to the 'Most Holy Virgin Mary,' whose veneration was at its peak at the end of the 15th century.
The church is also referred to in the documents as a 'Chapelle,' which in this case had nothing to do with its size, but rather with its ecclesiastical status. It did not belong to a parish, but rather to a chaplaincy (under the 'mater' Elmstein). The church in Appenthal was also NOT a 'pilgrimage church'! Reports using the term 'pilgrimage' were mistakenly interpreted as such. It should only be understood in the sense of 'going to church.'

Source (quoted verbatim): Elmsteiner Heimatschriften from 1996; summary by Milena Hock from 2016:
irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/b2f6b144/files/uploaded/Der%20alte%20Turm%20in%20Appenthal%2C%20Homepage.pdf

Translated by Google •

1Fritz-Marc 🚴🥾🏊🌲

February 18, 2019

It used to be a pilgrimage church of St. Mary, built in 1488. Today, only the church steeple stands as a ruin, which characterizes the townscape of Appenthal.

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 220 m

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Saturday 1 November

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Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

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Location: Elmstein, Landkreis Bad Dürkheim, Palatinate Forest, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

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Old Tower, Appenthal

1. Wolfsschlucht Hut – Old Tower Appenthal loop from Helmbach

2. Wolfsschlucht Hut – Old Tower Appenthal loop from Appenthal

3. Helmbachweiher – Bolko Haase Trail loop from Helmbach

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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