Thirty kilometers east of Bonn is a town known as Ruppichteroth — which is hard to say, I know, but easy enough to get around in; and pretty lovely at that!
One thing you should know about Ruppichteroth is that while it has a most amazing 14th century castle, you can only get in to see it on the 1st Sunday of the month at 11am. We Germans are known for being prompt, so make sure you are too.
It is possible to see the ruins of 13th century Castle Herrenbröl anytime. Even though the building is in ruins and only a stump of the tower still exists, the place is still beautiful.
At Rennenburg you’ll find more castle ruins. No one is quite sure exactly when a castle was put here, but it’s thought to be somewhere between the 9th and 10th centuries. Iron Age and Roman artifacts were found on the site, so it is known more than just castle building went on here.
Ruppichteroth has a few lookout vantage points that overlook the town’s gardens and meadows. If you’re going to see anything in the countryside it’s got to be the Teufelskiste, or Devil’s Crate. A few legends are associated with this gigantic slate rock, one being there’s buried treasure.
Don’t come to Ruppichteroth looking to find that buried treasure, come for the Autumn and Spring Concerts, or the two Kirmes (church festivals), or the Fußhollener Martinsmarkt (don’t ask me to translate that, please).
Come to see Burgstraße where there are a few timber framed houses with the spire of St. Severin keeping guard over the town. You should also see the Rennenbergkreuz (Rennenberg Cross) that’s been here since 1788 and there’s also an old Jewish Cemetery, too.
If you like art, then the Town Hall is where you need to be; as that’s where you’ll find art exhibits by many local artists.
Maybe someone at the Rathaus can tell you how to properly pronounce the town’s name. But, remember, you don’t have to say it to enjoy it! ;-)
