Discover Herbede: History and the Ruhr Valley

Herbede brings together history, culture and activities along the Ruhr for a varied stay. If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, these highlights can help you get a sense of the destination: Haus Herbede, the churches, and the local hiking and cycling routes each offer a different perspective. A ferry connection on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route is another practical option to consider when planning your trip.

Haus Herbede and its history

The history of Haus Herbede can be traced back to the year 1019. This should be distinguished from the age of the present-day building, which probably dates from the 13th century. The two dates therefore mark different periods in the history of the house. Today, Haus Herbede is a public cultural and community venue. Its historical significance thus goes hand in hand with a present-day cultural and public function.

One guided way to explore Herbede's architectural and industrial history is the “Herrliches Herbede – Fachwerk und Ruhrsandstein” (“Wonderful Herbede – Half-Timbered Houses and Ruhr Sandstone”) city tour. It can be booked on request and lasts 2.5 hours. It covers half-timbered houses as well as Herbede's mining and industrial history; the places included are Haus Herbede, the former town hall and the post office. Its duration and scope make the tour a standalone activity that you can enquire about if you are interested.

Churches and cultural landscape

The churches also offer different historical points of reference. The Protestant church in Herbede and its surroundings are classified as part of the significant cultural landscape area in the Ruhr Regional Plan. St. Peter and Paul Church was consecrated on 14 July 1889. Together, these details offer insight both into the classification of a church setting as a cultural landscape and into a specific historical date. They add further aspects of Herbede's cultural heritage to the history of Haus Herbede.

The Ruhr, cycling routes and ferry

Herbede lies directly on the Ruhr and has an extensive network of hiking and cycling routes. One named connection for cyclists is the ruhrtalFähre Hardenstein ferry: on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route, it connects Herbede Lock with the Hardenstein Castle ruins. The ferry is therefore a useful landmark when exploring the cycling network and its connections. Its service may be seasonal or temporarily suspended, so check the current timetable before planning your trip.

Herbede also has a dog park where dogs are allowed off the leash. For travellers with a dog, this is a separate leisure option alongside the routes and ferry connection. The different themes can therefore be considered separately: cultural and historical visits, walking or cycling routes, and a place where dogs can run freely.

More to explore in the wider destination of Witten

Witten, the wider destination, offers additional cultural and landscape attractions. The Muttental valley is part of the GeoPark Ruhrgebiet and is one of Germany's 77 most significant geotopes. The Hardenstein Castle ruins are also a historical point of interest in Witten: they are the remains of a late medieval castle, and finds suggest that a castle already stood here in the 14th century.

There is also information for planning cycling trips across the wider destination: a 9 km section of the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route runs through Witten. The “Von Ruhr zur Ruhr” cycle route is 57 km long and forms a circular route through Hattingen, Sprockhövel, Gevelsberg, Wetter and Witten. These two distances refer to different routes: a section of the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route and a circular route through several towns. This makes it possible to distinguish between Herbede attractions and other excursions and cycling routes specifically associated with Witten when choosing where to stay.

For the wider travel overview: Witten.