Discover Stockstadt am Rhein through two distinctive themes: the Kühkopf floodplain landscape and traces of local and industrial history. On the Rhine island, a surviving horsehead pump and the local history museum recall earlier times. The Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature reserve offers a different way to explore the area: along an extensive network of paths suitable for hiking and cycling.
Kühkopf: Floodplain landscape and paths
The Rhine island of Kühkopf was designated a nature reserve in 1952. The Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue floodplain conservation area, which covers almost 24 square kilometres, includes the island and the floodplain complex of Knoblochsaue to the north. This distinction is useful for orientation: the island is part of the larger protected area, which encompasses both named sections.
The Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature reserve has around 60 kilometres of walking paths, all of which are also suitable for cyclists. This figure describes the network of paths, not the length of a single route. You can decide whether to explore on foot or by bike according to your interests. When planning a specific trip, also take the surface and your own needs into account.
The broader destination of Groß-Gerau highlights the area's regional significance: the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue European Reserve lies in the west of the Groß-Gerau district along the Rhine. It is Hesse's largest contiguous nature reserve and serves numerous breeding and migratory birds as a breeding and resting site. This context adds the perspective of the entire protected area to the view of the Rhine island.
Industrial history and local history museum
At Borehole Stockstadt 38 on Kühkopf stands the last surviving horsehead pump from the era of oil extraction. As an industrial monument, it commemorates this period of extraction. Oil production is therefore not only a subject of the exhibition, but is also connected to a tangible historical relic on Kühkopf.
The Stockstadt am Rhein local history museum is housed in the former administrator's residence of Hofgut Guntershausen on Kühkopf. Its permanent exhibition covers the history of the estate, including the visit of Russian Tsar Nicholas II to Kühkopf in 1903. A replica of a gold-washing bench illustrates how gold was once panned in the Rhine. Other sections focus on oil extraction in the Hessisches Ried and basket weaving.
A separate room in the museum also depicts the emergency landing of Count Zeppelin's airship LZ 4 in 1908. The airship landed in the Rhine near Kühkopf, at Kornsand. The museum room places the event in the context of regional history; it is a historical event on display, not a present-day visitor experience.
Church and memorial sites
The townscape also offers points of connection to the past. The Evangelical Church in Stockstadt dates from 1607, and its distinctive tower is a landmark in the town. Its fittings include a Dreymann organ with an Aeoline, built in the 19th century. According to the description, it is the only one of its kind with this stop.
Two Herrensteine, one on each bank of the Rhine, commemorate Landgrave Ludwig VIII. On 10 March 1740, he and his entourage crossed the frozen Rhine on foot. The stones have survived to this day. Their story links a precisely dated event with a memorial associated with both banks.
Another place at the entrance to Kühkopf
The adventure playground at Rheintor is right at the entrance to the Rhine island of Kühkopf and is the largest playground in Stockstadt. It is a distinct named attraction alongside the paths and historical sites. The play equipment may change, so bear this in mind when planning your visit.
Discover more destinations: Biebesheim Am Rhein, Groß-Gerau, Bischofsheim, Rüsselsheim, Kelsterbach, Ginsheim-Gustavsburg, Trebur, Riedstadt.
Go to the broader travel overview: Groß-Gerau.
