City facts Heimbach – Eifel region

Heimbach – city facts

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

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Founding and age

Heimbach is documented in records since the year 673. The settlement developed at the foot of Hengebach Castle; in 1343 Margrave Wilhelm of Jülich privileged the valley settlement. In 1959 Heimbach was again granted the designation of town.

According to the town of Heimbach, 1343 is regarded as the year of the town’s foundation, when Margrave Wilhelm of Jülich granted the valley settlement special liberties. The Rhineland Town Atlas (LVR) describes the privileging of 1343 as an exemption from certain dues for the settlement at the foot of the castle.

The castle is attested at the beginning of the 11th century; Richizo and his son Godizo are regarded as early known lords. In 1288 the castle became the seat of a Jülich burgrave and Heimbach the centre of a Jülich administrative district. Around 1300 the settlement acquired town-like characteristics through fortification. In 1687 a major fire destroyed large parts of the place, church and castle. In 1804 Heimbach developed into a place of pilgrimage. In 1959 town rights were granted again. In 1974 Heimbach became a state-recognised climatic health resort; since 2004 the town has been a national park town in the Eifel National Park.

Year Title Description
673 First documentary mention According to the city, a document mentions Heimbach for the first time; the municipal history dates this to the year 673.
11. Jahrhundert Early castle lords At the beginning of the 11th century, Richizo and his son Godizo are named in the historical sources as the first known lords of the castle.
1288 Jülich administrative seat Heimbach Castle became the seat of a Jülich burgrave; Heimbach itself became the centre of a Jülich administrative district.
1343 Privileging of the valley settlement Margrave Wilhelm of Jülich granted the settlement at the foot of the castle special liberties; the city of Heimbach regards this as its founding as a town.
1687 Great fire According to municipal tradition, on 23 May 1687, 180 houses, the church and the castle fell victim to the flames.
1804 Place of pilgrimage After the transfer of a miraculous image from the dissolved Mariawald monastery to the parish church, Heimbach developed into a place of pilgrimage.
1959 Town rights restored On 8 April 1959, Heimbach was again granted town rights by decision of the state government on account of its historical past.
1974 Climatic health resort On 12 September 1974, Heimbach became a state-recognised climatic health resort.
2004 National park town As of 1 January 2004, Heimbach became a national park town in the Eifel National Park.
2009 International Academy of Arts On 22 August 2009, the International Academy of Arts Heimbach was opened at Hengebach Castle.

Important information

Heimbach is a small town in the Rureifel, a state-recognised climatic health resort, a place of pilgrimage and a national park town in the Eifel National Park. Characteristic features are Hengebach Castle, tourism on the Rur and Rursee, and Mariawald Abbey.

The town of Heimbach lies in the district of Düren in North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the Rhineland Town Atlas it lies in the upper Rur valley in the western Eifel; the historic town centre lies on the right bank of the Rur. The Heimbach district lies on the Rur between the Eifel hills of the upper Rur valley and is surrounded by extensive forests.

Characteristic features are the Rur valley basin, castle rocks of greywacke, and the surrounding Eifel forests. Parts of the municipal area lie in the Eifel National Park. In the west of the town area, Hasenfeld lies in the immediate vicinity of the Rur reservoir Schwammenauel.

Historically, according to the Rhineland Town Atlas, agriculture, fishing in the Rur and Urft, and forestry in the Kermeter forest were significant. From the early 20th century tourism gained importance.

Heimbach promotes itself as a national park town, climatic health resort and place of pilgrimage for day visitors and overnight guests. Among the attractions cited are Hengebach Castle, the National Park Gate in Heimbach station, the churches of St. Clemens and Christus Salvator, Mariawald Abbey, the Art Nouveau hydroelectric power station and the Rur reservoir Schwammenauel.

Since 2009 the International Art Academy Heimbach has been based at Hengebach Castle. In Hasenfeld a chamber music festival has been held annually in early June since 1998 at the Art Nouveau power station. In the summer half of the year spa concerts and folk events are cited.

Central sights are Hengebach Castle, the parish and pilgrimage churches, the Trappist Abbey Mariawald, the Art Nouveau hydroelectric power station in Hasenfeld, and the Rur reservoir Schwammenauel.

In 1903 the railway connection was established. Among other things the town cites a heated outdoor pool, hiking and cycling paths, and accommodation and gastronomy offerings.

