Elftausend-Maegde-Turm

The Elftausend-Mägde-Turm stands on the western edge of Stadecken-Elsheim in the Mainz-Bingen district. It is the remains of a fortified gatehouse with two round corner towers, built in the 14th century where the road from Mainz to Kreuznach crossed the Selz. The structure once served as a toll station and included a bridge, both made of limestone rubble and field stones. The tower is decorated with round-arch friezes, and the old Selz riverbed once ran directly beneath the bridge. The local carnival club Die Schnorressänger took over responsibility for the ruins in 2006. They organised partial reconstruction and dug out part of the original riverbed to show where the Selz once flowed. This work also revealed parts of the bridge’s foundations that had long been buried. A Christmas crib scene with more than fifty figures has been set up inside the ruins since 2016, using the old walls as a backdrop. Visitors find a quiet spot beside the vineyards where the tower’s two small round towers still rise above the gatehouse remains. A short path follows the line of the diverted Selz, marked by low posts, and a small bridge now spans the new channel. The nearby Elftausend-Mägde-Mühle, a few metres north, is a working winery and should not be confused with the tower. The site offers a view across the gentle slopes of the Selz valley.