Discover Villmar: Marble, Local History and Nature

Villmar offers several different perspectives on history and nature. The Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul, evidence of marble processing and the UNICA marble quarry represent very different time spans. Comparing architectural history, technology and geological history provides a common thread when planning your trip around your own interests.

Church, Gates and Local History

The Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul was built between 1746 and 1749 and is protected as a cultural monument under Section 9 of the Hessian Monument Protection Act. The two Baroque gates, Matthias Gate and Valerius Gate, once marked the immunity district near the church. The church building and the former district boundary thus stand side by side: the building points to the 18th century, while the gates reflect the historical layout of the area around the church. As the sixth stop on the first tour of the Lahn Marble Trail, the parish church is also part of a route. If you plan to follow this trail, check the signs on site.

Marble Between Geological History and Technology

The Marble Bridge was built in 1893 and 1894 to connect Villmar with its railway station and marble quarries. Its function makes it a testament to transport and the marble industry; the construction dates place it in the history of the late 19th century. On the banks of the Lahn, the stone-cutting exhibit features marble blocks, a wire saw and a polishing machine, all associated with marble processing around 1900. The two offer complementary perspectives: the bridge represents the connection to the station and quarries, while the exhibited objects show how the material was processed. The UNICA marble quarry is a national geological site and contains a stromatoporoid reef approximately 380 million years old. This time span reaches far beyond the history of architecture and technology.

Festivals, Nature and Trails

Nikolaus-Homm Park is the venue for the annual parish festival and Peter and Paul Festival. If you would like to combine your trip with one of these festivals, check the event dates in advance. The Natura Trail also passes through the Arfurter Felsen nature reserve, which lies within the “Lahntal und seine Hänge” (Lahn Valley and Its Slopes) FFH area. This means that, alongside cultural and industrial history, there are also nature and protected-area topics to explore. Observe the applicable protected-area rules during your visit.

In the wider Limburg-Weilburg destination

The wider Limburg-Weilburg destination has its own attractions in Runkel. Runkel’s medieval castle was first mentioned in 1159 and still shapes the townscape today. Runkel’s historic Lahn Bridge dates from 1448 and is one of the oldest bridges on the Lahn to have been preserved in its original condition. Runkel therefore offers two different ways to explore its history: the castle in today’s townscape and the historic bridge. The Lahn Hiking Trail and the permanent hiking trails “In den Steilhängen der Lahn” and “Durch das Kerkerbachtal” also run through Runkel. The Lahn Cycle Route and the Kerkerbachtal Cycle Route offer opportunities for cycling.

For the wider Limburg-Weilburg destination, the 245-kilometre Lahn Cycle Route is certified with four stars. The Lahntalbahn railway provides very good public transport connections along the route; check the specific timetable before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Falkenbach, Dornburg, Löhnberg, Hünfelden, Elz, Fussingen, Mengerskirchen, Weinbach.

Back to the wider travel overview: Limburg-Weilburg.