City facts Euskirchen – Eifel region

Euskirchen – city facts

Things worth knowing about Euskirchen – only content from the city facts database.

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Founding and age

The first documentary mention of Euskirchen dates from the year 870 in the Treaty of Meerssen under the name Augstchirche. Since 1302 Euskirchen has held town rights; in 1827 the city became county town and thus the centre of an entire region. The Rhenish Town Atlas of the LVR locates the nucleus of the settlement at the church of St Martin built in the 7th/8th century and dates the beginning of development into a town to around 1270. The chronological city history of the city names for the Roman period the Belgica vicus in present-day Billig as a Roman road junction and trading centre in the river area of Erft and Veybach. Hardtburg near Stotzheim is already documented in 1166 and is among the early fortified sites in the present city area. The district of Flamersheim is according to the city website likewise mentioned in 870 as villa regia nomine Flamersheim in the chronicle of Abbot Regino of Prüm; Kreuzweingarten appears in 893 in the Prümer Urbar as Wingarden. Districts such as Billig with the ancient designation as Belgica and Kuchenheim with first mention in 1197 and an early administrative tradition extend according to the municipal district pages the historical space of the county town beyond the medieval town core.

On 1 August 1302 Walram VIII of Monschau-Falkenburg granted Euskirchen town rights. In 2002 the city celebrated the 700th anniversary of the grant of town rights with many events. According to the Rhenish Town Atlas of the LVR, Euskirchen additionally received the Rhenish municipal code in 1856.

After the grant of town rights in 1302, Euskirchen received a market privilege in 1322. In 1469 Euskirchen was according to the chronological city history, alongside Jülich, Düren and Münstereifel, a co-capital of the Duchy of Jülich. In 1827 Euskirchen became county town. As an industrial and commercial location the city was long shaped mainly by the cloth industry; before the First World War the city counted 21 cloth factories, the last factory Ruhr-Lückerath closed in 1982. Today the city describes a diverse economic structure and a mediating location between Cologne, Bonn and Aachen on the one hand and the uplands of the Eifel on the other. Besides the core city, 22 districts belong to the city. The Rhenish Town Atlas of the LVR describes the offsetting of the decline of the textile industry through early designation of industrial land and service-oriented, mainly medium-sized enterprises. According to the chronological city history, around 1270 the village was secured with wall and ditch; with incorporation into the Duchy of Jülich a fortification wall from the Dicke Turm to the Kahler Turm arose in the second half of the 14th century, while the southern enclosure was completed only about a century later. In 1794 Euskirchen came under French sovereignty and from 1798 to 1814 was incorporated into the French Republic; in 1815 Euskirchen with the Rhineland became Prussian. The economic rise of the city according to the city's Historical City Guide was closely linked with the expansion into a railway junction from 1864. In parallel the sugar industry emerged from 1879 and the stoneware industry from 1880; the Müller cloth factory in Kuchenheim was closed in 1961 and later became the LVR Industrial Museum. The municipal reorganisation as of 1 July 1969 brought among other things Flamersheim with the Flamersheimer Wald and Kreuzweingarten with ringwork and Roman canal into the present city area. According to the Kuchenheim district page, the present district before the reorganisation on 1 July 1969 was the seat of the Amt Kuchenheim, which with 14 municipalities, 13,700 inhabitants and 10,000 hectares of area was the largest Amt of the former district; with the exception of Straßfeld the Amt municipalities were incorporated into the city area of Euskirchen. The first documentary mention of Kuchenheim according to the same page falls in the year 1197 as Kukinheim. According to the Billig district page, Billig alongside Zülpich is the only place in the district of Euskirchen mentioned in ancient literature; at the Kaiserstein lie the foundations of the Roman settlement Belgica, which in the Itinerarium provinciarum Antonini Augusti is named as an intermediate station on the road from Cologne to Trier. Excavations around 1870 according to the Billig page uncovered the ground plan and yielded finds that are today in the Bonn State Museum.

