Wybelsum – Cycling Route, Church and Polder

Wybelsum can be understood primarily through three themes: the Larrelter cycling loop, the old terp settlement with its church, and the landscape of the Wybelsumer Polder. If you are looking for a hotel in Wybelsum, these features provide a concrete framework for choosing your destination: you can consider cycling, local history and relaxation by the sea dike as different focal points. The village’s history goes back a long way, while the route and polder offer further perspectives on the landscape.

Cycling Route and Polder

The Larrelter cycling loop runs via Logumer Vorwerk to Wybelsum, in the direction of Bartshausen by the Knockster Tief, and continues to the “Pünte.” In the Wybelsum/Larrelter Polder, the route follows the wind farm. This means that both named destinations on the cycling loop and a specific stretch of landscape form part of Wybelsum’s travel profile. If you base your travel plans on a cycling route, this route offers a clear thematic connection to the village.

Terp Settlement and Old Church

Wybelsum has existed as an old terp settlement since around 1000 AD. The village was originally established on the slightly raised northern bank ridge. The Old Church in Wybelsum was built in 1700. Its furnishings include the pulpit, communion table and pews, which come from the former church in Geerdswehr. In 1699, the village of Geerdswehr was abandoned to the floods of the Ems. These furnishings thus establish a concrete connection between the history of Geerdswehr and the church in Wybelsum.

The Old Church also houses a Vocalion dating from 1894: a large pressure-wind harmonium that may be the only instrument of its kind in Europe. Taken together, the terp settlement, the church building, the origins of its furnishings and the instrument offer several different insights into local history. This means that when planning your trip, you can discover Wybelsum not only through its cycling route but also through a distinctive cultural-historical thread.

Landscape by the Sea Dike

Numerous wetland habitats and diked spoil disposal areas lie parallel to the dike line on the southern polder lands of the Wybelsumer Polder. They were created as compensation areas for projects by the Lower Saxony Port Authority/N-Ports. Within the city of Emden, the sea dike by the Wybelsumer Polder is one of the special destinations for recreation and leisure. Several aspects therefore come together in this landscape: the habitats and spoil disposal areas, their function as compensation areas, and the recreational and leisure value of the sea dike.

Another distinctive structure is the Wybelsum leading light. The concrete tower is 18.9 metres high, has a red-and-white band and was built in 1969/70. Alongside the history of the terp settlement and the church, this specific technical structure is also part of the village’s profile.

Culture in the Emden Destination

In the Emden destination, the Kunsthalle focuses on classical modern art and has an affiliated art school. The Dat Otto Huus documents the career of Emden comedian Otto Waalkes. Across two floors, it displays photos and mementos from his life, his films, well-known props from movies and tours, as well as his awards and prizes. Emden is therefore home to a range of cultural themes: the Kunsthalle, with its focus on visual art, and the Otto Huus, with its presentation of the comedian’s life and career.

The Emden Bunker Museum offers another historical focus. It is housed in an authentic bunker on Holzsägerstraße and traces the period from the beginning of National Socialism through the Second World War to Emden’s post-war reconstruction. The East Frisian State Museum Emden presents an art and cultural history collection described as unique in north-western Germany. Visitors can explore art and history across around 2,600 square metres. The collection includes the Emden Armoury, with swords, matchlock muskets and suits of armour dating back 400 years, reflecting the city’s former armament.

Discover more destinations: Logumer Vorwerk, Hilmarsum Settlement, Emden, Twixlum, Jarßum, Petkum.

Go to the main travel overview: Emden.