Montabaur Eight

Montabaur – There, representatives of the two focal points are closely located and clearly visible from afar. On one hand, the Großer Markt presents itself as the center of the bourgeois town with the secular Neo-Gothic Town Hall and the dominating Baroque Castle – the town's landmark. On the other hand, the splendid St. Peter in Chains City Church shows itself, whose two bell towers embody the spiritual center of the town. Anyone who immediately pedals vigorously here has missed something. Because Montabaur is meant to be explored leisurely. Stroll through the alleys, settle down in one of the cozy local establishments, enjoy the view of many historic half-timbered buildings. Then, only then should you begin the tour, and it starts directly at the wonderful old town hall. The bike path signs point towards Wirzenborn. The shady forest path we cycle there is a delight and whets the appetite for what still awaits us today. There, where the valley becomes narrower and steep forested slopes rise, the small community of Wirzenborn nestles picturesquely in the Gelbach valley. On the right, the pilgrimage church looks towards us, which was built as early as 1498 and enjoys wide popularity as an attraction. Entering the church, we can admire the Wirzenborn image of grace, a Madonna with the Child Jesus on her arm, whose origin is dated to the late 14th century. For a cozy break, the village inn "Wirzenborner Liss" with the adjoining motorcycle museum is recommended, whose exhibition documents seven decades of motorized two-wheeler technology. A few pedal strokes later, we find ourselves back in the middle of the forest, whose romantic paths safely lead us further through the Gelbach valley. Reckenthal is the next stage we cycle up into the town center by a longer ascent. Recently, the "Art Mile" with remarkable wooden sculptures made from renewable raw materials was created on the outskirts. They humorously show us the way back on the paved service road to Wirzenborn. We ride a short stretch along the way as in the outbound journey, then turn left to head for the Marau Mill. We cross the pretty wooden bridge. A bold turn left, then right and we speed towards Holler, which we soon recognize by the onion dome tower of the village church. Niederelbert is the next destination, where a detour to the biotope nature trail beckons. Opposite St. Joseph's Church, we turn and head towards Montabaur. The town, which looks back on a lively history of over 1000 years and is perfectly suited as a starting point for exploratory tours in the Lower Westerwald.