Year Title Description
870 First documentary mention Euskirchen is named as Augstchirche in the Treaty of Meersen and described as an ecclesiastical centre for nearby settlements.
1302 Grant of town rights On 1 August 1302, Walram VIII of Monschau-Falkenburg granted Euskirchen town rights.
1322 Market privilege Reinald, Duke of Monschau-Falkenburg, granted Euskirchen a weekly market on Wednesday as well as a one-week annual fair.
1827 Elevation to county seat Euskirchen became a county seat and thus the administrative seat and centre of an entire region.
1836 Beginning of the modern cloth industry A cloth factory was established outside the town gates; the town associates Peter Cornelius Ruhr with this foundation. The cloth industry shaped Euskirchen for a long time as an industrial and commercial location.
1864 Euskirchen station enters service Euskirchen station entered service and strengthened the town’s connection to the transport network. According to the Historical Town Guide, the town thereby gained a link to the Rhenish railway network via the line to Düren.
1969 Municipal reorganisation On 1 July 1969 the large municipality of Euskirchen was formed from the core town and further localities; according to municipal information, 22 districts belong to the town area today.
2002 700 years of town rights The town celebrated the 700th anniversary of the grant of town rights with numerous events and an official ceremony.
1469 Co-capital in the Duchy of Jülich According to the chronological town history of the town of Euskirchen, Euskirchen was, alongside Jülich, Düren and Münstereifel, a co-capital of the Duchy of Jülich.
1856 Rhenish Municipal Code According to the Rhenish Town Atlas of the LVR, Euskirchen was granted the Rhenish Municipal Code in 1856 and developed in the 19th century into a centre of a textile industry of supra-regional importance.
1879 Beginning of the sugar industry According to the chronological town history, a sugar industry in Euskirchen is attested from 1879; it remains associated to this day with the site of the sugar factory in Kuchenheim.
1906 Cloth industry strike According to the chronological town history, the first and only strike of the Euskirchen cloth industry took place in 1906 and lasted 13 weeks.
1982 End of cloth manufacture According to the municipal account of Euskirchen as a cloth town, the firm Ruhr-Lückerath closed in 1982 as the last cloth factory in the town area.
1992 Monument chimney Schiffmann When the Schiffmann cloth factory in Mühlenstraße was demolished, according to the chronological town history the chimney was retained as a monument in memory of the Euskirchen cloth industry.
um 1270 Rampart and moat According to the chronological town history, the village was secured around 1270 with a rampart and moat against external enemies; the Rhenish Town Atlas of the LVR likewise dates the beginning of the development into a town to around 1270.
um 1355 Beginning of the stone town wall With incorporation into the Duchy of Jülich, according to the chronological town history a fortification wall was built in the northern section from the Dick Tower to the Kahler Tower in the second half of the 14th century; the southern walling followed about a century later.
1361 First town seal According to the chronological town history, the first town seal is attested for 1361; the oldest coat of arms shows a gate castle with the arms of the territorial lord, Duke Wilhelm of Jülich.
1794 French sovereignty According to the chronological town history, Euskirchen came under French sovereignty in 1794 and from 1798 to 1814 was incorporated into the French Republic; in 1798 the French mairie was introduced.
1815 Prussian affiliation According to the chronological town history, Euskirchen became Prussian in 1815 together with the Rhineland.
1876 Foundation of the volunteer fire brigade According to the chronological town history, the Euskirchen volunteer fire brigade was founded in 1876.
1906 Permission to demolish the town wall According to the chronological town history, the town received permission in 1906 to demolish the town wall with the exception of the towers still standing and a small section of wall, in order to allow better building development.
1992 Opening of the town museum in Kirchstraße According to the chronological town history, the town museum was opened on 5 May 1992 in Kirchstraße; this site was closed in 2010 before the museum reopened in the Kulturhof.
2012 Inauguration of the Kulturhof According to the chronological town history, the Kulturhof in Wilhelmstraße was inaugurated on 15 December 2012 with a new town library and town museum; the town museum opened there in April 2013.
1166 First mention of Hardtburg According to the town page on Hardtburg, the moated castle complex in the Hardtwald near Stotzheim is first mentioned in documents in 1166.
um 1340 Foundation of Burg Veynau According to the town page on Burg Veynau, the Gothic knights’ castle was founded around 1340; its medieval fabric remained largely unchanged in later centuries.
1871 Opening of the Eifel railway According to the town’s Historical Town Guide, the Eifel railway via Gerolstein to Trier entered service in 1871 and strengthened Euskirchen’s role as a railway junction on the northern edge of the Eifel.
1875 Direct rail link to Cologne According to the Historical Town Guide, Euskirchen received a direct railway connection to Cologne in 1875.
1880 Railway line to Bonn According to the Historical Town Guide, the railway line from Euskirchen to Bonn was opened in 1880.
1890 Erft Valley Railway to Münstereifel According to the Historical Town Guide, ten years after the Bonn line the Erft Valley Railway to Münstereifel was opened; Euskirchen thus became an important railway junction on the northern edge of the Eifel.
1956 New station reception building According to the Historical Town Guide, the railway was able to put the new reception building in the sober style of the postwar years into service in 1956, after railway facilities and Bahnhofstraße had been largely destroyed in the Second World War.
1961 Closure of the Müller cloth factory According to the Landschaftsverband Rheinland, Ludwig Müller locked the gates of his cloth factory in Kuchenheim in 1961; the site was later restored by the LVR and converted into an industrial museum.
1687 Construction of the Capuchin monastery According to the chronological town history, a Capuchin monastery with an associated church was built in 1687 in Klosterstraße or An den Kapuzinern.
