Von Grafen und Mönchen
This 11.4-kilometre circular trail follows in the footsteps of the later Counts of Berg as well as the famous traces left by Cistercian monks in the Dhünntal valley. When the Counts of Berg moved to a new castle on the Wupper (today: Burg Castle) in 1133, they made their old castle Berge (Altenberg) available for the foundation of a monastery. The monks soon built a new monastery complex in the Dhünntal valley, whose second, Gothic church remained world-famous under the name Altenberg Cathedral long after the abbey was dissolved at the beginning of the 19th century.
Along the way, hikers embark on a journey through time. They learn how the monks built the cathedral, why the people of the early Middle Ages had to fortify the borders of their estates and discover the remains of an old refuge castle. An elaborate reconstruction of Berge Castle gives an idea of why this complex was so impressive to contemporaries.
Odenthal-Altenberg is a stage stop on the "Bergischer Weg".