Belum combines Romanesque village architecture with the history of the Oste River. The focal point is St. Vitus Church, alongside the Belumer Schanze, memories of a former ferry port, and the Historic Ostedeich Route. Visitors choosing Belum for a stay can explore village history, historical connections to the dike, and cycling opportunities as distinct themes.

Church and historical traces in Belum

The old St. Vitus Church stands at the heart of the village. It is a single-nave Romanesque hall church built of fieldstones and dates from around 1200. Its tower serves as a navigation beacon for shipping. This means the building combines its role as a village church with a function that extends beyond the village: it is also a landmark for shipping.

Another historical site is the Belumer Schanze, which served to protect the mouth of the Oste River. Today, only traces of the fortification remain. A small ferry port operated at the mouth of the Belumer Schleusenfleth where it meets the Oste until the 20th century. The Vitusmarkt is also linked to the church: named after St. Vitus Church, it was the largest market of its kind in the surrounding area.

Historic Ostedeich Route and activities

The Historic Ostedeich Route starts in Belum and runs via Neuhaus (Oste), Cadenberge OT Geversdorf, and Oberndorf to Hechthausen. More than 65 uniform information boards explain the historical connections between the villages along the Oste and the river. The route links a series of places through a shared theme: the history of the villages along the Oste. One specific fact about the dike concerns Belum itself. The final raising of the Elbe dike was completed in 1999. The Belum dike was then about 8.50 metres high.

Cycling tours are recommended for Belum and Kehdingbruch. The municipality also has hiking trails for extended walks. This gives you the option to consider cycling and longer walks as different ways to enjoy outdoor exercise.

Municipal area and the wider Cuxhaven destination

Road and rail connections are also useful for orientation at the municipal level: Federal Highway 73 and the Cuxhaven–Hamburg railway line pass through the municipality of Belum. These details place Belum in the wider context of the municipality. The municipality of Belum, including the village of Kehdingbruch and the districts of Bahrdorf and Westerndorf, is one of the oldest marsh villages in the Elbe and Oste marshlands.

The wider destination of Cuxhaven has its own focus on natural history. The UNESCO Wadden Sea Visitor Centre Cuxhaven has a three-floor exhibition featuring information about the Wadden Sea and the Cuxhaven coastal heaths. On the centre’s guided nature tours, you can experience the mudflats, salt marsh, geest cliff, and coastal heath. These topics belong to Cuxhaven and complement Belum’s focus on village history and the Ostedeich Route.

Discover more destinations: Geversdorf, Cadenberge, Bülkau.

Go to the main travel overview: Am Dobrock.