Bornheim, Alzey-Worms
Encyclopedia
Bornheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms
district in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
. It is known as the “Gateway to the Rhenish-Hessian Switzerland”, as the region is called.
Its main winemaking appellation – Weingroßlage – is Adelberg.
. Archaeological finds, however, make it clear that the village existed earlier. Graves for cremated remains and a Frankish
row graveyard from about AD 500 have been found in the municipality. The Oswaldshöhe is thought to have served as an early gathering place for Germanic peoples
.
The church was first mentioned in 1241 and partly destroyed by French
troops in 1690. The tower with its wall paintings from the 13th century, however, remained standing. It also houses Rhenish Hesse’s oldest bell.
Like the surrounding municipalities, Bornheim belonged to the Waldgrave
s in the Early Middle Ages
, and beginning in 1671 to their kin, the Rheingrafen (“Rhine Counts”). After the Napoleonic Wars
, the municipality passed, as part of Rhenish Hesse, to the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
.
On 31 December 1871, the railway arrived. Passenger service on the Armsheim
- Bornheim - Flonheim
- Wendelsheim
line (Wiesbachtalbahn), though, was ended in 1966, and since then the line has been completely abandoned.
After the First World War, French
troops built a munitions depot right next to the railway line.
In the Second World War, several bombs fell in the local area, which luckily did no great damage.
After 1961, Bornheim became known as the “Village of Roses and Wine”. At this time, 5,000 climbing roses
were planted. This was surely the reason why in 1973, at the national level, the municipality won gold in the contest Unser Dorf soll schöner werden (“Our village should become lovelier”), and was long said to be Rhenish Hesse’s prettiest municipality.
The municipality’s favourable location for transport, having its own interchange
on the A 61
, and the affordable property prices have led to quick growth over the last few years, such that there are now 825 inhabitants (as at 31 December 2006).
, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
Verbandsgemeinde
A Verbandsgemeinde is an administrative unit in the German Bundesländer of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.-Rhineland-Palatinate:...
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms
Alzey-Worms
Alzey-Worms is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the district Groß-Gerau , the city of Worms and the districts of Bad Dürkheim, Donnersbergkreis, Bad Kreuznach and Mainz-Bingen.- History :...
district in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is known as the “Gateway to the Rhenish-Hessian Switzerland”, as the region is called.
Location
Bornheim is nestled in a hollow, sheltered by the Oswaldshöhe (heights). The municipality lies in Rhenish Hesse.Its main winemaking appellation – Weingroßlage – is Adelberg.
History
In 767 or 768, Bornheim had its first documentary mention in a donation document from Lorsch AbbeyLorsch Abbey
The Abbey of Lorsch is a former Imperial Abbey in Lorsch, Germany, about 10 km east of Worms, one of the most renowned monasteries of the Carolingian Empire. Even in its ruined state, its remains are among the most important pre-Romanesque–Carolingian style buildings in Germany...
. Archaeological finds, however, make it clear that the village existed earlier. Graves for cremated remains and a Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
row graveyard from about AD 500 have been found in the municipality. The Oswaldshöhe is thought to have served as an early gathering place for Germanic peoples
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
.
The church was first mentioned in 1241 and partly destroyed by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
troops in 1690. The tower with its wall paintings from the 13th century, however, remained standing. It also houses Rhenish Hesse’s oldest bell.
Like the surrounding municipalities, Bornheim belonged to the Waldgrave
Waldgrave
The noble family of the Waldgraves or Wildgraves descended of a division of the House of the Counts of Nahegau in the year 1113....
s in the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, and beginning in 1671 to their kin, the Rheingrafen (“Rhine Counts”). After the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the municipality passed, as part of Rhenish Hesse, to the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
.
On 31 December 1871, the railway arrived. Passenger service on the Armsheim
Armsheim
Armsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
- Bornheim - Flonheim
Flonheim
Flonheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
- Wendelsheim
Wendelsheim
Wendelsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
line (Wiesbachtalbahn), though, was ended in 1966, and since then the line has been completely abandoned.
After the First World War, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
troops built a munitions depot right next to the railway line.
In the Second World War, several bombs fell in the local area, which luckily did no great damage.
After 1961, Bornheim became known as the “Village of Roses and Wine”. At this time, 5,000 climbing roses
Rosa filipes
Rosa filipes is a species of rose native to western China, in Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, and Yunnan.It is a deciduous climbing shrub, growing to 3–5 m, rarely up to 9 m tall. The leaves are pinnate, 8–14 cm long, with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are white, 2-2.5 cm diameter with five...
were planted. This was surely the reason why in 1973, at the national level, the municipality won gold in the contest Unser Dorf soll schöner werden (“Our village should become lovelier”), and was long said to be Rhenish Hesse’s prettiest municipality.
The municipality’s favourable location for transport, having its own interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
on the A 61
Bundesautobahn 61
is an autobahn in Germany that connects the border to the Netherlands near Venlo in the northwest to the interchange with A 6 near Hockenheim. In 1965, this required a re-design of the Hockenheimring....
, and the affordable property prices have led to quick growth over the last few years, such that there are now 825 inhabitants (as at 31 December 2006).
Municipal council
The council is made up of 12 council members, who are elected by majority votePlurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
Buildings
- Church, tower from about 1200, with wall paintings from the 13th century, and Stumm organ (music)Organ (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
- Village fountain
- Old well pump
Transport
- Bornheim Autobahn interchange (A 61Bundesautobahn 61is an autobahn in Germany that connects the border to the Netherlands near Venlo in the northwest to the interchange with A 6 near Hockenheim. In 1965, this required a re-design of the Hockenheimring....
) - LandesstraßeLandesstraßeLandesstraßen are roads in Germany and Austria that are, as a rule, the responsibility of the respective German or Austrian federal state. The term may therefore be translated as "state road". They are roads that cross the boundary of a rural or urban district...
(state road) 408