stadecken-elsheim

Stadecken-Elsheim – A Wine Village in the Heart of Rheinhessen

With around 4,866 inhabitants and numerous family-run wineries, Stadecken-Elsheim is one of the largest wine-producing communities in the heart of Rheinhessen. Our municipality was officially formed on June 7, 1969, through the merger of the formerly independent villages of Stadecken and Elsheim.

Each of these villages has its own unique historical background, contributing to the rich cultural heritage of our region.

Stadecken – A Village with Castle Roots in the Selz Valley

Located in the heart of the Mainz-Bingen district, Stadecken sits on a gentle rise in the scenic Selz Valley. Remnants of old walls and historic buildings reveal that Stadecken was once a castle village—built in a circular layout typical of fortified settlements.

The village coat of arms features a silver key set diagonally beneath a white crenellated chief. This key symbolizes Saint Peter, the former patron saint of the local church. In the now-vanished mother village of Hedesheim, southeast of Stadecken, stood the Church of Saint Peter.

The area known as “Im Altdorf” marks the site of ancient Hedesheim, which dates back to the Frankish era. The Eberbach Monastery once maintained a manor there.

When the nearby Stadeck Castle was built, the inhabitants of Hedesheim relocated to its vicinity. The newly formed castle village was initially known as Stadecken or Hedesheim.

The Origins of Stadecken – A Fortress on Solid Ground

Around the year 1325, the old settlement was abandoned. Its houses were dismantled, though the church remained standing until a new one was built in Stadecken. The cemetery of the former village continued to be used until 1804.

To protect the imperial territory of the Ingelheimer Grund and a key crossing over the Selz River, Stadeck Castle was constructed as a fortress under Emperor Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. At that time, nearby Hedesheim belonged to the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, who served directly under the Empire. Count Eberhard of Katzenelnbogen held imperial castles in Oppenheim, Schwabsburg, Odernheim, and Stadecken as fiefs.

Count Eberhard especially promoted Stadeck Castle, which was built on a flat ridge projecting into the Selz Valley. The location offered excellent natural protection: the Selz split into two arms that encircled the site, and a water-filled moat along with the marshy valley floor made the fortress nearly impenetrable. This geography also explains the name:

Stade = dry solid ground Eck = fortress or castle → Stadecken = “Castle on solid ground”

At the count’s urging, the people of Hedesheim settled around the fortified walls, seeking safety near the castle. Their homes were integrated into the defensive structure, and the village was enclosed by a wall with only one southern gate—easily guarded.

In 1301, Count Eberhard received town rights, fortification rights, and market privileges for Stadecken from Emperor Albert I.

War, Destruction, and Rebirth

During the Thirty Years’ War, battles between Spanish and Swedish forces broke out in the Selz Valley in April 1632. By then, Stadeck Castle had gradually transformed into a manor house, which proved inadequate for defense. The castle and parts of the village were destroyed. Before reconstruction could be completed, French troops devastated Stadecken again in 1689 during the War of the Palatine Succession. The church was also lost to flames. Only a few remnants survived: an old administrative building, two outbuildings, tower stumps, wall fragments, and the western gate.

The French invasion in 1796 ended princely rule over Stadecken. The village became part of the Canton of Nieder-Olm in the Department of Donnersberg.

The feudal system—with its obligations and noble privileges—was abolished. The castle was auctioned off in parts and passed into the hands of the municipality and private citizens. Noble estates were also sold, allowing tenant farmers to become free landowners. Many of today’s farming families laid the foundations for their businesses during this time, though repaying land debts remained a challenge for years.

A New Era for Rheinhessen

After the fall of Napoleonic France, Rheinhessen—and with it, Stadecken—became part of the Grand Duchy of Hesse on July 12, 1816. To improve agricultural trade, the Hessian administration built a road between Nieder-Olm, Stadecken, Elsheim, and Ingelheim between 1826 and 1831, later connecting to Bad Kreuznach via Jugenheim and Partenheim.

To commemorate this cultural achievement, an honorary column was erected in Stadecken.