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***image1***One of the nine union communities belonging to the Kaisers-lautern County is Enkenbach-Alsenborn. It consists of the communities of Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Mehlingen, Neuhemsbach and Sembach. The union community spreads over an area of 30 square kilometers. It has about 7,000 inhabitants. The mayor is Jürgen Wenzel; his office is in the town hall on Hauptstrasse 18.
In June 1969, the two villages, Enkenbach and Alsenborn, were united. Alsenborn is first documented in 872. Three centuries later, Duke Ludwig von Armstein founded a monastery next to the Enkenbach creek. The monastery church was built from 1225 to 1272. It is a Roman building with Gothic elements.
Enkenbach-Alsenborn has a circus museum, the “Bajasseum.” Alsenborn is known as the home for rope artists, which in former times were called “Bajasse.” Between 1870 and World War I, approximately 100 artists would spend winters in Alsenborn. The museum displays the model of the smallest circus of the world. Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Admission is free. It is located on Rosenhofstrasse 87.
With about 3,900 inhabitants, Mehlingen is the second biggest village of the union community. It is known for the “Mehlinger Heide.” After being used as a military training area, the former woods turned into the biggest moorland in south Germany. Mehlinger Heide is also a nature and bird protection area, which houses many kinds of rare animals and plants. Mehlingen also has a museum – the perfume museum – located on Kehrstrasse 18 in Baalborn, a part of Mehling-en.
Originally it was supposed to be a normal museum displaying collections of perfume bottles. But the movie “The Perfume” animated the museum people to show settings from the 17th and 18th centuries. Hours are 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, and 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Friday. Guided tours for groups of eight are also offered. Admission fee is €2. For details, call 06303-870160.
Sembach has almost 1,200 inhabitants. It was first documented in the 13th century. After the French Revolution, Sembach was French and profited from Napoleon’s Kaiserstrasse (Emperor’s street) leading from Paris to Mainz. When in the 1870s the railroad tracks were built leading from Kaiserslautern to Winnweiler, it lost its importance. People moved away, but in 1951 the military air base and the American housing area “Heuberg” was built and economy in this area was revived.
Neuhemsbach has about 850 inhabitants. It is known for its “Schlosskirche,” palace church. The actual palace was built in 1715 and burnt down in the 1790s. The church’s brickwork was not destroyed. Today’s church tower used to be a defense tower. With a height of 33 meters, it is the token of Neuhemsbach. The church’s little organ from 1872 is of historical value.
The union community of Enkenbach-Alsenborn has many hiking and biking paths. Children can explore nature on the “Naturerlebnispfald,” nature adventure path, following the red ant signs. It starts at the exit of Enkenbach-Alsenborn, near Heidehütte, coming from Kaiserslautern. Two ponds, the Billesweiher and Schwarzweiher, offer nice walks and picnic areas near the water. Leisure activities include tennis courts, soccer fields, riding stables and outdoor swimming pools in Enkenbach-Alsenborn and Mehlingen. An indoor play park can be found in the Mehlingen Sports Center. A new attraction is the forest rope park Fröhnerhof, which offers climbing fun for children and adults from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays until the end of October. For details, visit www.k1-waldseilpark.de.
For details and brochures, call the Enkenbach-Alsenborn tourist office at 0631-913171, or visit www.enkenbach-alsenborn.de.
