Bockhorn: Church, Moor and Routes
Accommodation in Bockhorn
Bockhorn brings together Frisian architectural history, a distinctive moorland landscape, and routes through various towns and landscapes. In the main town, St. Cosmas and Damian Church and the Hemkensche Merchant’s House tell different chapters of the town’s history. Bockhorn Moor is a landscape of heath, birch trees and rewetted peat cuttings. When choosing your holiday apartment in Bockhorn, it may therefore be important to consider whether you would like to include culture, nature, a route or the leisure pool in your trip.
Frisian architectural history in the main town
St. Cosmas and Damian Church is a typical Frisian church. It was built around 1200 from erratic boulders on an artificially created dwelling mound. Its construction and location give it its historical distinction: the church stands on a specially created elevation, and its massive boulders are part of its early architectural history. Anyone interested in the development of Frisian churches will find a tangible point of reference here in Bockhorn.
The history of its organ also goes back a long way. In 1720, the congregation commissioned organ builder Christian Vater to build an organ for Bockhorn Church. Vater was a pupil of Arp Schnittger from the Wesermarsch region. The church welcomes visitors to Sunday and holiday services as well as concerts. In addition to its historic architecture, the church is also a venue for Sunday and holiday services and concerts.
Hemkensche Merchant’s House, also known today as Haus Jürgens, stands in the market square. It dates from the mid-18th century. A door on its south side bears the year 1754. A stroll through the town’s history can therefore take in not only the church but also a merchant’s house with a precisely dated architectural feature. The two buildings point to different aspects of the town: church architecture on the one hand and a historic merchant’s house on the other.
Moorland and routes
Bockhorn Moor is defined by its varied landscape features. Heathland covers fields where peat has been cut; birch trees grow on raised geest ridges. Rewetted peat cuttings with dead birch trunks provide a striking contrast. Visitors may explore the moor only on the designated, red-marked paths. This rule is important for finding your way around: the landscape should be experienced from the marked paths.
The “Around the Urwald” route passes through Bockhorn, Grabstede, Neuenburg and Zetel. At one point it runs through Neuenburger Holz; its longest section leads into the moor, away from heavily trafficked roads. The Geest Tour follows a different route: it runs along a geest ridge from Zetel through Bockhorn and Varel to Dangast. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Bockhorn, these different routes may help you decide which landscapes and towns you would like to focus on during your stay.
Another place to visit
Bockhorn Adventure Pool at the Urwald features a heated swimming pool with a giant slide, floor bubblers and spray showers. The diving facilities include diving blocks, a 1-metre board and a 3-metre tower. This means there are different pool features and diving options to enjoy. It adds a swimming experience to the historic and landscape attractions. You can take into account which of these aspects of Bockhorn matters most to your trip when choosing it as your holiday base.
Connections and other towns
The B 437 skirts the western side of Bockhorn’s main town and connects to the A 29. Varel is 10 km from Bockhorn; Wilhelmshaven and Oldenburg can be reached via the A 29 in around 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. They differ in terms of destination and transport connections, so your choice should suit your planned trip.
If you would like to explore more places as you plan your holiday: Hohenkirchen, Grabstede, Bockhornerfeld, Oldorf, Wangerland, Sande, Schortens and Minsen.
For the higher-level travel overview: Friesland.
