Westerholt offers several specific starting points for a journey of discovery: medieval traces at the church, the history of a historic organ and a visitor turbine with weather-dependent views across East Frisia. Cycling and a signposted circular route are also topics to consider when planning. For orientation: State Roads 6, running east–west, and 7, running north–south, meet at the roundabout in Westerholt.
Church, Fortification History and Organ
Traces of medieval paintings survive on the south wall of Westerholt Church. The pulpit is also noteworthy: it is one of the oldest wooden pulpits in East Frisia. The building’s history also includes a period of fortified use. The church was surrounded by a rampart and ditch and, as a fortified church, protected the western boundary of the sphere of power of the Harlingerland regional chiefs. The wall paintings, pulpit and fortifications thus point to different aspects of the church’s history.
Another point of interest is the organ in Westerholt’s Friedenskirche. Esens organ builder Arnold Rohlfs built it between 1840 and 1842. The instrument has one manual, an attached pedal and eight stops. It is largely preserved and was restored by Martin Haspelmath in 1988/89. The construction date, surviving parts and restoration together provide a brief overview of the history of this instrument.
Norderland Wind Farm and Views
Norderland Wind Farm is located in the Hammrich area of the municipalities of Nenndorf, Westerholt and Schweindorf. Its 35 wind turbines, with a total capacity of 52.5 megawatts, began operating in mid-1998. One of the turbines is open to visitors and features an internal spiral staircase and a glazed viewing rotunda below the machinery housing.
The viewing rotunda is 68 metres high. In good weather, the East Frisian Islands and the East Frisian Peninsula can be seen from there. Weather conditions are part of the experience: the view depends on visibility. For travel planning, this combines a technical subject with a view that is clearly different from the church’s historic details.
Cycling and the Holtriem Circular Route
Westerholt has a well-developed cycling network. For walking, there is also the approximately 48-kilometre Holtriem Walking Trail. It links existing farm roads to form a circular walking route through scenic areas of Holtriem. The trail is well signposted; families with children can explore sections that suit their abilities.
This offers a choice of different ways to get around: a cycling network and a named, signposted walking loop. The approximate length of 48 kilometres refers to the entire circular route; the option of walking sections allows for different planning than completing the full loop. Which sections are suitable can be decided according to your available time and the abilities of the children accompanying you.
The Terheide Gold Find
The history of the municipality that includes Westerholt also features a find from Terheide near Westerholt. On 15 January 1872, Jacob Behrend Braams of Nenndorf found a clay vessel containing two gold capsules beside Auricher Straße. The two gold bowls are interpreted as Bronze Age drinking vessels; they may have been used in sacrificial rituals. Their use in such rituals remains a possibility, not a confirmed fact. The find adds an archaeological thread to the local and church history, without implying that Terheide should be equated with Westerholt’s settlement centre.
Wittmund as a Wider Travel Destination
The wider travel destination of Wittmund offers additional, distinct landscape and history themes. The PeldemĂĽhle was built in 1741, with a residence and barn, for hulling barley. It is the oldest single-storey gallery Dutch windmill in north-west Germany. Wittmund Forest, which covers more than 700 hectares, has several hiking trails and paths for woodland walks and cycling.
The forest also contains a circular woodland moor described as a glacial Pingo ruin; there is a viewing platform with a bench there. The mill and forest offer different points of interest: the PeldemĂĽhle represents architectural and industrial history, while the forest features paths for walks and cycling as well as a distinctive moorland area. These attractions are in Wittmund and broaden the picture of Westerholt with further aspects of the wider travel destination.
Discover more destinations: Willmsfeld, Friedeburg, Neuharlingersiel, Neuschoo, Nenndorf, Eversmeer, Carolinensiel, Utarp.
View the wider travel guide: Wittmund.
