Bad Sobernheim

This old, charming health resort with its wonderfully restored downtown area, is the only Felke-bath in Germany. Bad Sobernheim lies in a widening of the Nahe valley, between Martinstein in the west, and the Disibodenberg to the east. It is bordered on the north by the mountain cliffs of the Soonwald region and in the south by the range of hills between Meisenheim and Kirn, a branch of the Westrich. The character of the area's vegetation comes from the mild, rather dry climate. It is no wonder that Bad Sobernheim is surrounded by vineyards, which are considered to have one of the best locations along the Nahe.

There are still quite a lot of things to discover. Among them is the Matthias Church (St. Matthew) with its famous Stumm organ and the new stained glass windows designed by Georg Meistermann. There are also two late medieval chapels, the city hall built in the year 1535 (remodeled in 1860 and again in 1970), numerous old courtyards, as well as patrician and middle class houses of which we mention only the "House with the little oriel". All these make the town especially attractive.

Bad Sobernheim first received its city charter in the year 1292 (again in 1324, and for the last time in 1330, and renewed in 1857). Only in the middle of the last century did it begin to grow beyond the medieval city walls. Besides the beautifully worked half-timbered houses, there is also an open-air museum to visit, where all the types of buildings important to the area Rheinland-Pfalz can be seen. The museum is conceived to consolidate, in a natural way, farmhouses, stable and barn areas, various kinds of workshops, residential housing, public buildings, as well as smaller objects such as village fountains, path markings, or stone benches. There are several complete villages ("museum villages"). An alternative activity would be to try out the 3.5 km long barefoot path without shoes and socks, naturally.

Would you feel like a little stroll through the town?

Johann Michael Stumm (1683-1747), was an organ builder of Hunsrück who was well known far beyond his own region of Sulzbach in the Idar forest. He founded an organ building dynasty that produced more than 200 beautifully hand made instruments of excellent sound quality.

Additional reading: Dr. Werner Vogt, Bad Sobernheim —eine kleine Kurstadt an der Nahe; Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg, 1999