Geldern: Mills, History and Cycling Routes

Geldern offers visitors a range of things to explore: historic buildings, mill culture, cycling routes and seasonal cuisine. If you are looking for a hotel in Geldern, these themes can help you decide which interests you would like your stay to focus on. The historic sites, routes and seasonal cuisine each offer a different perspective.

Historic Buildings and Traces in the Landscape

St. Mary Magdalene is a three-aisled Gothic hall church dating from around 1400. The term “three-aisled” refers to the division of the church interior into a nave and side aisles; “hall church” describes the fact that these spaces are approximately the same height. After being destroyed in 1945, the church was rebuilt in a simplified form without its vault. At St. Mary Magdalene, therefore, the Gothic period of its construction and the simplified postwar reconstruction stand side by side as two historical layers. For those interested in architecture, this change offers a tangible way to consider the building’s form and its later alterations together.

The Fossa Eugeniana is an unfinished canal between the Rhine and the Meuse. Its visible remains are archaeological monuments. The Fossa Route passes through Geldern and follows the course of the historic canal. While the visible remains are classified as archaeological monuments, the route takes the course of the unfinished canal as its theme.

The Geldern Mill Tower was part of the medieval town fortifications. The underground passageways and casemates at the tower are open to visitors; art exhibitions are also held there. Before visiting, check current access arrangements and the exhibition program if these are important to your plans.

Cycling Routes and Ways to Get Around

Geldern has well-developed cycling routes connecting its seven districts through nature reserves and along rivers. Unlike the Fossa Route, which follows the unfinished canal and passes through Geldern, this network describes the connections between the districts. Thus, the canal’s history and a network of routes between the districts offer different ways to explore the area.

You can explore Geldern’s attractions by bicycle, on foot, on inline skates or on horseback. These different ways of getting around give you the flexibility to choose how you explore according to your interests.

The Steprather Mill in Walbeck

The Steprather Mill is located in Geldern-Walbeck, dates from the 15th century and is considered Germany’s oldest fully operational windmill. During opening hours, you can visit it on a guided tour led by an expert. Check the current opening hours in advance if a tour is part of your plans.

The café at the mill serves bread and cakes made with flour milled there. If you are visiting specifically for these items, check in advance what is currently on offer.

Seasonal Cuisine

Freshly harvested white asparagus is served in Geldern-Walbeck in May and June. If you would like to include this seasonal dish in your travel plans, this time frame is a useful point of reference. If you are planning a visit specifically for it, it is worth checking what is currently on offer.

Discover more destinations: Emmerich am Rhein, Rheurdt, Rees, Kranenburg, Kleve, Goch, Haldern, Issum.

Back to the main travel overview: Kleve.