Eckelsheim

Eckelsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.GeographyLocationThe village lies in Rhenish Hesse, and it belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Wöllstein, whose seat is in the like-named municipality. It lies within the recreational area known as Rheinhessische Schweiz (Rhenish-Hessian Switzerland). The village has some 550 inhabitants and an area of 4.92 km², making it the Verbandsgemeinde’s smallest municipality.Environment and geologyFor many years, this “Wine and Herb Village” has been known for its intensive work on and for the natural environment. Many herb events take place from spring to autumn. From a geological standpoint, the village has long been said to be of particular interest. Rather sensational was the 35-million-year-old sea cliff unearthed in an Eckelsheim gravel pit a few years ago.HistoryAwardsIn 2005, Eckelsheim achieved first place in the countrywide contest Unser Dorf hat Zukunft, and since then has called itself Golddorf. This was made possible by a yearlong effort by many people not only to uphold the village’s charm and character, but also to actively shape and further develop it.