A colour opens a window onto the history of the Rhein-Pfalz District: in the 19th century, the Bechtold family operated a black, blue and fine dye works in Iggelheim. The museums in Böhl-Iggelheim feature an exhibition about the family’s dye works; blue dyeing has been recognised as intangible cultural heritage. From this craft, further discoveries lead to everyday life in the past, regional work and the Rhine floodplains.
Museums exploring everyday life and working history
The old schoolhouse in Böhl-Iggelheim shows what school used to be like and houses an extensive collection of valuable porcelain. This means that the historic school display and the porcelain collection can both be explored in one building.
The local history museum run by the Association for Nature Conservation and Local Heritage in Bobenheim-Roxheim is housed in the former Roxheim town hall. It has the largest collection on the natural environment of the Rhine floodplains in the Palatinate. This combination is particularly noteworthy: the museum is in a former town hall, while its collection also focuses on the floodplain landscape.
In Rödersheim-Gronau, the Palatinate Social History Cigar Factory Museum Association offers insights into the history of cigar production and its influence on the local community. The Historic Shoemaker’s Workshop is located at the Alte Schule Centre in Dannstadt-Schauernheim. Together, these places offer different ways to explore regional history: through school and porcelain, nature, shoemaking and the social impact of production.
Rhine floodplains, birdlife and swimming facilities
Along the Rhine, the Rhein-Pfalz District includes scenic floodplains with areas resembling primeval forest and bathing lakes. The Neuhofen Old Rhine was designated a free-flight bird sanctuary in 1938. Among the bird species found there were six of the eleven species threatened with extinction in Rhineland-Palatinate.
The district’s public baths are another point of reference for water-based activities: there are four of them in the Rhein-Pfalz District. One specific point of comparison is Lake Schlicht between Neuhofen and Waldsee. Its water surface covers 26 hectares, and its beach covers 54,000 square metres.
Cycle routes through fields, floodplains and villages
The Rhein-Pfalz District has numerous cycle routes through fields and floodplains. Within the district, the Kraut-und-RĂĽben Cycle Route passes through green fields and villages and along the Rhine. The routes offer different landscape features to help you choose: the general route description mentions fields and floodplains, while villages and the Rhine are also explicitly part of the Kraut-und-RĂĽben Cycle Route.
Nearby bodies of water
Near the Rhein-Pfalz District, Mechtersheimer Pond lies between Römerberg and Lingenfeld. Its water surface covers 3.5 hectares, and its beach covers 13,000 square metres. Compared with Lake Schlicht, both its water surface and its beach are smaller.
Also nearby, you can swim, paddle and fish in the “Blaue Adria” recreation area near Altrip. These three activities give you different ways to spend time by the water. If you want to compare the available sizes, Lake Schlicht and Mechtersheimer Pond differ considerably in both water surface and beach area.
An annual event in Schifferstadt
Since 2018, the Golden Hat Day has been celebrated every year in Schifferstadt. If you would like to combine your trip with the festival, check the specific event date in advance.
For regional orientation, the Rhein-Pfalz District is centrally located between the natural havens of the Palatinate Forest and the Odenwald. Whether you are mainly interested in museums, cycle routes or bodies of water, each topic offers different starting points for your own exploration.
Discover more destinations: Schifferstadt, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Limburgerhof, Harthausen, Römerberg, Dudenhofen, Lambsheim, Otterstadt, Dannstadt-Schauernheim, Mutterstadt, Waldsee, Böhl-Iggelheim, Bobenheim-Roxheim, Altrip, Hanhofen, Heßheim, Kleinniedesheim.
For the higher-level travel overview: Rhineland-Palatinate.
