Hennef (Sieg), on the River Sieg, is a lovely combination of urban and rural. It is also known as Stadt der 100 Dörfer (Town of 100 Villages) because it houses nearly 100 districts and former independent townships within its political borders.
Hennef offers great restaurants, shopping, and cultural events, as well as beautiful scenery and landscapes that will delight nature lovers. There are miles of well-marked hiking and biking trails that allow you to enjoy the river valley, open meadows, and wooded areas with ease.
Perched high above the River Sieg (which translates to Victory), you will find the medieval Stadt Blankenberg — a former independent township and now district of Hennef. The earliest portions of this well-preserved fortification date from about 1180. Many parts of the wall remain unchanged from the 13th century.
St Catherine’s Church lies within the town and has been refurbished to showcase wall paintings from the 1200’s and 1300’s. The Tower Museum is situated in St. Catherine’s tower and is open throughout the spring, summer, and early fall.
In 1883, two residents of Hennef invented a tool, which proved to be very useful for commerce and trade around the world. Carl Reuther and Eduard Reisert built the first calibratable automatic balance scale that year. There is an interesting exhibit hall in Hennef that traces the importance of this invention and other weights and scales in history.
The town has put together a “Weigher Walking Way” for visitors which consists of 22 stops around the town and museum that gives participants an in-depth knowledge of the usefulness of these devices.
Each September Hennef holds a Town Festival which welcomes nearly 100,000 people from many countries with music, trade shows, shopping, food and drink. You can go dancing each evening, try bungee jumping, and enjoy many other activities. Bands and musicians perform in a variety of styles including 40’s and 50’s, blues, swing, rock and pop.
There are also special events for children at the festival including theater shows, creative games, and other activities.
