The best city hikes and walks in Cochem-Zell

The Herz-Jesu-Kirche was built according to plans by the Kottenheim church builder Caspar Clemens Pickel. The foundation stone was laid in 1911. The church was completed as early as 1912, after only 13 months of construction. During the Second World War, the church was almost completely destroyed. The reconstruction dragged on until 1952. In addition, the second bell tower on the left was added in 1959. During extensive renovations at the turn of the century, the interior painting by Damaris Wurmdobler was renewed and the church windows were replaced by the glass painter Jakob Schwarzkopf. Today, the church is characterized by 5 towers, with the two bell towers, each 48 m high, being particularly striking. The interior of the church measures 50 m in length and 29 m in width. The height of the central nave is 15 m. Source: mayen.de/kultur-tourismus/tourismus/sehenswuerdigkeiten/kirchen-und-kapellen

It was built around 1280 by the Trier Archbishop Heinrich von Finstingen. In competition with the nearby Electorate of Cologne, it was intended to secure Trier's interests. 11 years later, King Rudolf von Habsburg granted the town of Mayen town privileges. For 400 years, the late Gothic castle remained almost undamaged, but during the Palatinate War of Succession, it was besieged and burned down by French troops in 1689, as was the town of Mayen. Just one year later, reconstruction and expansion of the castle began. The medieval palas was replaced by a baroque residential building. The Elector also had a lower castle built. In the autumn of 1794, French revolutionary troops again occupied the left bank of the Rhine, and after the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the territories fell to Prussia. Under French occupation, Genoveva Castle was declared national property and auctioned off in 1803. Philipp Hartung, the son of the tenant of Genoveva Castle, bought it and sold it off piece by piece for demolition. The administrative building and the east tower were dismantled. In 1815, the upper castle building was also demolished. In 1902, large parts of the castle were destroyed by fire. Eight years later, the graduate engineer Arend Scholten bought it and had it restored and rebuilt according to historical models from 1918 onwards. The neo-Renaissance elements of the previous owner were removed again. Scholten made the castle accessible to the public again, and in 1921 he enabled the establishment of the Eifel Museum in the rebuilt stables. In 1938, the town of Mayen acquired the castle. During World War II, numerous additions to the castle complex were destroyed. After the war, the Mayen town administration and an agricultural school moved into the still existing buildings. The last war damage was not cleared until 1984. The current complex today consists of the upper castle with the 34 m high Goloturm and the slightly lower-lying outer bailey. Castle Genoveva is protected towards the town by a large castle gate, and on the other side by the keep and a zwinger. The former moat is now a ring road, spanned by a 20 m long Gothic stone bridge. Genoveva Castle houses the Eifel Museum and the German Slate Mine. Source: burgen.de/burgen-und-schloesser/deutschland/genovevaburg

The current „Alte Rathaus“ (Old Town Hall) was built in 1717 in the baroque architectural style on the northeastern edge of the market square using regional building materials (the typical basalt lava stone) and features a hipped mansard roof construction as well as a square clock tower with an octagonal superstructure made of regional slate with a sound opening. In 1945, many buildings in Mayen's city center were destroyed during bombings. However, the Alte Rathaus suffered only minor damage, allowing it to continue to be used as an administrative seat and thus as a building for council banquets and meetings, as well as for dance and festive events. With the construction of a new administrative seat, the town hall later also moved to the Mayener Rosenstraße area. Today, the Alte Rathaus serves as a „Haus des Gastes“ (House of the Guest), where the municipal tourist information is located on the lower floor. However, festive events or receptions are still frequently held in the former meeting room of the Alte Rathaus. Source: Anne Gasper, Universität Koblenz-Landau, 2015

