The 36-metre-high Indemann rises above the landscape of the Inden open-pit mine on Goltsteinkuppe. At just under 150 metres, the hill is the highest elevation in the municipality of Inden. From the viewing platforms, you can look out across the open-pit mining landscape; you can even walk along the sculpture’s outstretched arm. This striking viewpoint, where landscape and artwork meet directly, is a fitting place to begin discovering the Düren destination.
Landmarks between landscape and history
A variety of stories converge around this starting point. Schloss Burgau in Düren was destroyed in 1944, remained in ruins until 1975 and was restored in 1998. Today, the moated castle is once again considered a jewel of the city. In Jülich, the citadel tells a different story of architecture: the almost completely preserved and restored fortress, with its ducal palace, is designed in the style of the Italian High Renaissance and is considered the oldest complex of its kind north of the Alps. Explore its ramparts, bastions and casemates independently or as part of a guided tour. Check the current visitor regulations before your visit.
Technology, fortresses and collections
Here, the history of technology is not just a thing of the past. The Art Nouveau Heimbach power station went into operation in 1905, still generates electricity today and has been fully preserved. As an Art Nouveau building, it is considered unique in Europe. Its continued operation and preserved architecture bring together two perspectives on industrial history: its use as a power station and the building as a work of architecture.
Düren’s museums each have their own focus. The permanent exhibition at the Paper Museum centres on the many facets of paper, the city’s industrial and cultural history, and traditional and modern paper-making. The subject therefore ranges from the material itself to urban and industrial history. Blind and visually impaired visitors can follow an independent introductory route through the exhibition; information resources and numerous tactile experiences are also available. The Leopold Hoesch Museum broadens the picture with an outstanding collection of classical modernist paintings and a collection that also focuses on post-war modernism and contemporary art.
Nideggen Castle is a cultural monument that tells the story of the Middle Ages in the Rhineland and Eifel. The Castle Museum complements this historical focus with an extensive programme of events, as well as workshops and guided tours for school classes, families and adults. Check the current programme details before your visit. In Jülich, Brückenkopf Park offers activities for play and sport, a zoo and numerous cultural events for the whole family. Alongside historical discoveries, there is a range of activities and events to choose from.
On foot and on two wheels
For outdoor art, you can take the two-kilometre accessible circular walking trail “Kunst im Busch” in Heimbach. It passes various sculptures, three-dimensional works and installations. The Düren Lakes Loop, by contrast, is an approximately 20-kilometre cycling tour along the Rur to Düren’s swimming lakes, where you can take a refreshing break. The two tours differ in their mode of transport and length: one passes artworks on foot, while the other takes you by bike to the lakes. Local conditions on the Lakes Loop may change; check them before setting out.
The RurUfer Cycle Route is another option for planning a multi-stage trip. It runs via Monschau to Einruhr, along the Rursee through the Rureifel, past Düren and Jülich, and through the Heinsberg region to Roermond. Railway stations along the route allow you to plan your own route and stages; some individual stages can also be enjoyed as day trips. Before setting out, check route conditions, train connections and the conditions for taking a bike on board. The Lakes Loop and the RurUfer Cycle Route offer different approaches to planning: a tour to the Düren lakes or stages that you can put together individually along the route.
Discover more places
Discover more destinations: Jülich, Inden, Hürtgenwald, Heimbach, Nideggen, Düren, Linnich, Langerwehe, Merzenich, Kreuzau, Aldenhoven, Niederzier, Nörvenich, Vettweiß, Titz.
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