  • Smallest city in North Rhine-Westphalia according to the city of Heimbach
  • State-recognized climatic spa since 1974
  • National park town in Eifel National Park since 2004
  • Place of pilgrimage since 1804
  • Hengebach Castle with International Academy of Art
  • Location on the Rur and the Schwammenauel reservoir
  • Mariawald Abbey on the Kermeter
  • Art Nouveau hydroelectric power station Hasenfeld
  • Blens
  • Düttling
  • Hasenfeld
  • Hausen
  • Hergarten
  • Vlatten

Notable events

Documented turning points range from the first mention in 673 via the Jülich privileging of 1343 and the town fire of 1687 to the renewed granting of town status in 1959 and recognition as a climatic health resort and national park town.

Period Title Category Description Significance
673 First documentary mention History According to the city, Heimbach is first mentioned in a deed of gift. This forms the earliest written reference point in the town's history.
1343 Privileges granted by Margrave William of Jülich Politics The valley settlement at the foot of the castle received special freedoms or tax exemptions. The city of Heimbach and the Rhineland Town Atlas regard this step as a central legal upgrading of the settlement.
1687 Great fire of Heimbach Disaster According to municipal tradition, on 23 May 180 houses, the church and the castle burned. The fire destroyed large parts of the historic buildings and the castle.
1804 Beginning of the pilgrimage Culture With the miraculous image from Mariawald, Heimbach became a place of pilgrimage. The pilgrimage has since shaped the religious and tourist identity of the place.
1938 Commissioning of the Rur Dam Economy The Rur Dam was put into operation. According to municipal history, it was of decisive importance for Heimbach's development into a tourist destination.
1945 Destruction in the Second World War Disaster Shortly before the end of the war, Heimbach was about 80 percent destroyed by bombs. Reconstruction shaped the postwar development of the place.
1959 Renewed granting of town rights Politics On 8 April 1959 the town rights were granted again. Heimbach has since again officially carried the designation of town.
1974 Recognition as a climatic spa Economy On 12 September 1974 Heimbach became a state-recognized climatic spa. The recognition strengthened spa and recreational tourism.
2004 Eifel National Park Town Politics As of 1 January 2004 Heimbach became a National Park Town. Large parts of the municipal area have since lain in the context of Eifel National Park.
2009 Opening of the International Academy of Arts Culture On 22 August 2009 the International Academy of Arts was opened at Burg Hengebach. The castle thereby received a new cultural use as an academy and course venue.

Notable people

Early documented figures in the local history are the castle lords Richizo and Godizo as well as Margrave Wilhelm of Jülich, who privileged the valley settlement in 1343.

Name Role Lifespan Relation to place Why notable
Richizo Early castle lord At the beginning of the 11th century he is named together with his son Godizo as one of the first known lords of Heimbach Castle. He is among the earliest named holders of authority attested at the place.
Godizo Early castle lord Son of Richizo; named in historical sources as an early lord of the castle. The Rheinischer Städteatlas assigns him to the lineage of the Counts of Limburg. He represents the early noble history of Hengebach/Heimbach Castle.
Wilhelm von Jülich Margrave of Jülich In 1343 he granted the valley settlement of Heimbach special liberties or tax exemptions. His grant of privileges is regarded as a central event in Heimbach's municipal legal status.

Sources

Source Publisher Used for
History | City of Heimbach City of Heimbach First mention 673, milestones 864–2009, fire 1687, pilgrimage, town rights 1959, climatic health resort, national park town, tourism and war information
Heimbach | City of Heimbach City of Heimbach Location on the Rur, elevation, climatic health resort, Hengebach Castle, privilege 1343, fire 1687, churches and pilgrimage, reservoir, Mariawald Abbey
Districts | City of Heimbach City of Heimbach Districts Blens, Düttling, Hasenfeld, Hausen, Hergarten, Vlatten; note smallest town in NRW and population/area
Hasenfeld | City of Heimbach City of Heimbach Rur Dam Schwammenauel, Urft Dam, Art Nouveau power plant, water sports and chamber music festival
Our Town | City of Heimbach City of Heimbach Note on first mention 673 and overview municipal portrait
Rhenish Town Atlas Heimbach LVR Institute for Regional Studies and Regional History Location upper Rur valley/Western Eifel, castle history, privilege 1343, economy, tourism, pilgrimage, town designation 1959, national park 2004
Municipality directory Heimbach, Town (05358012) Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder Federal state, District of Düren, municipality type town, postal code 52396, area 64,96 km², population 4.487, address
City of Heimbach District of Düren District affiliation, address Hengebachstr. 14, 52396 Heimbach, reference to city website