St. Lambertus Church reflects Merzen’s church history across several building phases: the current Neo-Gothic building was constructed in 1874–1876, while parts of the west tower date back to a Romanesque predecessor church. The Juniper Grove Experience Trail offers another way to explore the area: six stations over around 500 metres connect the natural and cultural history of the landscape.
Merzen as a Municipality
Merzen is a municipality in the Neuenkirchen collective municipality, in the northwest of the district of Osnabrück in Lower Saxony. Its districts are predominantly dispersed settlements. The current municipality was formed during the 1972 municipal reform from Döllinghausen, Engelern, Lechtrup-Merzen, Ost- und Westeroden, Plaggenschale, and Südmerzen. When planning a stay, it is therefore worth checking the specific destination address rather than relying on the municipality’s name alone.
St. Lambertus: Several Building Phases
Merzen had one of the earliest churches in the Osnabrück region. St. Lambertus is a three-aisled Neo-Gothic hall church, built in 1874–1876. “Three-aisled” describes the division of the church interior into three aisles; “Neo-Gothic” identifies its architectural style. Part of the west tower dates from the Romanesque predecessor church; the tower was raised in 1894. In addition, the old lower section of a fieldstone church tower has been incorporated into the present-day church. The early regional church history and the building constructed in 1874–1876 belong to different periods: the church’s current form dates to the late 19th century. Two iron arm rings associated with the legend of the Turkish chains are kept in the church. Another notable detail is a Romanesque baptismal font made of Bentheim sandstone with four lion feet. The Neo-Gothic style revived medieval Gothic forms.
Juniper Grove and Routes
The Juniper Grove Experience Trail is around 500 metres long and takes visitors through the natural and cultural history of the landscape via six stations. Part of the trail is designed as a barefoot path. The juniper grove is accessible at any time and free of charge. Check before your visit whether any temporary changes apply.
Different activities take centre stage on longer routes. The Merzen Loop is a cycling route of around 39 kilometres between Merzen and Voltlage. The Terra Track Fuchsweg is a circular hiking trail of about 7.8 kilometres, marked with a red T. At around 39 kilometres, the cycling route is approximately five times as long as the Fuchsweg. When planning, you can first choose between a cycling tour and a circular walking route, then take the respective distance into account.
Cycling in the Wider OsnabrĂĽck Destination
The tourism programme for the Osnabrück region lists 50 day cycling tours in the wider Osnabrück destination, intended to showcase the region’s cities and municipalities. This also provides an explicitly regional framework for cycling trips.
Discover more destinations: Rieste, Gehrde, OsnabrĂĽck, FĂĽrstenau, Bad Iburg, EggermĂĽhlen, Melle, Alfhausen
Back to the main travel overview: OsnabrĂĽck.