1784 First elementary school Turmschule According to the chronological town history, the first elementary school Turmschule was built next to the Dick Tower in 1784; it was demolished in 1884 as a result of a street breakthrough.
1894 Beginning of the Euskirchen district railway According to the chronological town history, a district railway in the Euskirchen district began operation in 1894; operations ceased on 5 July 1959.
1863 Foundation of the Dechant-Vogt-Stiftung Marienhospital According to the chronological town history, the Dechant-Vogt-Stiftung Marienhospital was founded in 1863; in 1888/89 the new Marienhospital building in Klosterstraße followed.
2002 Monument protection for the tower of Obere Burg Kuchenheim According to the town page on Obere Burg Kuchenheim, the surviving round tower of the medieval castle complex was placed under monument protection in 2002.
893 First mention of Wingarden According to the district page Kreuzweingarten/Rheder, the first named mention of what later became Kreuzweingarten appears in the Prümer Urbar of 893 as Wingarden.
1333 First mention of Schweinheim According to the town page on Burg Schweinheim, house, farm, village and court of Schweinheim are mentioned for the first time in 1333 as a Jülich fief.
1339 First mention of Burg Kessenich According to the town page on Burg Kessenich, the castle is first mentioned in 1339, when Otto of Kessenich enfeoffed it to the Margrave of Jülich.
1358 First mention of Burg Flamersheim According to the town page on Burg Flamersheim, the two-part complex with outer bailey and fortifications on the Flämmerbach was mentioned for the first time in 1358.
1528 Annual fair on Simon and Jude Day According to the chronological town history, Duke Johann of Jülich granted Euskirchen an annual fair on Simon and Jude Day on 28 October in 1528.
1625 Fire of hospital and town hall According to the chronological town history, a major fire in Euskirchen in 1625 destroyed the old hospital and the town hall.
1848 Foundation of the first gymnastics club According to the chronological town history, the first gymnastics club in Euskirchen was founded in 1848.
1887 Construction of the municipal waterworks According to the chronological town history, the municipal waterworks were built in 1887.
1926 Renaming to Kreuzweingarten According to the district page Kreuzweingarten/Rheder, permission was obtained in 1926 to change the place name Weingarten to Kreuzweingarten; in the following year an eight-metre-high stone cross was erected on the castle hill.
1970 Move into the new Marienhospital at the town forest According to the chronological town history, the Marienhospital moved into the new building at the town forest on 11 July 1970.
1993 1100th anniversary of Kreuzweingarten According to the chronological town history, Kreuzweingarten celebrated the 1100th anniversary of its mention on 11 September 1993 with a festive procession.
1986 Roman canal as archaeological monument According to the municipal notice on the marking of the Roman canal, the known sections of the Roman aqueduct in the town area have been a registered archaeological monument since 1986.
1197 First mention of Kuchenheim According to the district page Kuchenheim, the first documentary mention falls in the year 1197; according to Lacomblet the place was then called Kukinheim.
1237 First mention of the Billig chapel According to the district page Billig, a chapel in Billig is already mentioned in 1237; its age is likely to be substantially earlier.
1259 Obere Burg Kuchenheim as a fief According to the district page Kuchenheim, Hermann of Are, the builder of the Obere Burg, transferred the round tower in 1259 as a fief to the Archbishop of Cologne, Konrad of Hochstaden.
1337 Sub-lordship of Billig and Roitzheim According to the district page Billig, Billig formed a Jülich sub-lordship with Roitzheim in the Amt of Euskirchen from 1337.
1482 First mention of Untere Burg Kuchenheim According to the town page on Untere Burg Kuchenheim, the moated castle is first mentioned in written sources in 1482 as a Cologne fief.
1573 Gatehouse of Untere Burg Kuchenheim According to the town page on Untere Burg Kuchenheim, the south wing of the outer bailey bears the gatehouse of 1573; the castle was laid out as a moated castle on two islands on the Erftmühlenbach.
um 1400 St. Sebastianus rifle brotherhood Kuchenheim According to the district page Kuchenheim, the St. Sebastianus rifle brotherhood of Kuchenheim probably already arose around 1400 after a major plague epidemic.
1895–1898 New church of St. Cyriakus Billig According to the district page Billig, construction of the neo-Gothic church of St. Cyriakus began in 1895; it was completed two years later and consecrated in 1898 after the old church had been demolished in 1898.
1905 Billig becomes an independent parish According to the district page Billig, Billig was elevated to an independent parish in 1905 after previously having been a filial of the parish of Kreuzweingarten.
1934–1936 Construction of the Steinbach reservoir According to the Euskirchen-Swisttal water supply association, the Steinbach reservoir was built between 1934 and 1936 to supply the cloth industry and was fed by the Steinbach and Treuenbach.
1938–1940 Construction of the Madbach reservoir According to the Euskirchen-Swisttal water supply association, the Madbach reservoir was built between 1938 and 1940 to supply the Euskirchen cloth industry; owing to the war it was not completed and today holds around 70,000 cubic metres instead of the planned more than 300,000 cubic metres.
1968 550 years of the Kuchenheim rifle brotherhood According to the district page Kuchenheim, the St. Sebastianus rifle brotherhood celebrated the jubilee of its 550th anniversary in 1968 under the patronage of Count Galen.
18.12.2015 Opening of Thermen und Badewelt Euskirchen According to the town page on Thermen und Badewelt Euskirchen, visitors have been able to relax there since 18 December 2015 under the motto Mein Paradies. Unter Palmen; more than 500 genuine South Sea palms and eleven themed sauna highlights form part of the offering.
15.07.2021 Draining of the Steinbach reservoir after the flood According to the town page on the Steinbach reservoir, the dam threatened to break during the flood disaster; the reservoir was subsequently drained and a notch cut into the dam, interrupting the previous circular path.
November 2012 Municipal cultural facilities service in the Kulturhof According to the Kulturhof page, the municipal cultural facilities service of the town of Euskirchen moved into its administrative rooms in the newly built Kulturhof in November 2012 in order to run the town library and town museum under one roof.

