Small place surrounded by three castles
The individual municipality of Nothweiler has only 185 inhabitants and lies in the administrative district of Südwestpfalz in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Directly bordering French Alsace, Nothweiler is an accredited health resort and the second-smallest municipality of the association of municipalities Dahner Felsenland.
Nothweiler is a lovely, quiet village without through traffic. Its history goes back some 700 years. Centred in a basin that is surrounded by woods, mountains and castle ruins, it is situated in midst the nature and biosphere reserve Pfälzer wood.
Nothweiler has an excellent kitchen with typical regional and international food as well as tasty flaming cake baked in wooden ovens. Recommended is a walk to the restaurant Gimbelhof that is located in the French village Lembach. Lain on a clearing in the middle of the woods, the restaurant offers an astonishing view at the northern Vosges and the castle ruin of Fleckenstein. Fleckenstein is one out of three castle ruins that are situated next to the restaurant.
Nothweiler offers lots of destinations worth visiting, like three bathing lakes, many hiking trails and historical attractions in midst of a genuine nature. Being at a hight of 572m, castle Wegelnburg is the highest built castle ruin in the Palatinate. The view from the castle down to the village is more than marvellous. In good weather conditions you even can see up to the Strasbourg Münster.
Also an outstanding experience is the technical cultural monument „Saint Anna Stollen“, a mine just for visitors, in which iron ore was previously mined until the end of the 19th century. The full illuminated tunnel lies ground-level and can be visited by attending an interesting and informative guided tour.
More information: (in German): http://www.nothweiler.de/
Photo: Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock
