EifelSpur: The Robber Barons Trail

Certified, cultural-historical quality hiking trail near Hellenthal, North Rhine-Westphalia. The first highlight right at the start is the medieval hilltop castle at 450m in Reifferscheid, which first appeared in documents in 1106. The white round tower is visible from afar. In addition to the keep, a gate and surrounding walls have been preserved. From the lookout tower at Reifferscheid Castle, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Eifel. St. Matthias Church is a second landmark. The Romanesque church was built in the 15th century, was later given Gothic elements, baroqueization in the 17th century and its current appearance in the 19th century. You walk downhill through woods and fields and come to Hellenthal, the seat of the municipality of Hellenthal, which consists of 60 districts. You pass the town hall and cross the Kölner Straße traffic circle. Passing the church of St. Anna, with its old and new choir and modern interior, you cross the Olef. Robber barons are those fiends who plundered and committed highway robbery from their knightly rank at a time when the natural economy was increasingly being replaced by money in the late Middle Ages (mid 13th to late 15th century). Highlights of the hike: - High castle - St. Matthias Church - St. Anna Church