SENIORS ENJOY GERMANY



Filed under : Europe, Family Travel

Seniors Stop In Historic Dierdorf

leben-11-foto-01Senior visitors will find that Dierdorf lies more or less right in the middle of Germany, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Known as the town of best geographical environment, it has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. The first land development in Dierdorf dates back to the year 1100. Dierdorf received municipal rights on 17 June 1357.

I came across Dierdorf (pop. 5,845) as the local paper that noted that “13 local band members spent time visiting a Sister City and then living with a host family.  There they were able to “live like a German.”

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The group got a tour of a local dairy farm in Dierdorf, visited Koblenz, toured the Marksburg castle, and while sightseeing in Cologne, visited the Lindt museum and Cologne Cathedral. The group also went with a 9th grade class to an indoor rock climbing gym and spent time in the indoor swimming pool with their exchange partners.

The students did a variety of activities with their individual host families. The group spent time visiting local schools that provided them with a different perspective and comparison to schools in the US.

 Seniors Visit Another World Heritage Site

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A highlight for senior visitors is to enjoy authentic German food at the Burghof Restaurant. Although most of the town was destroyed by Allied bombing during WWll, the huge historic church was spared.

Dierdorf is nestled in the Westerwald region of Germany and was the UNESCO 2000 World Heritage Site, located 120 miles northeast of Frankfurt. Ruins of ancient civilizations are being discovered among the monasteries, castles and abandoned clay pits and basalt quarries.

Dierdorf is known for its pottery works and extensive ceramics museum, lush woodlands, small lakes and great outdoor activities.

Seniors Enjoy Historical Dierdorf

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Of the approximately 6,000 people who live in Dierdorf, many residents choose to work in other communities nearby or in Frankfurt. Some 12,000 people have settled in the five towns that surround Dierdorf – each unique in culture and customs of the Westerwald.

A number of locations can be visited including an old water tower where Jews were hidden after their temple was destroyed in the 1930s. Several years ago their new high school, Nelson Mandela, was dedicated by a South African delegation.

My German City notes that found within Dierdorf’s Castle Park is the Mausoleum of Prince Wied-Runkel. It’s a magnificent piece of 19th century architecture, and a final resting place to a family that ruled over the area for generations. It’s called Mausoleum and senior visitors can’t miss this white gravesite building from 1816.

Seniors, set your GPS in your German rental and head for Dierdorf. Plan to spend a day enjoying dining at Burghof, the plethora of historic buildings and getting to know the locals. Dierdorf will be memorable. -jeb

 

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