Börsborn - Bell Tower Route

We recommend the following standard equipment for our hiking routes:

- Sturdy footwear

- Weather-appropriate clothing

- Sun and rain protection

- Sufficient supply of food and drinks, as there are not always places to eat or shop available or open.

- Although the paths are very well marked throughout, it is advisable for safety reasons to always carry a suitable

   hiking map so that you can quickly find a safe area in the event of a thunderstorm or emergency.

- Hiking poles recommended.

General information:

Particularly in autumn, be aware that leaves on the ground can conceal unevenness, roots, stones, or holes in the path. After thunderstorms or rainstorms, trees can still fall or branches can drop afterward. Particularly in adverse weather conditions, there may be muddy and slippery sections on natural paths. Not all rocks or ravines are secured with ropes or railings. Surefootedness is required in some places. You must expect impairments of this kind on your hike. If you believe certain sections of the path are impassable for you, you should avoid them.

NOTE:

We strive to announce all closures caused by forestry work or hunting parties on this platform. Nevertheless, there are situations where hiking trails are closed and we may not have been informed. If you unexpectedly encounter a path closure or detour, please observe the instructions for your own safety.

L358 to Glan-Münchweiler

B423 to Steinbach am Glan

K8 to Börsborn

Bus 285 to Börsborn

Coordinates: Longitude 7° 23´ 00´´ / Latitude 49° 26´25´´

Tourist info:

Rathausstraße 8, 66901 Schönenberg-Kübelberg, Tel.: 06373 / 504-0

www.vgog.de

info@ohmbachsee-glantal.de

Accommodation directory and gastronomy guide of the holiday region

and flyer about the tourist information: poststelle@vgog.de

Hiking hut "Fritz-Claus-Quelle - http://www.tourenwelt.info/huettenliste/huette.php?huette=38828

The Bell Tower

The bell tower, which is under monument protection, was built in 1788. It is a donation from the then regional matron Countess Marianne von der Leyen. At the same time, the princess had a bell tower erected in the neighboring Steinbach am Glan.

The plastered, square Börsborn cultural monument stands on a sandstone base made of large blocks and is divided into two approximately equal floors by a simple cornice. On the south side are two small openings from the time of construction, and on the east side two modern openings. Above a cornice, a pointed tower roof with dormer-shaped sound openings stands to the north, south, and east.

An important function was the alarm ringing (so-called storm ringing) in case of danger from fire, as sirens were only installed in modern times. The bell still has a function today. It is rung when a resident of Börsborn has died. Even today, a "signal" is rung.

Until the mid-1960s, the bell was rung by hand with a rope by the municipal servant. Today it is electrically controlled and rings regularly at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Until 1974, the bell tower was used as a fire equipment house. Due to its central location, it was possible to quickly depart with the fire pump and later with the fire brigade trailer.

Under the roof, behind the south-facing dormer, there is a barn owl nesting box, which has been inhabited multiple times in recent years by night birds (Tyto alba).

In 2014, the interior of the tower was converted into an exhibition room. A permanent exhibition on two levels presents the local history of Börsborn, the Münchweiler office, as well as the traditions of the noble family Von der Leyen and the tower's donor Marianne von der Leyen.

The view of the bell and the roof structure was uncovered during the renovation work.

The bell hanging today at the top of the tower dates from 1922 and was cast by the Pfeifer foundry in Kaiserslautern. It is assumed that a bell was already present when the tower was completed. Like many other bells, it was probably melted down during World War II and replaced by a gift from the Protestant parish of Glan-Münchweiler. Thus, the bell in the tower can still show the people of Börsborn what time it is, just as it did over 200 years ago. Without a digital watch on the wrist or modern technology in the pocket, people depended on these signals of time to organize their daily routine. It indicated the time twice a day to the local population working in the fields: at 11:00 a.m. at midday and at 6:00 p.m. in the evening.

(Source: Local community of Börsborn)

Family Von der Leyen

The Von der Leyen family was a high noble family originating from the Mosel region. The ancestral castle is the Oberburg in Gondorf (also called Schloss (von der) Leyen), the only water castle on the Mosel. The family died out in the male line in 1971 with Ferdinand Maria Prince von der Leyen, but the name continues through adoption of a descendant in the female line. (Source: Wikipedia)