The best road cycling routes around Ottersheim bei Landau

Knight Stefan von Mörlheim, co-founder of the Cistercian monastery of Eußerthal, donated his manor, including a chapel, to the monastery in Mörlheim around 1148. After a turbulent history, the dilapidated St. Martin's Church in Mörlheim passed into Catholic ownership in 1705. The monastery church in Eußerthal and the church in Mörlheim still display a mitre and abbot's staff alongside the cross on their steeples – ecclesiastical symbols that Heinrich Wilhelm, Baron von und zu Sickingen, was permitted to wear as a layman. In 1754, Heinrich Wilhelm, Baron von und zu Sickingen, had the Mörlheim church rebuilt. It was consecrated on September 14, 1754. One hundred and fifty years later, at the beginning of the 20th century, the church had once again fallen into disrepair. The swinging of the bells in the bell tower had weakened the church ceiling, and the cramped space was no longer sufficient for the congregation. One hundred years ago, on July 1, 1912, the reconstruction of the church into the present one began, based on plans by the architect Johannes Albert Boßlet. It was extended to the west, and the existing beamed ceiling was replaced by a Baroque-style lath and plaster ceiling suspended from the roof truss, visually resting on newly added wall piers. Finally, a church tower nearly 30 meters high was erected. Two bells call the faithful to prayer, and the city of Landau owns the clock and its large clock faces. The reconstruction of the church, and especially the construction of the new church tower, was made possible by the Bavarian Church Community Ordinance of 1912. According to this ordinance, even landowners outside the parish could be assessed for the construction and maintenance of religious buildings. A good 75 percent of the land in Mörlheim subject to these assessments formerly belonged to outsiders, the so-called "outsiders." The extensive renovation of the church in 2008 has given the Mörlheim church a great splendor. (Egon Ehmer)

Nice, fast cycle path between towns.

The church tower of St. Nicholas Church is 70 meters high and visible from afar. The church dominates the townscape of Bellheim. The foundation stone was laid on September 3, 1868.

A must-see

The Herxheim Museum presents its permanent exhibitions on the topics of the Neolithic period and local history, as well as changing special exhibitions on archaeological and cultural history topics, on over 400m². The focus of the museum is on the absolutely unique Neolithic ritual find from Herxheim, which was discovered during excavations in the 1990s: broken human bones with cut marks and all kinds of destroyed everyday objects including the high-quality decorative ceramics kept archaeological research and the news on tenterhooks. Even after intensive investigations and years of interdisciplinary research, many questions remain unanswered and the find continues to amaze. Active knowledge transfer in the form of guided tours, workshops and action days is an integral part of the program. Opening times: Thu / Fri 2-7 p.m. Sat / Sun 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Guided tours and workshops on request, action days on fixed dates 3-4 times a year. Information at www.museum-herxheim.de

Rheinzabern - the center of the world. I'm already gone....

Nice bike path. There is usually not much going on on the road, but of course it is not idyllic.

Normally, people shoot non-stop, but if you need a break, this would be a nice place to do so.