Börsborn - Von-der-Leyen-Weg

For our hiking routes, we recommend the following standard equipment:

- Sturdy footwear

- Weather-appropriate clothing

- Sun and rain protection

- Sufficient supply of food and drinks, as not all rest or shopping facilities are available or open everywhere.

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

   hiking map so that you can quickly find a safe area, for example in case of a thunderstorm or an emergency.

- Hiking poles recommended.

General information:

Especially in autumn, you should be aware that fallen leaves on the ground can conceal unevenness, roots, stones, or holes in the path. After thunderstorms or storms, trees can still fall, or branches may drop. On natural paths, muddy and slippery sections can occur in adverse weather conditions. Not all rocks or cliffs are secured with ropes or railings. Surefootedness is sometimes required. You should expect such path impairments when hiking. If you think certain sections are impassable for you, you should bypass them.

NOTE:

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

A62 - exit Glan-Münchweiler

L358 to Glan-Münchweiler

B423 to Steinbach am Glan

K8 to Börsborn

Glan-Münchweiler train station

Bus 285 to Börsborn

Community Center - Hauptstraße 27, 66904 Börsborn

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

Tourist Information:

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

www.vgog.de

info@ohmbachsee-glantal.de

Accommodation catalog and gastronomy guide of the vacation region

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

"Seestube" at Ohmbach Reservoir http://www.seestube-ohmbachsee.de/

"Kiosk" at Ohmbach Reservoir - observe opening hours!

The Von der Leyen family was a high noble family originally from the Moselle region. Their ancestral castle is the Oberburg in Gondorf (also called (von der) Leyen Castle), the only water castle on the Moselle. The family line 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)

The Bell Tower

The tower, which is under historic preservation, was built in 1788. It was a foundation by the then regional mother Countess Marianne von der Leyen. At the same time, the princess also had a bell tower built 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 roughly equal floors by a simple cornice. On the south side there are two small original openings from the time of construction, on the east side two modern openings. Above a cornice rises a pointed tower roof with dormer-shaped sound openings to the north, south, and east.

An important function was the alarm bell ringing (so-called storm ringing) in case of fire danger, as sirens were only installed in modern times. The bell still has a function today. It is rung when a resident of Börsborn has passed away. The "sign ringing" tradition continues to this day.

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

Until 1974, the bell tower was used as a fire station. Due to its central location, rapid deployment with the water pump and later with the fire brigade trailer was possible.

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

In 2014, the interior of the tower was converted into an exhibition space. On two levels, a permanent exhibition presents the local history of Börsborn, the Münchweiler district, as well as the traditions of the noble family Von der Leyen and the tower founder Marianne von der Leyen.

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

The bell currently hanging at the top of the tower dates from 1922 and was cast by the Foundry Pfeifer in Kaiserslautern. It is assumed that a bell was already present when the tower was completed. This was likely melted down during World War II like many other bells and replaced by a gift from the Protestant parish of Glan-Münchweiler. Thus, the bell in the tower today can show the time to the people of Börsborn just as it did over 200 years ago. Without a digital wristwatch or modern technology, people relied on these time signals and scheduled their daily routines accordingly. It signaled the time twice a day to the rural population working outside in the fields: at 11:00 a.m. at midday and at 6:00 p.m. in the evening.