Bad Dürkheim, Spa town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
This town sits at the edge of the Palatinate Forest along the German Wine Route, roughly 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Kaiserslautern and 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Ludwigshafen. Buildings spread from the flat Rhine plain up to the wooded hills that frame the southern part of the settlement.
The settlement traces back to Celtic inhabitants between 1200 and 500 BC, who built the Heidenmauer, a large ring wall that remains visible today. Romans later used the area as a trading point before the settlement gained importance as a market town during the Middle Ages.
The name comes from the thermal baths established in the nineteenth century, which still draw visitors seeking mineral water treatments. Locals work the vineyards along the slopes, shaping the landscape that surrounds the town.
The center can be explored comfortably on foot, while the vineyards at the edge of town offer walking trails into the surrounding hills. During autumn wine festivals, crowds gather throughout the day, so arriving early in the morning helps avoid congestion.
The Giant Cask of Dürkheim serves as a restaurant and holds the record as the largest barrel structure in the world. Visitors can dine inside while observing the unusual wooden construction, which was built in the early twentieth century.
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