These historical monuments and sculptures are usually carved from sandstone and are a visible expression of the piety of the population. They are a particular feature of the areas that belonged to the Archbishopric of Mainz until 1803.

Wayside places of devotion
The wealthier the people the more field monuments we find today. The devout citizens were inclined to spend significant amounts of money to venerate God and the church. There are 24 such field monuments in the parish of Hochheim alone. They served as wayside shrines for passers-by.

The wayside crosses
always consist of a pedestal, an upright post and a body.
The text inscribed on the pedestal is usually taken from the Old or New Testament or a hymn. The inscriptions also reveal the date of construction and the name of the donor, either alone or with his wife.

The ravages of time
have left their mark on the natural stones. But air pollution is not the culprit here. Indifference, vandalism and the appetite for construction – motorways and new urban developments – have contributed to the loss of field monuments in the vineyards. This is why the remaining field monuments have been relocated, in some cases into the town itself. In the past as today, private initiatives, the church communities but especially the restoration measures carried out by the town of Hochheim have made sure that these monuments have been preserved for the future.

Voglers Kreuz“
This wayside cross was relocated to the Königsberger Ring, corner of Kolpingstrasse in 1971 in the wake of the redevelopment of the Weststadt.

Crucifixion group from 1725
This sandstone sculpture of the crucifixion group shows the crucified Redeemer with Mary and John. Originally it stood at the Mainzer Pforte (the historical west town gate) and was then relocated several times before arriving at its final location in 1960 in the Geheimrat-Hummel-Platz (in front of the Wine Estate Künstler).

Wayside cross on the Stielweg
Body and pedestal carved from a single sandstone block. Inscription: Renewed 1812 by Georg Wilhelm Boegner and his wife Susanna Boegner nee Kreitzinger “The Lord watches over us”.