Maxsain combines architectural history in the village with trails through a stream landscape and into the Saynbach Valley. The Saynbach and Steinchesbach meet in the centre. Their confluence shapes an area presented as ideal for walking, cycling and relaxing among the Westerwald hills. When planning your stay, you can choose between historic buildings, a hiking stage and a cycling tour to suit your interests.

Half-Timbered Houses, Churches and Historic Architectural Styles

The main sights include the Protestant parish church on Kirchweg and the half-timbered house “Sahm”. The church combines a Romanesque tower with a nave dating from 1786. Sahm is considered a preserved example of regional architecture. Other houses also reveal a range of architectural styles and dates: the partly solid-built half-timbered house at Alleestraße 7 dates from the second half of the 18th century. A half-timbered house at Kirchweg 13 bears the year 1688.

Other buildings add to this picture without repeating the same construction style. The communal bakehouse at Hauptstraße 32 is now used as the municipal office; the late-19th-century building is constructed of ashlar masonry. The former school at Kirchweg 1 is also a late-19th-century building, this one made of rubble stone. The rectory at Alleestraße 8 stands out for its half-hipped roof and rusticated ashlar masonry; it is dated to around 1910 to 1920. The fountain on Alleestraße dates from the second half of the 19th century. The village thus brings together different materials and dates, from older half-timbered houses to later public and church buildings.

The Jewish cemetery northeast of the settlement, in the direction of Zürbach, offers a distinct historical perspective. Designated as a protected historic area, it contains around 35 gravestones, including stones dating from around 1810. The Hammermühle also forms part of the village’s history: a derelict ironworks was converted into the mill that stands today in 1861. A power plant installed there by the Schneider family supplied electricity for the first time in 1902.

Stream Landscape, Hiking Trail and Cycling Tour

There are several route descriptions to choose from for outdoor activities. The Kölner Weg passes through Maxsain, offers views into the Saynbach Valley and goes by a half-timbered house before continuing to Selters. In the Maxsain section, the parish church and former mayor’s house are also among the sights along the way. The stage runs mostly along wide forest tracks; a substantial climb comes before Maxsain. The Kölner Weg thus showcases both the landscape and individual sights along the route.

A cycling tour from Selters reaches Maxsain via a 1.5-kilometre cycle path section. In the village, it follows the Steinchesbach along Alleestraße to Kirchweg and leaves the village via Schönstraße. This is a different way to include Maxsain in a tour than the Kölner Weg hiking stage: the hiking route is described in terms of forest tracks, a climb and sights along the way, while the cycling tour’s specific reference points are the cycle path section and the route through the village. Check the current route before setting off, as temporary changes may occur.

Which route best suits your plans depends on whether you would rather focus on the forest trails or the ride through Maxsain. The streams and historic buildings offer two different perspectives on the village: the confluence of the Saynbach and Steinchesbach in the centre, and a series of buildings with different uses, materials and dates.

Discover more destinations: Rehe, Nistertal, Liebenscheid, Brandscheid, Stockum-Püschen, Luckenbach, Steinen, Goddert.

Go to the main travel overview: Westerwald.