Discover Erkelenz: History, Culture and Nature

Erkelenz brings together historic buildings, cultural venues, opportunities to enjoy nature and recurring events. When planning your trip, you might consider focusing on architectural history, an exhibition, an event or a cycling route. Local attractions also vary in their conditions: some visits are seasonal, tours are available on request and event dates vary from year to year.

Architectural History and Culture in the Town Centre

The Old Town Hall is a defining feature of Erkelenz’s medieval townscape and was built in 1546 in the late Gothic style. Erkelenz Castle is more than 600 years old and is considered the oldest building in the town centre. The 83-metre-high Lambertus Tower stands in the town centre. The listed Haus Spiess, built in the Couven style in 1806, is located on Franziskanerplatz. Today, St Leonard’s Chapel is used mainly for cultural events; its programme varies. Together, these buildings offer a variety of historical and cultural points of interest during a stay in Erkelenz.

During a walk through the historic town centre, you can access digital information about the town, including via QR codes at designated locations. Members of the castle association offer tours of the castle on request, for example for kindergartens or primary schools; you should arrange these tours in advance. During castle visits, there is sometimes an opportunity to climb the 100 steps to the roof and enjoy views over the town centre. Check with the operator before your visit to find out whether this is possible.

Haus Hohenbusch and the Fire Brigade Museum

The former monastery of Haus Hohenbusch is a destination for day trips, an event venue and a meeting place for many occasions. Opportunities to enjoy nature there include a medicinal herb garden, a biotope, an orchard meadow and a large insect hotel. The permanent exhibition in the manor house is also open to visitors from March to October: Saturdays from 2 to 5 pm and Sundays from 1 to 6 pm. Opening hours may change, so check them before you travel.

The Rhenish Fire Brigade Museum in Erkelenz-Lövenich is run by the Rhenish Fire Brigade Museum Association (Rheinisches Feuerwehrmuseum e. V.). It displays vintage fire engines, large-scale equipment and other firefighting items that document the development of firefighting technology. Check the current opening arrangements before your visit. Alongside the architectural and cultural attractions in the town centre, this gives you two distinct points of interest: nature and exhibition history at Haus Hohenbusch, and firefighting technology in Lövenich.

Cycling Route, Market and Park

The approximately 24-kilometre “Route Against Forgetting” cycling route passes twelve stops in the Erkelenz municipal area. It provides information about Nazi crimes, the dictatorship’s influence on society and resistance. Erkelenz and the entire Heinsberg district also have a signposted cycle network with red-and-white arrow signs, information boards and intermediate signs. The themed route and the cycle network’s signs are different navigation aids for your planning; check the signage and route before setting off.

The five-day Lambertusmarkt takes place annually in the centre of Erkelenz, starting on Corpus Christi, and attracts thousands of visitors. Dates vary from year to year, so plan around the market dates for the relevant year. The listed Old Cemetery on Brückstraße is now a park in the heart of Erkelenz. Many graves remain, particularly those of well-known Erkelenz families. The park and graves bring together the site’s present-day use and one part of the town’s history.

Heinsberg as a Wider Travel Destination

The wider travel destination of Heinsberg offers another perspective. The Teverener Heide is a 450-hectare nature reserve spanning areas of the municipality of Gangelt and the towns of Geilenkirchen and Übach-Palenberg. Four circular hiking trails are described, each with a different length: the Moor Circular Trail at 5.8 kilometres, the Heath Circular Trail at 6 kilometres, the Lakes Circular Trail at 7.1 kilometres and the Great Circular Trail at 9.4 kilometres. Trailheads are at designated car parks in Scherpenseel, Grotenrath and Hohenbusch. The Teverener Heide landscape includes open heathland, boggy moors, quiet lakes, inland dunes and woodland.

Discover more destinations: Gangelt, Holzweiler, Übach-Palenberg, Tüddern, Selfkant, Waldfeucht, Geilenkirchen, Bocket

Back to the main travel overview: Heinsberg.