Castles, palaces and gourmet temples
The Baroque palace high above Bensberg has a fairy-tale quality; the history of the ancient Erdenburg is shrouded in mystery; and in the 1960s, star architect Gottfried Böhm caused a worldwide sensation with his conversion of an old castle into a city hall. Four very different palaces, castles, and stately estates await discovery along the 10.1-kilometer-long “Bensberg Palace Trail.”
The contrast between the Middle Ages and modernity characterizes Böhm’s “Bürgerburg,” which locals have affectionately nicknamed the “Affenfelsen” (Monkey Rock) since its completion. From here, the historical discovery tour leads to the Baroque castle, which Elector Jan Wellem of Düsseldorf had built in the 18th century as a hunting lodge. Today, Bensberg Castle is a grand hotel where guests from all over the world—including stars like Robbie Williams and Paul McCartney—stay. Hikers can delve into the history of these ancient walls during the Franco-Prussian Wars by visiting the French and Prussian-Austrian military cemeteries in the neighboring Hardt Forest.
Not far from there, the Schlosshotel Lerbach awaits you; it was thanks to its Michelin-starred cuisine that Bergisch Gladbach first gained worldwide fame as a gourmet mecca in the 1990s (closed since 2015 for renovation work). From this luxury inn, located in the former estate of a paper manufacturer, the loop trail finally leads back to modern-day Bensberg via the pre-Christian ramparts of Erdenburg.
Bensberg is a stop on the “Bergischer Weg” trail.
Along the “Bensberger Schlossweg,” the “Waldstuben” restaurant at the Romantik Waldhotel Mangold and the Naturfreunde Hardt invite you to stop for a break. You’ll find additional places to stop for a break on Schlossstraße (and the surrounding area) in Bensberg.
Walking time: approx. 3 hours
The trail features a total of 7 information panels. We’d like to thank Andreas Lülsdorf, who volunteers as the trail’s sponsor.
If you’re interested in the history of the Bergisch region, you can visit the “Bergisch Museum of Mining, Crafts, and Trade” before or after the hike; it’s not far from the starting point of the STREIFZUG.
The contrast between the Middle Ages and modernity characterizes Böhm’s “Bürgerburg,” which locals have affectionately nicknamed the “Affenfelsen” (Monkey Rock) since its completion. From here, the historical discovery tour leads to the Baroque castle, which Elector Jan Wellem of Düsseldorf had built in the 18th century as a hunting lodge. Today, Bensberg Castle is a grand hotel where guests from all over the world—including stars like Robbie Williams and Paul McCartney—stay. Hikers can delve into the history of these ancient walls during the Franco-Prussian Wars by visiting the French and Prussian-Austrian military cemeteries in the neighboring Hardt Forest.
Not far from there, the Schlosshotel Lerbach awaits you; it was thanks to its Michelin-starred cuisine that Bergisch Gladbach first gained worldwide fame as a gourmet mecca in the 1990s (closed since 2015 for renovation work). From this luxury inn, located in the former estate of a paper manufacturer, the loop trail finally leads back to modern-day Bensberg via the pre-Christian ramparts of Erdenburg.
Bensberg is a stop on the “Bergischer Weg” trail.
Along the “Bensberger Schlossweg,” the “Waldstuben” restaurant at the Romantik Waldhotel Mangold and the Naturfreunde Hardt invite you to stop for a break. You’ll find additional places to stop for a break on Schlossstraße (and the surrounding area) in Bensberg.
Walking time: approx. 3 hours
The trail features a total of 7 information panels. We’d like to thank Andreas Lülsdorf, who volunteers as the trail’s sponsor.
If you’re interested in the history of the Bergisch region, you can visit the “Bergisch Museum of Mining, Crafts, and Trade” before or after the hike; it’s not far from the starting point of the STREIFZUG.
