The best walks and hikes around Roetgen

In Roetgen there are many well-preserved and well-maintained half-timbered houses. Many of them are registered as listed buildings.

The Finkenbergkirche in Stolberg (Rhineland, Germany) is a magnificent testament to Protestant religious life and the economic history of this old town. The church stands on the slope of the Finkenberg, an offshoot of the Hammerberg, and has been a recognizable landmark in the cityscape since the early 18th century. The origins of the Finkenbergkirche date back to the 17th century when the Reformed community in Stolberg did not yet have its own place of worship and gathered in houses and copperworks, such as that of Leonhard Schleicher. In 1617, a small wooden church was built on the Finkenberg, which over time proved too small for the growing congregation. Around 1688, a stone tower was erected, on which the bell still rings today, and later the current stone nave was built, completed in 1725. The construction reflects the success of the local copper and brass industry, as many wealthy copper master families from the town supported the church financially, which is also evident in the impressive facades and the size of the church. Characteristic of the Finkenbergkirche is the interior, which remains true to the Reformation tradition of simplicity and functionality. The walls, pews, and the preacher's pulpit are light in color with contrasting dark wood accents. The pulpit, which is even older than the church building itself, stands on a sculpture of a pair of pelicans, a symbol of Christ's sacrifice. Historical elements such as the baptismal font and ewers from 1621 and the communion ewer from 1739 bear witness to the artistic and liturgical life of the early community. Next to the church building lies the Kupfermeisterfriedhof, also known as the copper masters' burial ground. Here, from 1686 onwards, the leading families of Stolberg were buried with gravestones richly adorned with family coats of arms, reflecting the industrial past. In later years, parts of these gravestones have been placed inside the church to better protect them from decay. The Finkenbergkirche is not only a place for regular church services but also a beloved location for baptisms, weddings, and concerts. As part of the Evangelical Church Community of Stolberg, it forms, together with other historical buildings, a crucial part of the cultural and religious heritage of this copper mining town.

Beautiful and peaceful. We encountered many ferns along the way.

The small squares and alleys of the old town are picturesque.

The castle and the surrounding small streets are really worth seeing and a must when visiting Stolberg.

Like in a fairy tale :)

The heath at Struffelt is beautiful at any time of the year

The Reinartzhof was later built from the St. Reinart hospice, which was formerly located on the Reinart. However, the evacuation of the Reinartzhof was announced by royal decree on June 26, 1958. Reason: As the Reinartzhof settlement is in the catchment area of the Weser dam and there is therefore a risk of water pollution, it is expropriated and must be evacuated. Within three years, i.e. by 1961, the residents were to leave their farms. With heavy hearts, the farming families moved out of the isolated hamlet one after the other. "Be that as it may, the mild pressure from above, supported by appropriate compensation payments, caused one farmer after another to emigrate and find a new home and work somewhere at the foot of the High Fens." In 1971, even the picturesque Oberhof was set on fire, and what had been spared by the fire was reduced to rubble by pickaxes and bulldozers. Source: https://reinartzhof.pfadfinder-raeren.be/geschichte.html