Important information

Euskirchen according to the city's presentation combines preserved history with a modern shopping-town character. Parts of the old city wall and three defensive towers stand alongside modern architecture; within the medieval city wall ring lies the pedestrian zone. IT.NRW classifies the city as a large medium-sized town in the administrative district of Cologne. The city emphasises the pronunciation with stress on the first syllable and points to preserved traces of city history, including city wall, city towers and former cloth factories. The Historical City Guide underscores the railway junction as the driver of economic rise; the cloth history remains museum-visible especially in the LVR Industrial Museum Tuchfabrik Müller in Kuchenheim. Districts such as Flamersheim with castle and judgment stone as well as Kreuzweingarten with ringwork and Roman canal complement the historical profile of the county town. Districts such as Billig with the Roman Belgica connection and Kuchenheim with Amt tradition, double-church and double-castle history as well as the Dinghaus according to the municipal district pages further complement the historical profile of the county town.

Euskirchen lies in the southwest of North Rhine-Westphalia and is the county town of the district of Euskirchen. The city describes its location as mediating between the metropolis of Cologne and the major cities of Bonn and Aachen on the one hand and the green uplands of the Eifel on the other. The district seat of the district administration is in Euskirchen on Jülicher Ring. The Rhenish Town Atlas of the LVR locates Euskirchen in the southeastern spur of the Zülpich Börde. The atlas describes the location more precisely in the floodplain terrain on the gentle western slope of the Veybach, immediately before its confluence with the Erft flowing past to the east, north of the wooded northern drop of the Eifel. Through the expansion of the railway network from 1864 the city according to the Historical City Guide developed into an important railway junction on the northern edge of the Eifel. Since the municipal reorganisation of 1969 the city area according to the city's Flamersheim page extends to within a few hundred metres of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The city includes 22 districts which, in contrast to the core city, are largely rural in character. Extensive recreational areas lie around the Steinbach and Madbach reservoirs. As woodland areas the city names among others Billiger Wald, Hardtwald, Flamersheimer Wald and Schornbusch as well as the municipal forest with fitness trail. As green spaces among others Stadtpark or Ruhrpark, Disternicher Torwall, Schillerpark and Mitbach facilities, Erft facilities and Veybach facilities as well as the Steinbach reservoir with woodland open-air pool and a roughly three-kilometre circular path with nature trail are named. The city's district page lists besides the core city the districts Billig, Dom-Esch, Elsig, Euenheim, Flamersheim, Frauenberg, Großbüllesheim, Kessenich, Kirchheim, Kleinbüllesheim, Kreuzweingarten, Kuchenheim, Niederkastenholz, Oberwichterich, Palmersheim, Rheder, Roitzheim, Schweinheim, Stotzheim, Weidesheim, Wißkirchen and Wüschheim. IT.NRW records for the city area as of 31 December 2024 among other things 51.0 percent agricultural land and 26.0 percent forest and woodland. The nature reserve around Hardtburg in the Hardtwald near Stotzheim is according to the city website developed as a local recreation area with hiking car parks, shelter, riding and circular trails. In Kuchenheim the Erftmühlenbach, the preserved Müller cloth factory and remains of the Upper and Lower Castle shape the landscape at the transition from Börde and Eifel foothills. The Flamersheimer Wald according to the Flamersheim district page forms with former Kirchheim and Palmersheim woodlands one of the largest contiguous forest stands in Germany and comprises more than 16,000 Morgen. Kreuzweingarten according to the district page lies embedded in the valley of the young Erft and surrounded by wooded hills; the oldest witness of settlement there is the ringwork on the Burgberg. According to the city page on the Steinbach reservoir the area is regarded as an attractive recreational area on the foothills of the Eifel with an extensive network of hiking trails of around 40 kilometres in total length; the Flamersheimer Wald adjoins directly the districts of Flamersheim and Kirchheim. Since 15 July 2021 according to the same page the appearance of the Steinbach reservoir has changed massively: after the flood the reservoir was drained, a notch cut into the dam and the circular path interrupted; a refill at a lower water level is planned. According to the Billig district page the Billiger Knipp above the village offers a panorama over the core city into the Cologne area and in clear weather as far as the silhouette of Cologne Cathedral as well as eastward to the Siebengebirge; the Billiger Wald extends west of the place to the boundaries of Antweiler and Satzvey. According to the Kuchenheim district page the place lay conveniently on federal road 56 and has had a rail connection with Euskirchen and Bonn since 1880.

Earlier Euskirchen was shaped mainly by the cloth industry; before the First World War according to the municipal presentation there were 21 cloth factories, of which eleven produced exclusively uniform cloth. In 1950 the textile industry with 18 establishments and 1,176 jobs was again the largest sector; in 1982 the last cloth factory Ruhr-Lückerath closed. Today the city describes a diverse, balanced economic structure with industrial and commercial areas as well as jobs for a wide catchment area. In the district of Kuchenheim the Pfeifer & Langen sugar factory is named, which is linked with regional sugar beet cultivation and the Knollenfest. In the industrial and commercial areas according to city information industrial enterprises of worldwide renown have settled; the central location and transport connections are cited as a location advantage. According to a publication of the LVR Industrial Museum on Euskirchen's economic history, Pfeifer & Langen in 1879 established the sugar factory on the Erft edge because of the railway connection and expected beet cultivation; in 1894 already 1,300 farmers delivered beet, and around 1900 the factory employed around 100 workers, in the campaign 400 to 500 staff. Between 1952 and 1964 according to the same account ten cloth factories had to close; among others Ruhr-Lückerath and the firm Koenen in Kuchenheim survived longer. In Rheder according to the district page the dressing and textile nonwoven factory Franz Kalff & Co. KG made the place known as a business location.

As excursion destinations the city names in particular the area around the Steinbach and Madbach reservoirs as well as castles and historic monuments in the city area. The mediating location on the edge of the Eifel is highlighted as an attraction for those seeking recreation. The Steinbach reservoir according to city information includes among other things a woodland open-air pool, restaurant, children's playground, barbecue hut and a nature trail. The city also refers to woodland areas and green spaces as well as hiking routes of Nordeifel Tourism such as Eifelspuren and Eifelschleifen. Hardtburg in the Hardtwald was according to the city website already in the 19th century a tourist attraction and is today developed as a local recreation area. Burg Veynau according to the city is regarded as one of the most impressive medieval castle complexes in the Rhineland and after restoration has been usable again since 1988. Kreuzweingarten is described by the city as an excursion destination with monuments from early history and Roman times as well as half-timbered houses; the Flamersheimer Wald and the reservoirs according to the Flamersheim page attract visitors from the neighbouring conurbations. According to the city page on the Steinbach reservoir hiking remains possible even in the drained state, though without a circular path and only as an out-and-back on one side; the area is accessed by around 40 kilometres of hiking trails. From here according to the city page one of the hiking trails runs via Bad Münstereifel through the Ahr valley and the Volcanic Eifel to the Moselle over a total of 136 kilometres. The Thermen und Badewelt Euskirchen according to the city website has since 18 December 2015 under the motto Mein Paradies. Unter Palmen offered over 500 genuine South Sea palms, tropical temperatures and eleven themed sauna highlights near the leisure facility in the Erft floodplain.

Cultural points of contact include among others the city museum and the city library in the Kulturhof, the Stadttheater Euskirchen and the LVR Industrial Museum Kuchenheim on cloth factory history. The Kulturhof in Wilhelmstraße according to the chronological city history was inaugurated on 15 December 2012; the city museum there opened in April 2013. Regular events include among others the city festival, Knollenfest, inner-city fair and Culture Night. After the flood disaster of 2021 according to the city the premises in the old cloth factory in Euenheim serve until completion of a new event space as the largest event hall. The LVR Industrial Museum according to the LVR has since the early 1990s held annually the Rhenish Wool Market with regularly several thousand visitors. According to the chronological city history a theatre circle was founded in 1951 and in 1967 the Ring der Kulturfreunde Euskirchen e. V.; in April 2008 the Kunstmeile Kölner Straße with eleven large sculptures was inaugurated. According to the Kulturhof page the municipal cultural facilities operation moved into its administrative rooms in the Kulturhof in November 2012; since then city library and city museum offer reading and cultural enjoyment under one roof, complemented by the sports administration of the municipal leisure and sports operation and a café in the courtyard.

