The history of paper, poetry and architecture offer different ways to explore the culture of Bergisch Gladbach. The LVR Industrial Museum Alte Dombach Paper Mill focuses on paper production, while the poetry trail adds a literary touch. Museums in Bensberg and elsewhere in the city complement the range with crafts, art and architecture. You can tailor your stay to the topics that interest you most.
Paper Production and the Poetry Trail
At the LVR Industrial Museum Alte Dombach Paper Mill, visitors can discover how paper has been and continues to be made, first through painstaking manual work and later industrially. Highlights include historic paper-making machines, the chance to make a sheet of paper yourself, and a laboratory paper machine in operation. These examples bring different stages and forms of paper production to life. A paper festival is also held each year in May or June; check the dates before your trip.
The poetry trail consists of six steles, installed in 2011 along the route between the source of the Strunde in Bergisch Gladbach-Herrenstrunden and the Alte Dombach Paper Museum. In addition to this permanent poetry trail, a recurring event takes place there: two editions of poems are published each year. Each is launched with a hike involving the public, along with an accompanying program of music or performance. If you would like to attend one of these launches, check the latest dates in advance.
Crafts and Art in Bensberg and Bergisch Gladbach
The Bergisches Museum in Bensberg focuses on traditional craft techniques and the history of regional iron ore mining. Its offerings include family days, school workshops, guided tours and talks; events, workshops and tours are held throughout the year. Craft demonstrations take place on Sundays from April to November. These different formats offer various ways to explore crafts and the history of mining. As individual offerings may change, it is worth checking the program if you are planning a visit for a specific date.
The Kunstmuseum Villa Zanders regularly presents changing exhibitions, primarily of contemporary art. The museum also focuses its collection on art made from paper. There are around 1,000 square meters of exhibition space across three floors, and the collection includes about 500 paper artworks by around 150 international artists. Comparing the city’s two paper-related highlights can help with your planning: the paper mill focuses on production, while Villa Zanders focuses on artworks made from paper.
Buildings by Gottfried Böhm
Architecture is another reason to explore Bergisch Gladbach. Gottfried Böhm designed four buildings in the city: the Bergischer Löwe, the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Schildgen, the Bethanien Children’s Village and Bensberg Town Hall. Their names reflect different building types, from churches and town halls to cultural and children’s village buildings. For architecture enthusiasts, they form a distinct theme alongside the museums and poetry trail.
Getting to the Paper Mill and the Region
Bus route 426 runs from the nearest S-Bahn station, Bergisch Gladbach, toward Wipperfürth and stops at “Alte Dombach.” As transport details may change, check the timetable before setting off. In the wider Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis district, rail-based local public transport is available in Leichlingen, Bergisch Gladbach, Rösrath and Overath, with connections toward Cologne. It is also helpful to know that the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis lies at the crossroads between the greater Cologne area and the scenic Bergisches Land.
When choosing a hotel in Bergisch Gladbach, you can start by thinking about which of these themes you want to shape your stay: paper production and poetry, art made from paper, crafts or architecture. The places and activities offer different thematic focuses; for seasonal events and specific journeys, current program information and timetables can help with planning.
Discover more destinations: Lückerath, Odenthal, Kürten, Leichlingen, Overath, Wermelskirchen, Rösrath, Burscheid.
Go to the main travel overview: Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis.
