Religious heritage
> Protestant “Trinity” Church, Hanauer Straße 16, 77866 Rheinau-Diersheim
The first reference to a Bridget Chapel was in 1241 in Diersheim. After the Reformation, the church became a subsidiary of Rheinbischofsheim. In 1725, the inhabitants of Diersheim decided to become an independent parish again. Since the Bridget Chapel could not be enlarged, they looked for a new location for the church. Today’s Trinity Church was built in 1731 and Diersheim became an independent parish again.
> “Heathen Chapel”, Mühlenstrasse, 77866 Rheinau-Freistett
The heathen chapel is an early Romanesque tower and the oldest House of Worship in the “Hanauerland” (dated in the 11th /12th century). The chapel is dedicated to the patron saint Nikolas but called in the vernacular language “heathen chapel”. Many people puzzled over this name. The easiest explanation is that the word “heathen” is to be related to “age-old”. Until the Thirty Years’ War, the chapel was used for church offices. After severe damage, it was rebuilt in 1630 in its current form. It was then used as military hospital and hideout during wartime periods, and in the end as a depot. It was only in 1949 that the chapel was saved from decay and restored to its original state. In the bell frame, you can still find the bell from the year 1447, which chimes three times a day.
Tip: Celebration in the Heathen Chapel (information at the rectory of Freistett)
> Chapel, Route de Weyersheim, 67760 Gambsheim
Choir from the XVth century. In 1658, the chapel was restored and devoted to the painful virgin. The chapel is not open to the public. It is open once a week for church office; the Catholic Church is in charge of it.
Tip: There is a legend around the construction of the chapel from the time of the Thirty Years’ War. A French information board tells the whole story…
> St Nazaire & Celse Catholic Church, Route nationale, 67760 Gambsheim
The origin of the church is to be found in the 13th century in the village Bettenhoffen (between Kilstett and Gambsheim) which does not exist any more today. The parish was responsible for Gambsheim, Kilstett and temporarily also for Offendorf. Being destroyed several times during wars and then built again, the fights of 1945 only left ruins behind them. The reconstruction of the present church followed and was inaugurated in 1958.
Tip: Instead of a high altar, a tremendous mosaic has been fixed. With a dimension of 9x8 m, it shows the resurrected Christ.
> St. Nikolas Chapel, Kirchstraße 11, 77866 Rheinau-Hausgereut
In 1289, the chapel had the patron saints St. Jacob, Maria Magdalena and St. Nikolas. From 1421 on its only saint has been St. Nikolas. It was affiliated to the mother parish of Kork; from 1288 on, the parish of Hausgereut was independent. Whith the Reformation the chapel was no longer needed and the parish was relocated to Rheinbischofsheim.
Tip: you can notice medieval frescoes in the choir showing the life of St. Nikolas. They have been uncovered in 1956 during a renovation operation.
> Protestant Church, Kirchstraße 8, 77866 Rheinau-Helmlingen
Originally Helmlingen was a daughter-church of the parish of Scherzheim, which belonged to the Schwarzach cloister. From 1768 on, the parish was ministered by Lichtenau. In 1928, the parish became independent and built its own church in 1956.
> St. Michael Catholic Church , Kirchplatz 4, 77866 Rheinau-Honau
In 720 Irish and Scottisch monks founded a cloister on an island of the Rhine. Because of the permanent dangers of the Rhine river, the cloister was transferred to Rhinau on the left bank. In 1480, a flood destroyed the ancient abbey of St. Michael, from which the parishes of Wantzenau and Albertzheim were members. A new church was built in 1730 and Honau became an independent parish again.
> St John Catholic Church, Rue du Lieutenant de Bettignies, 67840 Kilstett
During big construction works in 1974, a chapel was discovered when renovating the lectern in the former choir. The chapel is located in the former cemetary.
> St. Vincentius Church, Tullastraße 3, 77866 Rheinau-Linx
The present church dates back to 1619. However, the building is altogether more ancient. During the Palatinate War of Succession, the church of Linx was burned down in a fire (1689) and could no longer be used until 1701. The Abbey of Honau was also in charge of that church.
Tip: The tower of the church is the remaindert of a Roman construction dating back to the 13th century.
> Protestant Church, Hornisgrindestraße 75, 77866 Rheinau-Memprechtshofen
In 1792 the village had been ministered by Freistett got its own church. In 1946, two broken stained glass windows were replaced by two stained glass windows of the ancient church from the mental institution “Illenau” of Achern. In medieval times, a small chapel dedicated to St. Wolfgang was located in the area of the today’s Meierhof. Only a few things are known about it.
Tip: The bell tower in half-timbered work is worth seeing.
> Church, Rue Principale, 67850 Offendorf
Like many other churches in this region, the church of Offendorf was also destroyed during World War II. In 1950, it was decided to build a new church on the foundation of the ancient baroque church built in 1848.
> Protestant Chapel, Rue principale, 67850 Offendorf
The chapel was inaugurated on December 26th 1878. The building was built on the site of the former post-house “Zum Ochsen” after the parish had bought it for 1.500 F (today about 230 Euros). Struck by a grenade in 1945, it was renovated and inaugurated again on May 18th 1956. It is today one of the oldest buildings in Offendorf.
Tip: Worth seeing is the cladding of the chapel. It does not have a bell tower. The bell is hanging free in a stone structure and can bee seen from the outside.
> Protestant Church, Kirchstraße 11, 77866 Rheinau-Rheinbischofsheim
Already in 1218 a pastor held a post in Rheinbischofsheim, making it a very old parish. One of the most horrible events was the Episcopalian War in 1429. More than 60 farmers had found shelter in the church. All died as the church was burned down by soldiers. The present church was built from 1874 until 1876 and designed for 1100 members. The protestant church that you can see even at a long distance (56 meters high) is the village landmark, and carries the name “Cathedral of Hanauerland”.
Tip: Peculiar fact: the church even has a house number (9). The inside of the church is worth seeing.
> St. Johann Catholic Church, Kirchplatz 4, 77866 Rheinau-Rheinbischofsheim
St. Johann Catholic Church was built in the roman style in 1848. It is a daughter church of Honau.
Tip: Look at the precious altarpiece in the side altar. It was created in 1500 by an unknown master craftsman and could be preserved.
