9 beautiful half-timbered towns for a trip in NRW
In North Rhine-Westphalia, you'll find many towns featuring half-timbered architecture. Among them are places where every house has its own name, while others are known as half-timbered gems, even in Japan . And one town goes all out on a culinary limb with mustard pralines.
The half-timbered appearance of these towns is multifaceted. They come in a skeleton structure made of wooden beams and clay, or in the Bergisches Land region, in a slate version. It's impressive to think that there are a whopping two million such buildings in Germany .
We show you where you can find this authenticity in North Rhine-Westphalia :
No cars, cobblestones, winding alleys, and half-timbered houses everywhere. In Monschau, the townscape transports you to the magic of times gone by. No wonder the town has served as a backdrop for numerous filming projects, such as the ARD series "Eifelpraxis" and the Hollywood action thriller "Collide."
300 half-timbered buildings and a castle dating back to the 12th century, as well as the imposing Red House of cloth maker Johann Heinrich Scheibler, will transport you back in time. Those looking for more than just coffee will also find something unusual in Monschau: the brave can sample mustard pralines in the historic mustard mill .
You will find a picturesque town center and unusual culinary delights in the half-timbered town of Monschau.
Source: imago images/Jochen Tack
In 2021, the town was hit hard by flooding, but much of the flood damage has since been repaired. The town center of Bad Münstereifel is dominated by outlet stores, yet the town has lost none of its historic charm. The medieval city wall is almost completely preserved and partially accessible, and at its highest point, you have a magnificent view of the old town.
The town center is a listed building. Here you'll also find the Windeckhaus. This large, half-timbered monument with its colorful carvings even has its own postage stamp. The ground floor now houses a fashion store. You'll also find half-timbered buildings on Heisterbacher Straße, Orchheimer Straße, and at the Entenmarkt.
View from the Heisterbacher Gate into the old town center of Bad Münstereifel.
Source: imago images/Shotshop
The iron half-timbered house (narrow at the bottom, wider at the top) in Hattingen's old town stands with a peculiar shape. The Old Town Hall, which serves as the city's cultural center and also reflects the half-timbered style, appears almost bulky in comparison. The narrow streets between the half-timbered houses and St. George's Church are unnaturally picturesque. Hattingen is definitely worth a visit.
The painter's corner at blue hour.
Source: imago stock&people
In addition to the things already mentioned, you can also marvel at Hattingen's smallest house, the Zollhaus, on Grabenstraße. Photo, selfie, and Instagram fans will be delighted at the Malerwinkel (Painter's Corner): Here, half-timbered houses, the leaning church tower, and the winding alley are perfectly staged. It's the ideal place to enjoy a coffee.
Soest considers itself the unofficial capital of Westphalia and is a good 400 years older than almost all Central European cities. A total of 600 buildings in the city center are listed as historical monuments, many of them half-timbered houses. But they are not the only features that shape Soest's cityscape.
A total of ten churches and 28 chapels, a density comparable to that of Rome , complete the scenery. Discover, for example, St. Patrokli Cathedral with its 82-meter-high tower dating back to 1200 and the adjacent St. Nicholas Chapel. Also impressive is the green sandstone rampart, the longest surviving rampart in Germany.
Half-timbered houses in the old town of Soest.
Source: imago/blickwinkel
Located 20 kilometers from Düsseldorf, Gräfrath is the smallest of Solingen's five districts. Its historic center, which remained largely intact during World War II, is enchanting. The result is a picturesque market square and around 120 monuments.
In the Solingen district of Gräfrath, visitors can expect a charming town center.
Source: imago stock&people
The half-timbered houses of the Bergisch region – gray slate, white window frames, and green shutters – add to the charm of the listed old town, where numerous cafés and bistros invite you to linger. Also plan a visit to the monastery church of St. Mary of the Assumption, which towers over the old town. From here, you'll have a fantastic view of the historic ensemble.
In Wülfrath in the Mettmann district, the houses are given a special honor: They all have their own name. Here you can discover the "Kleiner Klaus," the "Hechtshaus," the "Scholle," the "Op der Trapp," and the "Op dem Over." Their half-timbered style unites them, and Wülfrath is home to a total of 100 listed buildings and archaeological monuments.
At the church square in Wülfrath, half-timbered houses of different styles line up next to each other.
Source: imago images/Werner Otto
Twice in the past centuries, fires have raged through the city center and destroyed buildings. This led to inscriptions during reconstruction such as "I stand here in God's hands, may he protect me from further fire; Everything depends on God's blessing, December 10, 1678" (as can be read on "Op der Trapp").
Even a short break in between is celebrated in true Wülfrath style in a half-timbered house. On the church square in the town center, you'll find the K5 , a pub with a beer garden and a half-timbered atmosphere. If you're looking for something sweeter, the Fachwerk- Café Meiners is the perfect place for a refreshment.
They stand there like little tin soldiers: the black and white half-timbered houses of Freudenberg's old town, known as the "Alter Flecken," are lined up in rows. The best place to view the 86 half-timbered houses from the 17th century is from the spa gardens. To get there, climb the 120 steps.
The historic town center has remained unchanged since 1666. In the 4Fachwerk-Mittendrin Museum, you'll discover fascinating facts about the town's architectural and urban history on four floors.
Freudenberg’s half-timbered old town center is also a star on Instagram.
Source: imago images/russellkord.com
The surreal, picture-perfect view of the old town hasn't gone unnoticed by foreigners either. Since Japanese television began reporting on Freudenberg, busloads of travelers from the Far East have been arriving to snap their Instagram snaps. The city has responded cleverly with Japanese-language maps and souvenirs suitable for long-haul flights.
Ever heard of Bergneustadt? Fifty kilometers east of Cologne, this small town with approximately 20,000 inhabitants lies in the Bergisches Land region. The town is listed as one of North Rhine-Westphalia's historic town centers and is characterized by its winding streets and half-timbered houses.
In the half-timbered building that houses the local history museum, you can even discover remnants of the old city wall, reports the " Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger ." You can also experience the town in a completely unconventional way: On the popular Night Watchman Tour, you'll experience Bergneustadt at dusk.
Half-timbered idyll in the Bergisches Land: Bergneustadt.
Source: imago images/CHROMORANGE
Ruppichteroth, with its just over 10,000 residents, is the ideal starting point if you want to explore the charming half-timbered architecture on foot. The 11.5-kilometer hike begins at Burgplatz, already a historic idyll with fountains, alleyways, and chic half-timbered buildings.
On a hike from Ruppichteroth you can discover the half-timbered art and the surrounding area.
Source: imago/Westend61
The Half-Timbered House Trail, marked with the number 22, leads through small villages and past historic buildings. A total of eight information panels also provide interesting facts about half-timbered construction and the origin of sayings like "to bring something under roof and roof."
The hike is also worth the scenic route, passing orchards and through the forest. Numerous seating areas invite you to linger and enjoy the views of the region.
Looking for more inspiration? Find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter.
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