Monument Day in Gau-Weinheim: Leaning Tower attracts thousands of visitors!

Monument Day in Gau-Weinheim: Leaning Tower attracts thousands of visitors!

This year's Monument Day took place in Gau-Weinheim on September 23, 2025, with the motto “VALUE-full: priceless or irreplaceable?” presented. As kreis-alzey-worms.de reports, numerous monuments opened their doors to interested visitors that day. The focus was on the leaning tower of Gau-Weinheim, one of the region's main attractions and probably the most leaning building in Germany. The tower's inclination angle was officially measured at 5.4277° on July 15, 2022, surpassing even the famous Campanile of Pisa.

The opening of the monument day was carried out by District Administrator Heiko Sippel and local mayor Beatrice Palumbieri. Together they highlighted the importance of historic preservation, especially given the cultural relevance associated with the Leaning Tower and similar structures. “Monuments are more than just old stones; they represent built history and lived memory,” is the motto, which is also highlighted on the website of the German Foundation for Monument Protection.

The leaning tower and its history

The tower, which was part of a former fortified church from the 12th century, is known not only for its crooked position, but also for the historical significance that Erwin Gottschlich brought to visitors. He explained that the leaning tower not only represents architectural history but was also an important courthouse in ancient times. What is particularly noteworthy is that the church to which the tower belonged no longer exists, but the tower has been preserved to this day.

The leaning position of the building is due to the special nature of the soil in the region and has been known for centuries. A comprehensive renovation in 1991 ensured that the bells now ring daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The outside view is also accessible at any time and free of charge, which makes the tower a popular destination for hikers in the Aulheimer Tal and Zellertal.

Community and citizen participation

The commitment of the local community, which Vera Gottschlich reported on, is obvious. She presented various club activities that contribute to the repair of the tower and to promoting citizen participation. These include, among other things, a theater group, the Kerbe Rally and a giveaway day, all of which are intended to strengthen the sense of community. Visitors were able to delve further into the history of Gau-Weinheim during a historical village tour, organized by the Bürgertreff.

It was important to those responsible to thank the participants and visitors for their interest and commitment. They assured that the information on participation in future monument days is available via the German Foundation for Monument Protection and the lower monument protection authority of the Alzey-Worms district administration. Monument Day is not only an opportunity to express appreciation for the region's history, but also an invitation to society to actively engage in monument preservation.