Gabsheim

Gabsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Wörrstadt, whose seat is in the like-named municipality.GeographyLocationThe municipality lies in Rhenish Hesse, in Germany’s biggest wine region. Indeed, Gabsheim is Rhenish Hesse’s geographical centre. The nearest towns are Wörrstadt, roughly 5 km to the west, and the district seat, Alzey, roughly 15 km to the southwest. The state capital, Mainz, 30 km away, is easily reached over the Autobahn A 63.Neighbouring municipalitiesGabsheim’s neighbours are Bechtolsheim, Biebelnheim, Schornsheim, Undenheim and Wörrstadt.HistoryIn the Middle Ages, Gabsheim was called Geispisheim (Geispitzheim); among many other spellings found in documents are also Geispodisheim (Geisbodesheim) (1250) and Gespesheim (1484). All forms, however, go back etymologically to the placename Gäu-Spießheim. Over time, the pronunciation of Gespesheim shifted to Gabsheim. Since the village is overwhelmingly Catholic, it is also sometimes known in the local speech as Gottes Gahbsem (the first word meaning “God’s”).