As
3ma12 is being organised by one of our Dutch and one of our
German members, it is no coincidence that the chosen
location for 3ma12 is right on the German-Dutch border in
the town of Bad Bentheim. In fact the chosen location is
about 120Km from each of our two organisers. So in 2012 the
3ma will, for the first time in 3ma history, be a two
country event with 3ma drives in both Germany and the
Netherlands.
Bad Bentheim is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, lying in
the district of Grafschaft Bentheim on the borders with
North Rhine-Westphalia and the Netherlands. It is also a
state-recognized thermal brine and sulphur spa town, hence
the designation Bad which is German for “Bath”.
The town lies on Bundesstraße 403 and is furthermore
connected to the long-distance road network through the
Autobahnen A30 (Bad Oeynhausen – Osnabrück – Hengelo) and
A31 (Emden – Oberhausen).
Bad Bentheim was granted its arms in 1661 by Count Ernst
Wilhelm of Bentheim and Steinfurt (1643–1693). The coat of
arms shows a golden monogram consisting of the letters E and
G on a red background, surrounded by nineteen likewise
golden balls. The letters stand for “Ernestus Guilelmus”,
the Count’s name in Latin. Bad Bentheim’s first documentary
mention came about 1050 under the name Binithem. There are
various etymologies put forth for the town’s name. It could
refer to the rushes (Binsen in German) that grew on boggy
land in the area in earlier times. It is also supposed by
some, as with the Dutch region of Twente, that the name
could go back to the Tubanti. Bad Bentheim, a former count’s
residence, looks back on a history rich in tradition. For
centuries, this market town was the hub of the like-named
county (Grafschaft) of Bentheim.
The town’s most prominent emblem, the castle – Burg Bentheim
– stands in the town’s centre where it simply cannot be
overlooked. The popular tourist site can be visited nowadays
as a museum, with or without a guide. The high keep, known
as the Pulverturm, or “Powder Tower”, affords visitors a
good view over Bad Bentheim.
A popular activity in the town is the Nachtwächterrundgänge,
or Night Watchman’s Walks. These take place Monday, Friday
and Saturday evenings beginning at 9 o’clock. The meeting
point is the lower castle gate at the Burg Bentheim. These
walking tours are staged by the town travel office and are
free. On these nighttime tours through Bad Bentheim visitors
are treated to stories and legends about the town and the
castle as well as historical data and facts, making for an
interesting insight into the town’s history. Maybe we can
introduce a modern-day "Night Watchman's Drive" and have a
leisurely 131 drive though the town on Wednesday or Thursday
night!
Our Chosen Hotel for 3ma12 is the Hotel Grossfeld,
Schloßstraße 6, 48455 Bad Bentheim. We have negotiated a special inclusive deal for dinner, bed
and breakfast and full details of the hotel and our exclusive deal
can be found in the
Travel & Accommodation section of our website.
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