As early as around the year 600, a small Christian wooden church stood here amidst a burial ground. A series of further church buildings were to follow. When St. Clemens was first mentioned in writing as a parish church in 1296, the small church had developed into a basilica-style building constructed in the Romanesque style. The church tower still exists from this church, which is integrated into the present-day church complex as the southwest tower; the people of Mayen affectionately call this tower "Eulenturm" (Owl Tower) to this day. The urban development of Mayen into a city also brought a series of profound changes for St. Clemens. In 1326, shortly after the completion of the city wall, monastery buildings with a cloister were erected west of the church for the Augustinian Canons' Convent from Lonnig. The master of this dynamic development was Archbishop Balduin (1307-1354). Even during his reign, the construction of a completely new church began at St. Clemens. Over a long construction period, which was repeatedly interrupted, a highly modern building for its time was created by around 1430. At that time, it was the first fully developed Gothic hall church on the Middle Rhine. Source: https://www.blick-aktuell.de/Mayen/Die-Clemenskirche-82334.html

As early as around the year 600, a small Christian wooden church stood here in the middle of a graveyard. A series of further church buildings were to follow. When St. Clemens was first mentioned in writing as a parish church in 1296, the small church had become a basilica-style building erected in the Romanesque style. The church tower still exists from this church, which is integrated into the present-day church complex as the southwest tower; the people of Mayen affectionately call this tower "Eulenturm" (Owl Tower) to this day. The urban development of Mayen also brought about a series of profound changes for St. Clemens. In 1326, shortly after the completion of the city wall, monastery buildings with a cloister were erected west of the church for the Augustinian Canons' Collegiate Church from Lonnig. The master of this dynamic development was Archbishop Balduin (1307-1354). Even during his reign, the construction of a completely new church began at St. Clemens. In a long construction period, which was repeatedly interrupted, a highly modern building for its time emerged by around 1430. It was then the first, fully developed, Gothic hall church on the Middle Rhine. Source: https://www.blick-aktuell.de/Mayen/Die-Clemenskirche-82334.html

Undoubtedly, one of the most imposing parts of the former city fortifications of Mayen is the Mühlenturm (Mill Tower). It and its counterpart, the Vogelsturm (Bird Tower), are the only two largely intact round towers of the old 14th-century fortification. On the stretch between the Wittbender Tor (Wittbend Gate) and the Brückentor (Bridge Gate), in addition to the round Mühlenturm, other tower structures – including two half-towers and a so-called Erkerturm (oriel tower) – secured the wall and the city's forefield. Above the inflow of the Barwinkel stream, there was also a projecting defensive structure; the stream powered a mill inside the city, which likely gave its name to the Mühlenturm located just a few meters away. The four-story Mühlenturm also had to secure the terrain on the opposite bank of the Nette. Its upper floor shows walled-up embrasures and loopholes, which once formed an open crenellated crown before the conical roof. Unlike the other gates and towers, it has never lost this roof. In 1906, our tower was last renovated under the city master builder Eugen de Witt. Source: https://www.blick-aktuell.de/Mayen/Der-Muehlenturm-79159.htm

The northern gate of the city fortifications, which still exists today, is the gatehouse located on the Nette river, built between 1299 and 1354. It secured the crossing of the Nette and primarily served as the city entrance from the direction of Koblenz, which is why it also bears the name "Koblenzer Tor" (Koblenz Gate). Since there are no signs of a slot in the wall for a portcullis, it is assumed that a drawbridge to the bridge pier on the Nette was used to secure the gate. Due to the flood in 1598, the gatehouse collapsed along with the outer gate. However, the chiseled number 1599 testifies that the gatehouse was rebuilt just one year later. From the beginning of the 19th century until 1855, the gatehouse was used as a prison. The city coat of arms, added in 1911, is still visible today. Source: Jonas Breithaupt, University of Koblenz-Landau, 2015

The Brückentor (Bridge Gate) is one of Mayen's few remaining medieval city gates and once served as the most important entrance for travelers coming from Koblenz. Today, this historic building houses the Mayen Carnival Museum, which brings the city's long tradition of "Faasenaacht" (Carnival Night) to life.