The two eastern towers of the Catholic Parish Church of St. Stephen can be seen from afar, making a striking landmark during a stay in Polch. Other highlights include Christina’s Room, whose collection features furniture, porcelain, dolls and dollhouses, and the Dream Trail Paradise Trail Polch, an easy 7.2-kilometre circular route. Together, these places and trails offer different perspectives: sacred architecture, objects from everyday domestic life, and the fields and streams around Polch. You can choose to focus your visit on culture or hiking.
Church and Local History Museum
The Catholic Parish Church of St. Stephen was built between 1849 and 1852. Its two eastern towers can be seen from afar and shape the view of Polch. For travellers interested in sacred architecture, the church combines a clearly visible landmark with a well-defined construction period: it was built in the mid-19th century.
Christina’s Room is the local history museum in Polch. On display are original furniture, some dating from 1870 to 1910, as well as kitchen equipment, porcelain and pictures. Visitors can also see the small beds and the cosily furnished room. The collection includes dolls from Thuringian doll workshops and artist dolls, as well as dollhouses dating from 1880 to 1930. Moving from the furnished room to the dollhouses offers a glimpse of living spaces at different scales.
The Dream Trail Paradise Trail Polch
The Dream Trail Paradise Trail Polch is an easy 7.2-kilometre circular hike around Polch. The starting and finishing point is the car park at the Schützenhalle (Am Blumenberg). The route follows natural paths through fields and countryside, past gnarled trees and along the Polcher Bach. Views of the Maifeld are also part of the trail. The circular route combines open landscapes with distinctive details along the way and the stream.
Polch offers a clear choice of focus: the parish church and local history museum represent culture, while the Paradise Trail offers a hike through the countryside. Those interested in the building and collection can make them the focus of their visit; those who prefer the outdoors can explore Polch on the circular hike.
More cultural attractions in the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination
The wider Mayen-Koblenz destination has more distinctive cultural attractions. Genovevaburg is one of Mayen’s landmarks and was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier. In Bendorf, Sayn Ironworks is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the only monument in Rhineland-Palatinate to receive this distinction. Following restoration, it invites visitors to explore its modern exhibitions and multimedia presentations; guided tours and creative workshops are also available.
Sayn Abbey in Bendorf was founded around 1200, and its abbey church was consecrated in 1202. Its exterior paintings, dating from around 1255, are considered the best-preserved examples from the High Middle Ages in Germany. In Mendig, the Lava Dome is the German Volcano Museum. The Geyser Museum in Andernach explains how the world’s highest cold-water geyser works in five exhibition areas. These examples add distinct themes of history, industrial heritage and volcanology to the picture of Polch in the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination.
Discover more destinations: Lonnig, Wierschem, Dieblich, Lind, Niederfell, Bendorf, Spay, Ditscheid
For the wider travel overview: Mayen-Koblenz.
