Legends & Stories

The West Palatinate has some extraordinary stories to offer – stories that have been making us shiver, laugh, and marvel ever since we were children. Immerse yourself in the world of legends and true stories, and discover the region’s mystical side.

The Palatinate World Axis

If one is to believe the words of local poet Paul Münch, the center of the world lies near Waldleiningen. Deep in the forest between Waldleiningen and Johanniskreuz, on the 459-meter-high Roßrück, lies a massive sandstone boulder with an axle made of the same material, which is traditionally “lubricated” with wine.

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Hildegard von Hohenecken

The beautiful Hildegard, who enjoyed hunting, met an old woman in the forest who could predict the future. She told Hildegard that one of her arrows would kill her fiancé.

The Devil´s Table

In the Dahner Felsenland, everyone knows how the Devil’s Table came to be. The Devil himself wanted to rest, so he stacked three rocks to form a table at which he ate.

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Watch the film adaptation

Barbarossa and the Pike

In 1230, Frederick II released the first pike into the Kaiserwoog. 267 years later, this fish was caught; it was nearly six meters long and weighed 350 pounds.

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The Legend of Hans Trapp

The robber baron who lived at Berwartstein Castle in the 15th century is still regarded today as a seducer of maidens and a bogeyman who accompanies the Christ Child in eastern France on Christmas Eve.

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The Black Lord

Saint Philip planted his vineyard here. So that he wouldn’t always have to walk 15 minutes to the monastery to pray, he erected a cross, which turned black over time.

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Watch the film adaptation

The Maiden’s Leap

When a robber baron tried to defile a girl, she fled and jumped off the cliff. She landed unharmed on the ground because her skirts caught her. A spring formed where she landed.

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Adula and the Abbot of Hornbach

When the noblewoman Adula fulfills her promise to the Church, she encounters her former kidnapper. He has since been appointed abbot of Hornbach Abbey and is tormented by pangs of conscience.

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The Lady of Wilenstein Castle

A tragic love that was never meant to be led to great sorrow and a broken heart. To this day, the tower of the Aschbacherhof bears witness to this union with an inscription carved into its stone.

Imperial Rest Areas

In 1811, Emperor Napoleon had numerous benches installed along the Kaiserstraße to serve as resting places for his subjects who were traveling on foot and to invite them to take a short break.

Read the whole story about the Imperial Rest Areas