Among the named historic monuments are remains of the medieval town fortifications with Dicke Turm, Kahlenturm and Fresenturm as well as castles such as Hardtburg and Burg Veynau. Further named castles lie among others in Kessenich, Großbüllesheim, Kleinbüllesheim, Kuchenheim, Flamersheim and Schweinheim. Art-historically highlighted among others is the church of St Martin in Euskirchen. As further monuments the city names among others the ringwork and the Römerkanal near Kreuzweingarten as well as the judgment stone in Flamersheim. The oldest depiction of the city coat of arms according to the city is at the fireplace in the Dicke Turm, which today houses the registry office. Hardtburg on the heights of the Stotzheim forest according to the city is a water-castle ruin with remains of keep, outer bailey and curtain walls; the first mention dates to 1166, the outer bailey has housed the state forestry office since Prussian times. Burg Veynau according to the city was founded around 1340 and is regarded as a monumental Gothic knights' castle with largely unchanged medieval fabric; since 1988 it has been carefully restored. Of the Upper Castle Kuchenheim according to the city website a round tower on the Erftmühlenbach still survives; after 1856 the castle grounds served the Koenen cloth factory, the tower has been under monument protection since 2002. Burg Flamersheim according to the city website was first mentioned in 1358 and remodelled representatively in the Baroque; it is surrounded by a landscape park with ditch and pond works. Burg Schweinheim is first mentioned in 1333 as a Jülich fief; according to the city remains of the outer bailey and a corner tower survive. Burg Kessenich in the Erft floodplain was first mentioned in 1339 and has shone since 2004 in strong brick red. The Römerkanal according to a city notice ranks among the most important technical structures of antiquity in Central Europe and supplied ancient Cologne daily with around 20 million litres of Eifel water. According to the city page on the Lower Castle Kuchenheim, of the south wing of the outer bailey the gatehouse of 1573 and opposite the former manor house of rubble stone in the form of a residential tower survive; the castle was laid out as a water castle on two islands on the Erftmühlenbach and is first mentioned in 1482 as a Cologne fief. According to the Kuchenheim district page the round tower of the Upper Castle today stands in the middle of the works grounds of the Jacob Koenen cloth factory; the three sons of the founder bought the castle in 1851 and established their enterprise in it. In Billig the district page names above the village a motte with a small castle complex and the field name An der alten Burg; the parish church of St Cyriakus is dedicated to Saint Cyriacus. From the Jülich period according to the Kuchenheim page also comes the Dinghaus on the market.

The city names three conveniently located multi-storey car parks, city bus services also to the districts, and good transport connections by road and rail. Town hall and citizens' office as well as the district building of the district of Euskirchen are located in the city. In December 2015 according to the chronological city history the Themen- und Badewelt Euskirchen was opened. On 31 March 2023 the contract for the new town hall building in the southern station area City-Süd was signed; groundbreaking and topping-out ceremony are recorded for 2023 and 2024 respectively. The citizens' office according to the city is in the Old Town Hall on Baumstraße; the current town hall is on Kölner Straße. According to the chronological city history among other things the Entenpfuhl multi-storey car park was opened in 1986 and the Bürgerhaus in 1989, which today is used as Euskirchener City-Forum. In 1887 the construction of the municipal waterworks is recorded; the Marienhospital moved in 1970 into the new building at the municipal forest. In 1907 according to the city chronicle the municipal savings bank was opened. According to the city page on the Thermen und Badewelt the complex also includes a sports pool that since September 2014 was available to Euskirchen schools and swimming clubs and later made accessible to the public. According to the Kuchenheim district page the Dinghaus on the market dates from the time of Jülich rule and served as a court building and prison.

The Knollenfest is named after the sugar beet that is grown in the area around Euskirchen and processed in the sugar factory in Euskirchen-Kuchenheim. The city describes the smell perceptible in autumn as a concomitant of beet processing into sugar. According to the account of the LVR Industrial Museum on economic history the Pfeifer & Langen sugar factory was a constant employer and underwent numerous expansions and modernisations, among other things to limit the sweetish campaign smell and beet traffic.

  • County seat of the Euskirchen district
  • Town charter since 1302
  • Location between Cologne–Bonn–Aachen and the northern Eifel
  • Preserved parts of the medieval town fortifications
  • Historical imprint of the cloth industry
  • 22 districts besides the core town
  • Recreation area of the Steinbach and Madbach reservoirs
  • Town museum and Kulturhof
  • LVR Industrial Museum Kuchenheim
  • Twin towns Charleville-Mézières and Basingstoke & Deane
  • Large medium-sized town according to IT.NRW
  • Historic town centre in the Zülpich Börde
  • Historical imprint of the cloth industry with 21 factories before the First World War
  • Sugar industry since 1879 and Knollenfest
  • Theme and bathing world Euskirchen
  • Heinz-Flohe Stadium
  • Posthumous honorary citizen Willi Graf
  • Location in the lee of the Eifel with Börde climate
  • University of applied sciences location since 2012
  • Geschwister-Graf comprehensive school
  • Railway junction on the northern edge of the Eifel since the 19th century
  • Hardtburg first mentioned in 1166
  • Burg Veynau founded around 1340
  • Müller cloth factory as LVR Industrial Museum since closure in 1961
  • Rhenish Wool Market at the industrial museum
  • Obere Burg Kuchenheim and Koenen cloth factory
  • Flamersheim Forest as a large contiguous woodland
  • Burg Flamersheim first mentioned in 1358
  • Ringwall and Roman canal in Kreuzweingarten
  • Roman canal archaeological monument since 1986 along about 13 kilometres of the town route
  • Burg Schweinheim first mentioned in 1333
  • Burg Kessenich first mentioned in 1339
  • Judgment stone in Flamersheim
  • Parish church Heilig Kreuz Kreuzweingarten with cross bell from 1398
  • Protestant parish of Flamersheim as the oldest in the Euskirchen area
  • Willi-Maurer-Halle
  • Council of Europe plaque of honour 2009
  • Steinbach reservoir drained after the 2021 flood
  • Madbach reservoir process water supply undamaged
  • Roman settlement Belgica near Billig
  • Billig besides Zülpich the only place named in ancient literature in the district
  • Administrative seat Kuchenheim before territorial reform 1969
  • Untere Burg Kuchenheim gatehouse 1573
  • Dinghaus Kuchenheim
  • Thermal baths and bathing world since 18 December 2015
  • Church of St. Cyriakus Billig
  • St. Sebastianus shooting brotherhood Kuchenheim
  • Hiking trails around the Steinbach reservoir approx. 40 km
  • Kulturhof with library, museum and sports administration
  • First mention of Kuchenheim 1197
  • Sports pool of the bathing world since September 2014
  • Bad Münstereifel
  • Zülpich
  • Weilerswist
  • Mechernich
  • Kall
  • Nettersheim
  • Schleiden
  • Blankenheim
  • Hellenthal
  • Dahlem

Notable events

Central attested turning points in the city history are the first mention in 870, the grant of town rights in 1302, elevation to county town in 1827, the rise and end of the cloth industry, the severe destruction in the Second World War and the flood disaster of 14 July 2021. Added to these are among others the Rhenish State Garden Show of 1961, the municipal reorganisation of 1969 and the exceeding of the mark of 60,000 inhabitants in 2022. Further attested caesuras are French and later Prussian affiliation, the construction of the city fortifications, the renaming of the Erftstadion to Heinz-Flohe-Stadion in 2024 and the posthumous honorary citizenship for Willi Graf. The expansion into a railway junction from 1864, the closure of the Müller cloth factory in 1961 and the reconstruction of the station in 1956 mark further economic and urban-historical turning points. District-related caesuras include among others the renaming of Weingarten to Kreuzweingarten in 1926, the 1100-year celebration in 1993 and the incorporation of Flamersheim in 1969. Added to these are among others the construction of the Steinbach and Madbach reservoirs for the cloth industry, the draining of the Steinbach reservoir after 15 July 2021, the opening of the Thermen und Badewelt on 18 December 2015 as well as district-related caesuras such as the first mention of Kuchenheim in 1197 and the excavations of Roman Belgica near Billig around 1870.

