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yumyum Says: There used to be a narrow gauge train line from Kempen to Straelen and Kevelaer. In 1901 the dam over the Donk was built for this railway called "Geldrische Kreisbahn". In 1934 the train line was officially shut down.Today buses run between the towns.
yumyum Says: Haus Puellen is one of the oldest buildings in Wachtendonk as it was built before 1634. The house stayed luckily intact during the big wars and the big fire in 1708. The building features a baroque double gable.The house was used in the past as wine shop. The street probably...
yumyum Says: The old town hall was destroyed in the big fire of 1708. In 1712 a new one was built but today's building dates back to 1841. The Rathaus was extended several times and is now a complex of buildings. An interesting fact is that in 1934/35 the protestant services were held in...
yumyum Says: This building was lucky not to be burnt down in the big fire in 1708. Because the inhabitants were so grateful not to have lost their house, they constructed a new gable and made the following instription: "Ihr kennt weder den Tag noch die Stunde" (You know neither the day...
Pfarrkirche St. Michael (parish church)
yumyum Says: In 1381 archbishop Friedrich Graf von Saarwerden allowed a chapel to be built in order to honor the holy trinity and the god mother. Only in 1419 St. Michael was mentioned as the patron.In 1516 the chapel got badly damaged in a fire. At the reconstruction a tomb chapel named...
yumyum Says: At the end of Muehlenstrasse you will find the former silk weaving mill, an impressive looking building. The manor house was built in 1908 for the company Deuss and Oetker Seidenweberei. The silk weaving started on 9.3.1909. They had up to 300 employees which made them the...
yumyum Says: This is the oldest fortificated area in Wachtendonk. The castle was erected in the 14th century and first mentioned in 1326. It was later extended into the city fortifications. The castle was surrounded by "Grachten" which are water channels. It had a big and a small tower...
yumyum Says: The Pulverturm was built in 1605/1606 on the remains of a medival city tower. It has two stories and an unusual Renaissance gable. Apart from the castle ruins the Pulverturm is the only thing that left of the city fortifications as they were looped shortly after the...
yumyum Says: This building dates back to after 1610 and the facade, a stair gable, which you see it today was added in the 19th century.Just around there used to be the Feldtor (field gate) of the city fortification which was first mentioned in 1490. Today on the ground opposite the...
Helpfulness
The Stadtcafé is combined with a bakery. Even though we didn't have time to sit down and enjoy one of those good looking cakes, I still recommend that you stop by in this cosy café.
We bought "Schweinsohren" with and without chocolate. The pigs' ears were delicious. In Switzerland they are known under the name of "Prussien".
The café is open every day (Monday only in the morning).
Written Mar 19, 2011
Address: Weinstrasse 18
Phone: (0 28 36) 3 12
yumyum Says: Wachtendonk lies in flat country and is connected to bicycle paths. You can explore the area by bike, just follow the signposts on the photo. For bicycle maps visit the tourist office in the "Haus Püllen" (see separate tip).PS: This tip is especially for Nemorino :)
yumyum Says: Wachtendonk is situated a few kilometers off the motorway A 40. The A 40 comes from the German Ruhrgebiet and takes you to Venlo in the Netherlands.In Wachtendonk we parked free of charge on the "Friedensplatz", just by the entrance of the old town. When you leave the...
Helpfulness
Just off the Friedensplatz (freedom square) you will find the former post office. If you move closer you will find a postbox which was used in the old times (picture 2).
It's the original post box from the times of the emperor. This imperioral post office existed until 1918.
The building itself dates back to 1908/1909 and was built by postmaster Laprell. The postoffice was in use until 1974.
Updated Apr 3, 2011
Helpfulness
Favorite thing: As we entered the old part of Wachtendonk we immediately spotted the first old water fountain. When walking around we saw some more of them. All of them had been nicely redone and some of them have the years when they were in use written on them. In the old days the houses didn't have water pipes and people had to get their daily water from such fountains in the street.
Updated Apr 3, 2011
We visited here on a daytrip to Venlo in the Netherlands. On the way to Venlo I noticed a brown sign on the motorway indicating a historical town. So on the way back we stopped here and didn't regret...
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