The Sebastian Fountain and Wechterswinkel Monastery offer two distinct cultural points of interest in Bastheim: a monument commemorating the 1870/71 campaign, and a permanent exhibition where traditional Nativity scenes meet contemporary art. The wider travel destination of Rhön-Grabfeld offers nature and museum attractions as additional options. This makes it possible to connect local cultural history with very different themes from the region.
Local History at the Sebastian Fountain
The Sebastian Fountain in Bastheim is a war memorial to the “victorious sons of the 1870/71 campaign.” Valentin Weidner built it in 1897 to mark the golden sacerdotal jubilee of Karl Frantz, the former parish priest of the community. A 2.5-metre-high statue of St Sebastian, patron saint of the church and the town, carved from Lorraine limestone, stands on the inscribed plinth; a fountain basin is in front of it. The monument was restored in 1982. Its dedication, statue and fountain combine different aspects of the town: remembrance of the campaign, the connection with its patron saint, and the design of the monument.
Art at Wechterswinkel Monastery
On the monastery’s second floor is WÜRDEVOLL – Impulse for Becoming Human, a permanent exhibition created in 2024. Traditional Nativity scenes and contemporary art are presented side by side. The monastery also houses a district cultural centre for visual art, music, literature and lifestyle. The gallery on the ground floor displays contemporary art, with a focus on sculpture. The exhibition and gallery therefore offer different emphases: Nativity scenes are shown alongside contemporary art in one, while the other focuses particularly on sculpture.
Planning Your Visit and Journey
Besengau-Scheuer is an event venue at Geckenauer Straße 6 in Bastheim. If you would like to include it in your plans, check the date of a specific event. The Wechterswinkel bus stop is just a short walk from Wechterswinkel Monastery. If travelling by bus, it is a good idea to check the current timetable.
Rhön-Grabfeld: Nature and Museums as Regional Additions
The wider travel destination of Rhön-Grabfeld lies within the Rhön UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Lange Rhön is Bavaria’s largest nature reserve outside the Alps; the Black Moor is strictly protected as a core zone within the biosphere reserve. A wooden boardwalk runs through parts of the moor, information panels explain the route, and an observation tower offers a view of the Black Moor. These destinations focus on the landscape and are therefore different from Bastheim’s cultural sites.
The Franconian Open-Air Museum Fladungen offers a different way to explore regional history. Its approximately 12-hectare museum grounds contain around 30 historic buildings, including farmsteads, workshops and a village school. Faithfully reconstructed houses and farmsteads convey 350 years of rural everyday life in Lower Franconia and the Rhön. Hands-on activities about crafts and traditions include demonstrations, practical courses and events. As another distinct experience, the Rhön-Zügle museum railway runs through the Streutal valley with steam and diesel locomotives. The region thus offers a range of different experiences: protected landscapes, historic buildings and a ride on a museum railway.
Discover more destinations: Mellrichstadt, Niederlauer, Hausen, Heustreu, Bad Königshofen Im Grabfeld, Sandberg, Ostheim Vor Der Rhön, Sulzdorf.
View the wider travel overview: Rhön-Grabfeld.