Period Title Category Description Significance
1. August 1302 Granting of town privileges History Politics Walram VIII of Monschau-Falkenburg granted Euskirchen town privileges. This marked the beginning of Euskirchen's municipal legal status; in 2002 the 700th anniversary was celebrated with ceremony.
1827 Euskirchen becomes district town Politics Euskirchen became the district town and seat of the district administration for the region. The town developed into the administrative and supply centre of a large catchment area.
September 1944 bis März 1945 Destruction in the Second World War Disaster History As a result of the Second World War the town was 75 percent destroyed; on 4 March 1945 American troops took Euskirchen. The destruction decisively shaped post-war reconstruction and today's townscape.
14. Juli 2021 Flood disaster Disaster The town centre and several districts stood under water for hours; individual districts were evacuated because of the risk of a dam breach at the Steinbach reservoir. Three people lost their lives in Euskirchen. The flood led to protracted reconstruction, emergency planning and restrictions that remain visible today in parts of the municipal infrastructure.
2002 700th anniversary of town privileges Culture History The town marked the 700th anniversary of the granting of town privileges with celebrations and an official ceremony. The anniversary made the long municipal continuity since 1302 publicly visible.
1646 Siege and town fire Disaster History According to chronological town history, one third of the town burned down during siege and bombardment by imperial troops. The event stands for the vulnerability of the early modern town fortifications and buildings of Euskirchen in the wars of the 17th century.
1734 Largest town fire Disaster Chronological town history names 1734 as the largest fire since the town's existence; among the buildings destroyed were the St. Martin parish house, 49 dwellings and 43 barns and stables. The fire marks one of the severest civilian disruptions in the town's pre-industrial history and the subsequent reconstruction.
10. September 1961 Rhenish State Garden Show Culture According to chronological town history, the Rhenish State Garden Show took place in Euskirchen in 1961. The event made the town visible beyond the region as a venue and green-space location and falls in the same year as the founding of the partnership with Charleville-Mézières.
1. Juli 1969 Municipal reorganisation into a large municipality Politics Through municipal reorganisation the large municipality of Euskirchen was formed from the core town and further localities. This created today's municipal area with numerous districts; in 2019 the town marked the 50th anniversary with participation by the twin towns.
1982 End of the last cloth factory Economy History The firm Ruhr-Lückerath closed as the last cloth factory in the municipal area of Euskirchen. The event ended the industrial lead sector that had shaped the town for over a century and forced the town's economic structural change.
13. April 1992 Roermond earthquake Disaster According to chronological town history, the Roermond earthquake damaged numerous houses in Euskirchen. The quake demonstrated the region's seismic hazard and left visible damage to buildings.
28. Juli 2022 Passing the 60,000-inhabitant mark Politics According to chronological town history, Euskirchen for the first time passed the mark of 60,000 inhabitants. The threshold underlines the district town's growth after the flood and inward migration and is further documented in municipal statistics of the following years.
1794 bis 1814 French sovereignty and mairie Politics History According to chronological town history, Euskirchen came under French sovereignty in 1794 and from 1798 to 1814 was incorporated into the French Republic; in 1798 the French mairie was introduced. The phase marks the transition from the early modern town constitution to modern municipal administration and ended with Prussian affiliation from 1815.
1. Februar 1934 Start of construction of the Steinbach reservoir Infrastructure According to chronological town history, construction work on the Steinbach reservoir began on 1 February 1934. The reservoir later became a central recreational area of the town and played a critical role in 2021 during the flood disaster because of the risk of a dam breach.
15. November 1974 Opening of the pedestrian zone Urban planning According to chronological town history, the pedestrian zone Herz-Jesu-Vorplatz and Neustraße was opened on 15 November 1974. The pedestrian zone within the historic town wall ring still shapes the shopping-town character of the town centre today.
4. und 5. September 1993 Opening of the Erftstadion Sport Culture According to chronological town history, the Erftstadion was opened on 4 and 5 September 1993. The stadium was renamed Heinz-Flohe-Stadion in 2024 and is the largest stadium in the town.
19. Juli 2024 Renaming to Heinz-Flohe-Stadion Sport Culture According to chronological town history, the ceremony renaming the Erftstadion to Heinz-Flohe-Stadion took place on 19 July 2024 with a friendly match by 1. FC Köln. The town thereby honours Heinz Flohe as a sporting figurehead; the town council had unanimously resolved the naming on 13 June 2023.
10. Dezember 2024 Posthumous honorary citizenship for Willi Graf Politics History The council of the town of Euskirchen resolved on 10 December 2024 to grant Willi Graf honorary citizenship posthumously. Graf was born in Kuchenheim in 1918 and belonged to the White Rose resistance group; he was executed in Munich-Stadelheim in 1943. The town thereby publicly commits to the values of the resistance and permanently anchors Willi Graf in municipal remembrance culture; the comprehensive school bears the name Geschwister-Graf-Gesamtschule.
1864 bis 1890 Development into a railway junction Infrastructure Economy According to the Historic Town Guide, Euskirchen received the rail link to Düren in 1864, the Eifel railway to Trier in 1871, the direct connection to Cologne in 1875, the line to Bonn in 1880 and the Erft Valley railway to Münstereifel in 1890. Euskirchen thereby became an important railway junction on the northern edge of the Eifel and, according to the town guide, owed its economic upswing primarily to the railway.
1961 Closure of the Müller cloth factory Economy History According to the Rhineland Regional Association, Ludwig Müller locked the gates of his cloth factory in Kuchenheim in 1961 because business was poor. The largely unaltered surviving plant could later become the LVR Industrial Museum and makes the cloth-town history tangible on site.
1956 Commissioning of the new station building Infrastructure According to the Historic Town Guide, the new reception building in the sober style of the post-war years went into operation in 1956 after railway facilities and Bahnhofstraße had been largely destroyed in the Second World War. The new building marks the reconstruction of the town's central transport entrance after wartime destruction.
1702 Destruction of the town fortifications by French troops Disaster History According to chronological town history, the French destroyed Euskirchen's town fortifications in 1702. The event weakened the medieval defensive works and stands for the wartime burdens on the town in the early modern period.
1952 650th anniversary of the town Culture History According to chronological town history, Euskirchen celebrated its 650th anniversary in 1952; reconstruction of the town hall is documented in the same year. The anniversary fell in the phase of reconstruction after wartime destruction and linked the tradition of town privileges with municipal self-assertion.
23. Juli 1991 Major fire at the Halstrick paper factory Disaster Economy According to chronological town history, a major fire occurred at the Halstrick paper factory on 23 July 1991. The fire ranks among the severe industrial damage events of more recent town history.
3. Dezember 1989 Opening of the City-Forum civic centre Culture Infrastructure According to chronological town history, the Euskirchen civic centre was opened on 3 December 1989 and is today used as the Euskirchen City-Forum. The building became a central event venue in the town centre and complements theatre, Kulturhof and leisure facilities.
1625 Fire at hospital and town hall Disaster According to chronological town history, a great fire in 1625 destroyed the old hospital and the town hall in Euskirchen. The fire destroyed central municipal institutions of the early modern town and necessitated new buildings.
1926 Renaming of Weingarten to Kreuzweingarten Politics History According to the Kreuzweingarten/Rheder district page, approval was obtained in 1926 to change the place name Weingarten to Kreuzweingarten; in the following year an eight-metre-high stone cross was erected on the castle hill. The name change permanently linked the old Weingarten name with the centuries-old veneration of the Holy Cross and still shapes the district name today.
11. September 1993 1100th anniversary of Kreuzweingarten Culture History According to chronological town history, Kreuzweingarten celebrated the 1100th anniversary of its mention with a parade. The local anniversary made the settlement continuity documented since 893 and the district's role in the municipal area publicly visible.
11. Juli 1970 Move into the Marienhospital at the municipal forest Infrastructure According to chronological town history, the Marienhospital moved into the new building at the municipal forest on 11 July 1970. The change of location marks the expansion of modern healthcare and later led to the demolition of the old Marienhospital in Klosterstraße.
Mai 2009 Council of Europe plaque of honour Politics Culture According to chronological town history, Euskirchen received the Council of Europe plaque of honour in May 2009 for achievements in promoting the European idea. The award recognises the twin-town partnerships and the European engagement of the district town.
8. November 2019 Inauguration of the Willi-Maurer-Halle Sport Culture According to chronological town history, the Willi-Maurer-Halle was inaugurated on 8 November 2019. The hall commemorates honorary citizen Willi Maurer and expands the town's sporting and cultural infrastructure.
24. November 2023 Award as Child-Friendly Municipality Politics According to chronological town history, the town of Euskirchen was awarded the Child-Friendly Municipality seal on 24 November 2023. The award underlines municipal priorities for children's rights and family-friendly urban development.
1934 bis 1936 Construction of the Steinbach reservoir for the cloth industry Infrastructure Economy According to the Euskirchen-Swisttal water supply association, the Steinbach reservoir was built between 1934 and 1936 to supply the cloth industry and was fed by Steinbach and Treuenbach. The reservoir later became a central recreational area and played a critical role in 2021 because of the risk of a dam breach in the flood disaster.
1938 bis 1940 Construction of the Madbach reservoir Infrastructure Economy According to the Euskirchen-Swisttal water supply association, the Madbach reservoir was built between 1938 and 1940 for the cloth industry but was not completed due to the war; instead of over 300,000 cubic metres it holds around 70,000 cubic metres. After the 2021 flood the undamaged Madbach reservoir maintains the regional process-water supply while the Steinbach reservoir remains empty.
ab 15. Juli 2021 Draining of the Steinbach reservoir after flood risk Disaster Infrastructure According to the town page on the Steinbach reservoir, the dam threatened to breach in the course of the flood disaster; the reservoir was drained and a notch was cut into the dam, interrupting the circular path. The recreational area remained accessible, but without the circular path; refilling at a lower water level is planned according to the town, the timing open.
18. Dezember 2015 Opening of Thermen und Badewelt Euskirchen Culture Infrastructure According to the town page, visitors to Thermen und Badewelt Euskirchen have been able to relax since 18 December 2015 under the motto Mein Paradies. Unter Palmen; over 500 South Sea palms and eleven sauna highlights are part of the offering. The facility complements leisure provision and the sports pool and is a leisure offer of the district town perceived beyond the region.
um 1870 Excavations of the Roman settlement Belgica near Billig History According to the Billig district page, excavations around 1870 uncovered the ground plan of the Roman settlement at the Kaiserstein and brought to light finds that are today in the Bonn State Museum. According to the town, Billig alongside Zülpich is the only place in the district mentioned in ancient literature and documents the Roman road and settlement history in the municipal area.
1. Juli 1969 Incorporation of the Amt Kuchenheim Politics According to the Kuchenheim district page, before reorganisation Kuchenheim was the seat of the largest Amt of the former district with 14 municipalities; with the exception of Straßfeld the Amt municipalities were incorporated into the town of Euskirchen. According to the town, the incorporation substantially added to the district town's industrial potential and among other things brought a cloth-factory site and castles into today's municipal area.

