Top 20 Natural Monuments around Dalheim

There are so many different hollow ways here

One of several ravines in the area

The Swedish Column is a monument in the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature reserve in Hesse. It commemorates the crossing of the Rhine by the Swedish King Gustav Adolf and his troops during the Thirty Years' War at Hahnensand near Erfelden on December 21, 1631. The twelve-meter-high column was erected in 1632 on the orders of Gustav Adolf by the fortress builder Matthäus Staud. Ludwig Bechstein describes it in his German Book of Legends, published in 1853, as "a tall column resting on four balls that support the pedestal, in the shape of an obelisk. On top it bore the seated Swedish heraldic lion with a helmeted and crowned head, holding a sword and orb in its front paws." This is how the column still appears today. The lion is looking in the direction in which the crossing took place, the battlefield and the Swedish cemetery. However, the Swedish Column is no longer in its original location. It was built in the 18th century due to the threat of erosion

The Swedish Column is a monument in the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature reserve in Hesse. It commemorates the crossing of the Rhine by the Swedish King Gustav Adolf and his troops during the Thirty Years' War at Hahnensand near Erfelden on December 21, 1631. The twelve-meter-high column was erected in 1632 on the orders of Gustav Adolf by the fortress builder Matthäus Staud. Ludwig Bechstein describes it in his German Book of Legends, published in 1853, as "a tall column resting on four balls that support the pedestal, in the shape of an obelisk. On top it bore the seated Swedish heraldic lion with a helmeted and crowned head, holding a sword and orb in its front paws." This is how the column still appears today. The lion is looking in the direction in which the crossing took place, the battlefield and the Swedish cemetery. However, the Swedish Column is no longer in its original location. It was moved inland in the 18th century because of the threat of erosion. Bechstein also reports that the Swedish king and four companions sailed down the Rhine in a small boat and spotted Spanish units entrenched near Oppenheim on the left bank of the Rhine. In any case, the Spaniards had taken up positions on the Kühkopf peninsula, which was then on the left bank of the Rhine, to protect Oppenheim as a military outpost. In order to cross the river with his troops from the right bank of the Rhine, Gustav Adolf had the barn doors of the local farmers pried open and mounted on the few boats available. In this way, his troops, several thousand infantry men, as well as cavalry and artillery of unknown strength, crossed to the other bank. The crossing of the Rhine, which was then around 300 m wide, took place in two places. The Swedes managed to take Oppenheim by storm. This crossing of the Rhine is considered one of the outstanding military achievements of the Thirty Years' War. One immediate consequence was that Mainz fell into the hands of the Swedes. For this reason, another monument was erected. After the Second World War, when people were considering what motif the new windows of the Protestant church in Stockstadt am Rhein should have (the old windows were destroyed in a bombing raid), one of the motifs chosen was Gustav II Adolf, because he was welcomed in Stockstadt as a liberator and savior.

Zornheim is the perfect detour if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Mainz. Right at the beginning of the Hiwweltour Zornheimer Berg, the Ruhkreuz awaits with a real surprise. The Frankfurt skyline is very visible on a clear day and shows how close Rheinhessen is to the Rhein-Main area. If you prefer not to see any skyscrapers, just turn around and look at the renatured Selz and the endless Reebenmeer. It is not for nothing that the Ruhkreuz near Zornheim was voted the "Most Beautiful Wine View 2020" this year. Definitely plan a trip to the place. The Lindenplatz with the Three Graces fountain and the church is one of the most beautiful squares in Rheinhessen.

Beautiful view from the Toad Fountain over the vines to Oppenheim.

From the Ruhkreuz you can gaze far into the distance. You can see the Feldberg in the Taunus, the Frankfurt skyline, the Odenwald, the Donnersberg and the Hunsrück. The Rheinhessen flag also flies at this central vantage point.

From the Ruhkreuz you can gaze far into the distance. You can see the Feldberg in the Taunus, the Frankfurt skyline, the Odenwald, the Donnersberg and the Hunsrück. The Rheinhessen flag also flies at this central vantage point. The Ruhkreuz was inaugurated on July 7th, 1918. The Catholic parish in Zornheim had it built. Some parishioners financed the project and the evangelical sculptor Stieb from Nieder-Olm made it. At the Ruhkreuz station was inserted in petition processions. A wayside cross must have stood on the site of the cross erected in 1918. The field name "Am Kreuz" for the vineyards to the south of the site is documented as early as the 18th century The vineyard location "An der Ruh" was decisive for the naming of the cross. This widespread field name describes a place on a path where loads could be set down on a stone for a short rest. Two stone blocks support a stone crossbeam, which is approximately at the level of the load carried on the back. Women from Hahnheim probably put their baskets here for a short rest when they went to the market in Mainz via Zornheim with their goods. There were such benches in many Rhenish-Hessian communities, often with a seat. Supposedly Napoleon donated these benches out of joy at the birth of his son; consequently one also speaks of "Napoleon's benches". The Ruhkreuz in Zornheim is an ideal starting point for hikes or to take a break and let your gaze wander. Source: zornheim.de/freizeit-kultur/sightseeing/ruhkreuz