Alter Kirchweg

The long road to the church service

The Alte Kirchweg between Roetgen and Stolberg is more than just a footpath between two towns. In the 18th century, Protestant families from Roetgen regularly walked to the reformed parish in Stolberg - almost 19 kilometers on foot.

The route leads through very different landscapes: over open plateaus, through moorland and heathland, along old hollow paths and over heights with sweeping views of the Vichttal valley. It tells of religious affiliation, of denominational boundaries and of a time when religious freedom was not a matter of course.

The Old Church Trail combines natural and cultural history. It invites you to experience the landscape and history together - and to understand how Protestant communities lived and believed under the conditions of the time.

Highlights of the route

• Historic church path of the reformed community of Roetgen
• High moorland and heathland in the Struffelt nature reserve
• Old hollow ways as evidence of centuries of use
• Schlangenberg nature reserve
• Copper master's cemetery and Finkenberg church in Stolberg