Notable people

Among the attested personalities with a clear local connection are among others the chemist and Nobel laureate Emil Fischer born in Euskirchen, the politician and honorary citizen Thomas Eßer, the resistance fighter and posthumous honorary citizen Willi Graf born in Kuchenheim, the footballer Heinz Flohe as well as long-serving Mayor Jacob Kleinertz and further municipal office-holders of the postwar period and of the town twinning. Added to these are among others Ludwig Müller as the last operator of the later museum cloth factory, Karl Otto Selbach as long-serving mayor of the late 19th century and Josef Schlösser as mayor of the 1970s. Additionally attested are the cloth manufacturer and honorary citizen Carl Koenen, the honorary citizen Willi Maurer and Pastor Nikola Reinartz as researcher of the history of Kreuzweingarten. Additionally the Kuchenheim district page attests Hermann von Are as builder of the Upper Castle, who in 1259 transferred the tower as a fief to Cologne Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden.

Name Role Lifespan Relation to place Why notable
Emil Fischer Chemist, Nobel laureate 1852–1919 Hermann Emil Fischer was born on 9 October 1852 in Euskirchen. The Emil-Fischer-Gymnasium named after him cites him as its namesake and refers to his birthplace on Kölner Straße as well as his attendance at the then Höhere Bürgerschule in Euskirchen. According to Deutsche Biographie, Fischer was a chemist; in 1902 he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His birthplace honours him through the school name and a commemorative plaque.
Thomas Eßer Politician, mayor, honorary citizen 1870–1948 According to the Euskirchen municipal archive, Thomas Eßer was born on 15 May 1870 in Schwerfen, spent his school years in Euskirchen and Düren, and served among other roles as Beigeordneter as well as mayor of the city from 24 September 1946 to 30 April 1947. On 4 October 1925 he received honorary citizenship; after 1933 he lost honorary citizenship and offices. The municipal archive holds his papers; he died on 29 November 1948 in Euskirchen. According to the district page Kreuzweingarten/Rheder, he was involved in the renaming to Kreuzweingarten in 1926. Eßer was a member of the national executive of the Centre Party from 1912 to 1933 and Vice President of the Reichstag from 1926 to 1933; later CDU. He links nationwide political offices of the Weimar period with municipal leadership and honorary citizenship in Euskirchen.
André Lebon Mayor of Charleville, honorary citizen of Euskirchen The partnership between Euskirchen and Charleville-Mézières has existed since 1961. The then mayor of Charleville, André Lebon, was named an honorary citizen of Euskirchen in 1991. His appointment as honorary citizen stands for the early Franco-German town twinning as a contribution to reconciliation after the Second World War.
Peter Cornelius Ruhr Cloth manufacturer The chronological town history of the city of Euskirchen mentions him in connection with the establishment of a cloth factory outside the town gates in 1836. The founding marks the beginning of the modern cloth industry that shaped Euskirchen economically and urbanistically for a long time.
Jacob Kleinertz Mayor According to the chronological town history, Jacob Kleinertz was mayor of Euskirchen from 9 November 1956 to 31 March 1972 (CDU). Together with André Lebon he established the town twinning with Charleville-Mézières. His term of office falls in the postwar reconstruction decades, the state garden show of 1961, and the founding of the Franco-German town twinning.
Wolf Bauer Mayor According to the chronological town history, Wolf Bauer was mayor of Euskirchen from 22 October 1980 to 2 November 1994. On the twin-town page for Basingstoke & Deane he is named in connection with the ceremonial signing of the provisional partnership agreement in 1986 at Euskirchen town hall. During his term the English town twinning was established and municipal infrastructure was expanded, among other things through a multi-storey car park and a civic centre.
Hans-Alex Többens First deputy mayor, town director According to the twin-town page of the city of Euskirchen, Hans-Alex Többens as First Beigeordneter played a decisive role in the search for the English twin town Basingstoke & Deane. The chronological town history names him as town director from 19 December 1989 to 31 October 1997. He links the founding of the partnership with Basingstoke & Deane with the later administrative leadership of the city.
Uwe Friedl Mayor, honorary mayor According to the chronological town history, Dr Uwe Friedl was mayor of Euskirchen from 1 October 1999 to 31 October 2020 and was named honorary mayor on 2 September 2022. His long term of office includes, among other things, the expansion of Kulturhof and the university of applied sciences site as well as the period of the 2021 flood disaster and the start of reconstruction.
Sacha Reichelt Mayor According to the chronological town history, Sacha Reichelt has been mayor of the city of Euskirchen since 1 November 2020. His term of office includes reconstruction after the 2021 flood disaster as well as projects such as the new town hall in City-Süd.
Willi Graf Resistance fighter of the White Rose, posthumous honorary citizen 1918–1943 According to the city of Euskirchen, Willi Graf was born on 2 January 1918 in Euskirchen-Kuchenheim and spent the first four years of his life in the district of Kuchenheim. On 10 December 2024 the city council resolved the posthumous award of honorary citizenship; the comprehensive school bears the name Geschwister-Graf-Gesamtschule. Graf belonged to the White Rose resistance group, distributed leaflets against National Socialism, and was executed on 12 October 1943 in Munich-Stadelheim. With the honorary citizenship the city expressly affirms his values.
Heinz Flohe Football international 1948–2013 The city of Euskirchen names Heinz Flohe as a sporting figurehead and named the Erftstadion after him; the city council unanimously resolved the naming on 13 June 2023, with the ceremonial act following on 19 July 2024. According to a city announcement, Flohe was a 39-time German international, 1974 World Cup winner, 1978 German champion, and multiple DFB Cup winner with 1. FC Köln. In the municipal portrayal Flohe is regarded as one of the best German footballers and remains strongly present in local sports memory; the city's largest stadium bears his name.
Kurt Kuckertz Mayor According to the chronological town history, Kurt Kuckertz was mayor of Euskirchen from 3 November 1994 to 30 September 1999 and, after the change to the municipal code in 1997, served as the first full-time mayor after the Second World War. With his term the dual structure of honorary mayor and full-time town director ended; he stands for the transition to the present mayoral constitution.
Josef Blaß Mayor According to the chronological town history, Josef Blaß was mayor of Euskirchen from 17 March 1945 to 31 May 1945 and again from 1 May 1947 to 8 November 1956; for the second term the party CDU is named. On the city's honorary citizens page, Josef Blaß is listed among the deceased honorary citizens. His terms of office fall in the immediate postwar period and the beginning of reconstruction after the destruction of the city.
Ludwig Müller Cloth manufacturer According to the Landschaftsverband Rheinland, Ludwig Müller locked the gates of his cloth factory in Euskirchen-Kuchenheim in 1961. The site on today's Carl-Koenen-Straße was later converted by the LVR into the Industriemuseum Tuchfabrik Müller. Through the closure and the largely unaltered preservation of the factory, an authentic stock of Euskirchen's cloth industry remained available for museum transmission.
Karl Otto Selbach Mayor, honorary citizen According to the chronological town history, Karl Otto Selbach was mayor of Euskirchen from 1874 to 1904. On the city's honorary citizens page, Carl Otto Selbach is listed among the deceased honorary citizens. His thirty-year term of office fell in the phase of Euskirchen's industrial and infrastructural expansion with a rail hub, sugar industry, and municipal institutions.
Josef Schlösser Mayor According to the chronological town history, Josef Schlösser was mayor of Euskirchen from 1972 to 1980. His term of office lies between municipal reorganisation and the further expansion of the town centre, including the opening of the pedestrian zone in 1974.
Carl Koenen Cloth manufacturer, honorary citizen On the honorary citizens page of the city of Euskirchen, Carl Koenen is listed among the deceased honorary citizens. According to the city page on Obere Burg Kuchenheim, the Koenen cloth factory used the castle grounds as a production site after 1856; the present museum address is Carl-Koenen-Straße. Koenen stands for the cloth industry in Kuchenheim and remains present in the city's street and honorary-citizen memory; according to LVR economic history the firm was among the longer-surviving cloth businesses.
Willi Maurer Honorary citizen According to the chronological town history, honorary citizen Willi Maurer died on 6 July 2017 at the age of 87. On 8 November 2019, according to the same source, the Willi-Maurer-Halle was inaugurated. On the city's honorary citizens page, Willi Maurer is listed among the deceased honorary citizens. Maurer belongs to the municipally honoured figures of Euskirchen; the hall named after him anchors his name in the city's sports and cultural infrastructure.
Nikola Reinartz Pastor, local historian 1874–1954 According to the district page Kreuzweingarten/Rheder, research into the history of Kreuzweingarten and the Roman finds of the region owes substantial impulses to Pastor Nikola Reinartz; his work found expression in numerous writings and scholarly contributions. Reinartz shaped local historical research on the ringwall, the Roman canal, and the Roman villa and remains expressly honoured in the city's district portrayal.
Dechant Vogt Clergyman, founder According to the city's Historical Town Guide, Dechant Vogt founded the Euskirchen journeymen's association on 22 January 1854. According to the chronological town history, the Dechant-Vogt-Stiftung Marienhospital was founded in 1863. He links social journeymen's association work in the spirit of Adolph Kolping with the founding of the municipal hospital endowment.
Hermann von Are Builder of Obere Burg Kuchenheim According to the Kuchenheim district page, Hermann von Are, the builder of the Obere Burg, transferred the round tower in 1259 to the Archbishop of Cologne Konrad von Hochstaden as a fief. He stands at the beginning of the documented history of the Obere Burg, whose tower later remained on the premises of the Koenen cloth factory and has been under monument protection since 2002.
Konrad von Hochstaden Archbishop of Cologne According to the Kuchenheim district page, Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden received the tower of the Obere Burg from Hermann von Are as a fief in 1259. The enfeoffment documents Electoral Cologne rule over the southern part of Kuchenheim and the political division of the place between Electoral Cologne and Jülich.

