Built in 1556, the hearth in our half timbered house was warm and glowing in the time for the birth of William Shakespeare eight years later.

An active and successful winery for over four centuries, Wein und Kunst offers a glimpse of history at its finest. Located amid sweeping panoramas of vineyards and mountains, Wein und Kunst represents the preeminent location for a romantic European getaway. Minutes from castles, museums, and famous cathedrals, our bed and breakfast is positioned to to offer our guests the widest variety of vacation possibilities.

Germany's largest expanse of uninterrupted forest is 100 meters from our door. Offering year round access to groomed hiking trails, the Pfalzerwald is the most sought after hiking destination in Germany.

Located directly on the Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Street), Gleisweiler offers unlimited potential for wine tasting and winery visits. Tutored wine tasting are available in our bed and breakfast, and your favorite wine can be stocked for your visit.

Our village of 600 residents boasts 8 restaurants ranging from the hearty local cuisine to gourmet feasts all within a ten minute walk from out bed and breakfast.

We offer custom tailored vacation experiences that are not available from larger establishments.

Smoking Policy:

Due to the historical nature of the property, no smoking is permitted on the premises. Violations of this policy will result in a room fumigation fee of $350 as well as local fines for violation of fire regulations covering historic buildings. This policy is not open to interpretation or modification.

Children:

Due to the historic nature of the property, our bed and breakfast is not suitable for small children or individuals with difficulty in climbing stairs.

Our Restoration Philosophy:

The restoration of this historic property was carefully conducted without the use of harsh chemicals or other toxic materials.

Paint was stripped with turpentine and wire brushes. Walls have been plastered with the original mud and straw mixture, and painted with non toxic milk based paints. Floor planks were custom sawed from local forests and treated with a mixture of dissolved tree sap and oil. The main staircase, which allows access to both suites has been left in its original condition out of respect for its 450 years of service.

Many of the hand formed terra cotta roof tiles bear the signature or mark of their maker two or three hundred years ago.

The main oak beams which form the exposed skeleton of the building were cut almost five hundred years ago during the waxing moon phase to take advantage of the rising sap.

Suites:

The Dornfelder Suite:

The Dornfelder Suite is named after the most popular German red wine. The suite features antique furnishings from the "Grunderzeit" (circa 1880) and a collection of early photographs from between 1830 and 1918. Careful restoration work enabled us to preserve the living room floor of wide, hand sawed pine planks dating from 1800. Exposed oak beam ceilings and fachwerk (half timbered) walls grace every room in the suite. Relax with a good book in front of the 1830 Biedermeier cast iron oven. This oven represented the height of luxury heating 170 years ago.

The Riesling Suite:

The Riesling Suite is located in what was once a grain storage facility for the local tax collector. It features natural plank flooring cut from local forests and walls plastered with the original mud and straw mixture. Riesling is furnished in antiques and original artwork.

The Backstubbe (The old Bakery):

Once upon a time, the winery was so prosperous that it employed several people in the wine growing and harvesting effort. The main staple of their diet was bread in those days, and so an on-site bakery was essential. The cast iron hearth oven dates from the turn of the century and has been lovingly restored to functioning condition.

Barbara bakes bread in the oven at least once each week and guests are welcome to try their hand, under close supervision, at baking their own stone hearth bread. Enjoy a hearty meal and a glass of wine in the evening by candlelight and the warmth of the oven.

Local Attractions:

Trifels Castle:

The castle of Trifels was built in its present form around the year 1000 CE. It was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire and hosted Richard the Lionhearted as a hostage following his return from the Crusades. The crown jewels of the empire were held at Trifels and it was said that "He who holds Trifels holds the Empire."

Trifels castle is accessible by car within a 15 minute drive from Wein und Kunst. Ambitious hikers can make the trek in about 6 hours and take a bus back to Wein und Kunst. Romantic views of the castle are within a half hour hike into the woods.

St. Anna Kappelle:

Saint Anna's Chapel was built in the 14th century in thanks to God for sparing the village from the ravages of the Bubonic Plague. Annual pilgrimages are held to this charming chapel in the woods. Located within a 30 minute walk from Wein und Kunst, the chapel location offers a fabulous panoramic view of the Rhine River valley.

Schloss Villa Ludwigshohe:

The summer Palace Ludwigshohe was built by King Ludwig I of Bavaria in what he affectionately called "the most beautiful mile in my kingdom."

Surrounded by chestnut forests, and offering an unparalleled view of the vineyards sweeping down to the Rhine River, Ludwigshohe can be reached in 10 minutes by car, or 2 hours by foot. Inexpensive public transportation allows hikers to choose between comfort and exercise.

Antique Oven Museum:

The Antique Oven Museum features the world's largest and certainly the finest collection of fully restored cast iron ovens. The curator of this private museum has assembled a representative collection of ovens spanning the period from 1745 through the early 20th century. Ovens in every historical style from Baroque through Art Deco are exhibited in a domed wine cellar dating from the 15th century.

Hiking and Biking:

Hiking and biking trails abound in the area surrounding Wein und Kunst. The Pfalzerwald offers thousands of square kilometers of hiking and biking trails sprinkled with castles and ruins of a bygone age. Less strenuous trails wind through the local vineyards which surround the quaint medieval villages of the Pfalz.

Speyer:

The historical city of Speyer offers one of Europe's oldest and finest examples of Romanesque architecture in its famous Dom (cathedral). The city of Speyer was the seat of the famous Bishop of Speyer, once a powerful force to be reckoned with in European history. Several world class museums grace the city, featuring major exhibits of art and history. Charming sidewalk cafes offer visitors a relaxing pause in their sightseeing. Speyer can be reached by car within 30 minutes or by bike within 2 hours at a leisurely pace.

Historic Heidelberg:

The University City of Heidelberg offers endless opportunity for sight seeing and shopping as well as visits to its world famous castle. Heidelberg can be reached by car in an hour, and by bike in less than 4 hours. Inexpensive public transportation is also available.

Maxburg Castle:

Maxburg or "Hambacher Schloss" was built by the Grandson of King Ludwig of Bavaria. It is the site of the 1828 Democratic Protest which marks Germany's first mass demonstration against monarchy as a form of government. The protests were put down mercilessly, resulting in the migration of tens of thousands of locals to the USA in time to feed the industrial revolution of the north. Much of the 19th century industrial strength of the American northeast region can be attributed to this massive influx of manpower.

Antique Shopping:

Numerous antique shops and restoration specialists are located within a few minutes drive of Wein und Kunst. We are happy to refer our guests to shops and auctions which specialize in antiques in which they are interested. Our own extensive collection of antiques has made us experts on what is available on the local market and what the going prices are. We can point the avid collector or the first time buyer in the right direction for everything from $30,000 Baroque cabinets made of precious woods to $100 Bauernstil pine chairs.

Hot tip!!! Due to the depressed German economy, Beidermeier furniture made from the more expensive woods (e.g: walnut, mahogany, oak, etc.) is selling at excellent prices.

Wine Tastings:

Tutored wine tasting is available in the comfort of your own suite, in our historic Backstubbe, or on the terraces. A wide variety of local wines are available direct from our cellars, and particular requests can be accommodated.

We feature wines from the Sudliche Weinstrasse (Southern Wine Street) region of the Pfalz (Rhineland Palatinate). Guests have the option of choosing a favorite wine and having it stocked for the duration of their visit as well as for future visits.

Some of the finest Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, and Eiswein in Germany are produced locally. These wines have an exceptionally long storage life, and potential investment value. Long term wine storage in our cellars can be arranged for a nominal fee.