Monschau Old Town

In Monschau, grey slate roofs and black-and-white half-timbering are packed so tightly into the narrow Rur valley that there is barely room for streets. A castle and the ruin of a second defensive tower look down on the old town, while the river rushes past right below the house walls. With more than 330 listed buildings, this small Eifel town has one of the best-preserved old centres in western Germany.

History: castle town and cloth-making centre

The place is first recorded in 1198 as "Mons Ioci". Around that time the Dukes of Limburg built the castle above the point where the Laufenbach stream joins the Rur; it is documented in 1217. Monschau received town rights in 1352 and passed to the Duchy of Jülich in 1433.

Cloth made the town rich. Protestant clothmakers settled here during the Thirty Years' War, and in the 18th century the Scheibler family brought production to its peak and built themselves a mansion in the middle of town. Until 1918 the town was called Montjoie. On 9 August 1918 Emperor Wilhelm II decreed that the French-sounding name be changed to Monschau, and it is the only one of these wartime renamings still in use. In September 1944 US troops took the town quickly, so unlike many places nearby it survived largely undamaged.

What to see

• Red House: This grand merchant's house at the mouth of the Laufenbach was built between 1752 and 1768 for Johann Heinrich Scheibler. The left half, "At the Golden Helmet", was the residence, the right half, "At the Pelican", the office; look for the helmet and pelican above the doors. Inside, the museum is best known for its carved wooden staircase rising through three floors.
• Monschau Castle: The castle above town is now a youth hostel, and open-air concerts are held in the courtyard in summer. The climb is worth it for the view alone.
• Haller: Opposite the castle, on a rocky spur, stands what is left of an independent defensive tower with walls up to 2.5 metres thick. From here you see the whole old town.
• Protestant Town Church: The bright church of 1787–1789 has a swan on its spire instead of a weathercock, a symbol of Martin Luther and a rarity in the Rhineland.
• Haus zum Turm: This house on the Rur from 1351 is considered the oldest residential building in town.

Good to know

In 1971 Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the Haller and parts of the castle, one of their first large outdoor wrappings. Haus Troistorff from 1783 was long attributed to the Aachen architect Couven, which is now thought unlikely. And at the Senfmühle on the Laufenbach, a mill originally built for textile work, the Breuer family has been making mustard since 1952.

Visiting and timing

The old town is freely accessible. Car parks surround the centre, a few minutes' walk away. By bus, get off at "Monschau Altstadt"; lines run from Aachen, Simmerath and Eupen, among others. Allow two to three hours for a walk including the Red House and the climb to the Haller, or half a day with the castle and a café stop.

Many lanes are steep and cobbled, which is hard going with a pushchair or wheelchair. Check the Red House's current opening hours before you go.

Tripto tip

Come on a weekday or early in the morning. On sunny weekends and during Advent the old town gets very crowded, and the reflection of the timbered houses in the Rur looks best without the crowds.