Sources

Source Publisher Used for
History City of Euskirchen place.population_note; founding.*; character.summary; character.economy; geography.location_description; exciting_events; milestones town charter and district capital
Chronological town history City of Euskirchen founding.first_mention_*; founding.milestones; events 1322, 1469, 1646, 1734, 1836, 1864, 1879, 1906, 1944/45, 1961, 1969, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022; persons Kleinertz, Bauer, Többens, Friedl, Reichelt, Kuckertz, Blaß, Schlösser, Selbach; synagogue; sugar industry; infrastructure and education; town wall 1355; French and Prussian affiliation; Flohe Stadium 2024; Capuchin monastery 1687; tower school 1784; district railway 1894-1959; Marienhospital 1863 and 1970; town fortifications 1702; 650th anniversary celebration 1952; major fire Halstrick 1991; civic centre 1989; fire Hospital Town Hall 1625; gymnastics club 1848; waterworks 1887; Kreuzweingarten 1100 years 1993; Willi Maurer 2017 and hall 2019; Council of Europe 2009; Child-Friendly Municipality 2023
Facts and figures City of Euskirchen postal_area_note; area size; postcode; dialling codes; population figure around 60,000 and households; landmarks_note; water_bodies_note; landscape; green spaces and castles; town coat of arms and Thick Tower; Jülich coat of arms 1368
Neighbours of the City of Euskirchen City of Euskirchen geography.nearby_places
Districts City of Euskirchen reference to 22 districts besides the core town; name list of the districts in geography.landscape
Welcome to Euskirchen City of Euskirchen character.*; festivals_note; twin_towns_note; flood disaster 2021; museums; André Lebon; Knollenfest and sugar factory; housing Euenheim
Municipal profile Euskirchen, City Information und Technik Nordrhein-Westfalen (IT.NRW) population figure 60,021 as of 31.12.2024; municipality type large medium-sized town; area 13,949 ha; population density 430.3; settlement and traffic density 1,974.4; land use agriculture forest settlement traffic; administrative district Cologne
District administration Euskirchen District of Euskirchen district; seat of the district administration in Euskirchen; location in the southwest of NRW
Fischer, Emil Deutsche Biographie / Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften important_people.Emil Fischer (birth in Euskirchen, lifespan, profession)
Emil Fischer Emil-Fischer-Gymnasium Euskirchen local connection Emil Fischer (birthplace Kölner Straße, school connection in Euskirchen)
Further collections Stadtarchiv Euskirchen / City of Euskirchen estate of Thomas Eßer as evidence of local historical significance
Population figures by district as of 31.12.2025 City of Euskirchen place.population_note population figure 61,078 as well as main town and districts
Cloth town Euskirchen City of Euskirchen character.industrial_history_note; character.economy; founding.historical_development; event end of cloth manufacturing 1982; 21 factories and uniform cloths
Charleville-Mézières City of Euskirchen character.twin_towns_note; Jacob Kleinertz; André Lebon; Charleviller Platz and Rue d'Euskirchen
Basingstoke & Deane City of Euskirchen character.twin_towns_note; Wolf Bauer; Hans-Alex Többens; Basingstoker Ring and Euskirchen Way; sports festival from 1992
Twin towns City of Euskirchen overview of partnerships Charleville-Mézières since 1961 and Basingstoke & Deane since 1986
Rhenish Town Atlas Euskirchen LVR-Institut für Landeskunde und Regionalgeschichte geography.altitude_note; location in the Zülpicher Börde; founding.historical_development; Rhenish Municipal Code 1856; textile decline and structural change until 1982; nucleus St. Martin around 1270
Contributions 2023 Stadtarchiv Euskirchen / City of Euskirchen important_people.Thomas Eßer lifespan, honorary citizenship certificate 1925, offices and date of death
Climate change adaptation concept for the District of Euskirchen and its municipalities District of Euskirchen geography.climate_note; Börde municipalities northern district; mean annual temperature 8.4 °C 1971-2000; precipitation 824.6 mm; lee side of the Eifel
Climate change adaptation concept for the District of Euskirchen and its municipalities – interim report GreenAdapt / District of Euskirchen geography.climate_note supplementary; temperature trend and precipitation differentiation northern and southern district
Landscape unit LR-II-016 Zülpicher Börde State of North Rhine-Westphalia / Nature Conservation Specialist Contribution geography.geology_note; loess over main terrace; luvisols; low-precipitation mild Börde climate; cereal and sugar beet cultivation
Erftstadion to be named after Heinz Flohe City of Euskirchen important_people.Heinz Flohe; character.sports_note; event renaming of Erftstadion; town council resolution 13.06.2023
Willi Graf City of Euskirchen important_people.Willi Graf; birth Kuchenheim 1918; death 1943; council resolution honorary citizenship 10.12.2024; White Rose
Willi Graf is now an honorary citizen of the City of Euskirchen City of Euskirchen important_people.Willi Graf; posthumous honorary citizenship; significance for municipal identity
Kolpinghaus City of Euskirchen character.religious_history_note; important_people.Dechant Vogt; founding of journeymen's association 22.01.1854; admission certificate Adolph Kolping June 1854
Rhenish Town Atlas Euskirchen. Part 1: Settlement Portal Rheinische Geschichte / LVR geography.location_description; altitude_note; location on the Veybach and Erft valley; Zülpicher Börde and Eifel foothills
The railway station City of Euskirchen character.transport_connections_note; founding.historical_development; milestones railway lines 1864-1890 and station building 1956; event expansion as railway junction; wartime destruction of railway facilities
Hardtburg City of Euskirchen milestones Hardtburg 1166; character.landmarks_note; geography.landscape and water_bodies_note Hardtwald castle pond; key_features Hardtburg
Burg Veynau City of Euskirchen milestones Burg Veynau around 1340; character.landmarks_note; character.tourism; key_features Burg Veynau
Town museum City of Euskirchen character.museums_note; integration of town wall; town model; permanent exhibition Roman period to present
LVR Industrial Museum Cloth Factory Müller Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR) important_people.Ludwig Müller; character.museums_note; industrial_history_note; festivals_note Rhenish Wool Market; event closure of Cloth Factory Müller 1961; address Carl-Koenen-Straße
Upper Castle Kuchenheim City of Euskirchen character.landmarks_note; industrial_history_note Cloth Factory Koenen from 1856; milestone monument protection tower 2002; important_people.Carl Koenen
Economic history of Euskirchen 1820–2000 LVR-Industriemuseum character.economy sugar factory Pfeifer & Langen 1879 employees and beet deliveries; industrial_history_note wave of closures 1952-1964; specialties_note campaign smell and modernisation
Honorary citizens City of Euskirchen important_people.Karl Otto Selbach as deceased honorary citizen; overview honorary citizen list incl. Willi Graf, Thomas Eßer, André Lebon, Josef Blaß
Castles City of Euskirchen character.landmarks_note overview of castles in the town and district area incl. Hardtburg, Veynau, Kuchenheim, Flamersheim, Kessenich, Schweinheim
Flamersheim City of Euskirchen founding.name_origin and historical_names_note Flamersheim 870; geography.landscape Flamersheimer Wald; character.churches_note St. Stephanus; religious_history_note Protestant congregation; tourism Steinbach and Madbach reservoirs
Burg Flamersheim City of Euskirchen milestones Burg Flamersheim 1358; character.landmarks_note; geography.water_bodies_note Flämmerbach moat and pond systems
Burg Schweinheim City of Euskirchen milestones Schweinheim 1333; character.landmarks_note outer bailey and corner tower
Burg Kessenich City of Euskirchen milestones Burg Kessenich 1339; character.landmarks_note manor house Erft floodplain brick-red from 2004
Kreuzweingarten / Rheder City of Euskirchen founding Wingarden 893; geography.landscape ringwall; character.landmarks_note Roman canal and villa; churches_note Heilig Kreuz; religious_history_note veneration of the cross; important_people.Nikola Reinartz and Thomas Eßer name change 1926; festivals shooting brotherhoods; economy Franz Kalff Rheder
Marking of the course of the Roman canal City of Euskirchen geography.water_bodies_note and geology_note Roman canal 13 km town route; archaeological monument since 1986; 20 million litres daily for Cologne; route length approx. 95 km
Steinbach reservoir City of Euskirchen geography.landscape and water_bodies_note; tourism; wartime_history_note; milestones and event draining from 15.07.2021; hiking trails approx. 40 km; forest open-air pool; education centre Archdiocese of Cologne; Flamersheimer Wald
Reservoirs Wasserversorgungsverband Euskirchen-Swisttal water_bodies_note; industrial_history_note; milestones construction Steinbach 1934-1936 and Madbach 1938-1940; events reservoir construction and process water supply; Madbach undamaged after flood
Billig City of Euskirchen founding historical_names_note and name_origin Belgica; geography.landscape Billiger Knipp and forest; geology_note Kaiserstein excavations; churches_note St. Cyriakus; milestones 1237 1337 1895-1898 1905; event excavations around 1870; key_features Belgica
Kuchenheim City of Euskirchen founding historical_development Amt and mention 1197; landmarks_note Upper Castle Dinghaus; churches_note Nikolaus and Lambertus; festivals_note and sports_note shooting brotherhood handball village; milestones 1197 1259 around 1400 1968; event incorporation Amt 1969; important_people Hermann von Are and Konrad von Hochstaden
Lower Castle Kuchenheim City of Euskirchen character.landmarks_note; milestones 1482 and 1573 gatehouse; water_bodies_note moated castle Erftmühlenbach; key_features Lower Castle
Thermen & Badewelt Euskirchen City of Euskirchen character.tourism infrastructure sports_note; milestone and event opening 18.12.2015; sports pool since September 2014; key_features thermal baths and sports pool
Kulturhof Stadtbetrieb Kultureinrichtungen Euskirchen / Kulturhof character.culture museums_note; milestone November 2012 municipal cultural operations at Kulturhof; library museum sports administration café