When I tell you that it’s possible to spend your entire time in Herxheim riding a bicycle through the gorgeous and utterly relaxing Palatinate countryside picking sunflowers and picnicking and you’d have a jolly grand time — I wouldn’t be lying, or even exaggerating.
Good thing, however, that you’ll find much more to do and get the most amazing history lesson. Before you hand me this “I’m not a history person” nonsense, you gotta hear what’s here in Herxheim albeit a bit on the morbid side.
Interested yet? Good, I hope so! ;-)
For over a decade in the mid 1990’s archaeologists undertook a huge dig in the area. What they found was nothing short of astonishing. Over 500 Stone Age corpses were found with bones showing signs of cannibalism.
That’s a big “10” on a YUCK scale, but it’s one of the rarest finds EVER and gives a real understanding of what is known as Bandkeramik Kultur (Ceramic Culture). One of the skulls found in the Herxheimer Fund (as it was called) is now in a museum at the University of Heidelberg.
All these finds helped Herxheim to open its own Local History Museum in 2004 with many more of these archaeological finds.
We also know smoking is bad for us (no judgement if you do) and one of the other sites in Herxheim to see is an old 19th century Tobacco Shed. If you’re a cigar aficionado, you can still buy one here.
But, it might be hard to get the lung power to try one of the Nordic Walking trails or walking along St. James’ Way towards Santiago de Compostela.
Better take it easy and just sit around with that stogie drinking a good glass of locally made Rhenish wine. Don’t drink too much and wander off, though, you might find yourself in neighboring France. ;-)
Which is an entirely different history lesson, and I know — you’re probably, like me, not a history person!
