Top 20 Natural Monuments in North Rhine-Westphalia

A little below the Plateau you will pass this vantage point of Drachenburg Castle on the way. The view of the (almost kitschy) castle with the Rhine and the Bonn skyline in the background is great. Photos from the small platform almost automatically have postcard quality.

With its important past as a Roman base around the birth of Christ, Haltern am See has had town rights since 1289 and is a historical, up-and-coming medium-sized town, located at the northernmost point of the Lippe, embedded in the Hohe Mark, Haard and Borkenberge forest areas. The current urban area of Haltern am See was created as part of the municipal territorial reform in North Rhine-Westphalia in 1975. At that time, the town and the Haltern district, consisting of the communities Kirchspiel-Haltern (Holtwick, Lavesum and Sythen), Hullern and Lippramsdorf, were merged and expanded south of the Lippe to include the communities of Flaesheim (formerly part of the Datteln district) and Hamm-Bossendorf (parts of the Hamm community formerly part of the Marl district). The allocation of districts south of the Lippe to Haltern meant crossing a centuries-old border. A border that was the reason and prerequisite for the granting of town rights to Haltern by the sovereign and Prince-Bishop of Münster, Everhard von Diest, in the 13th century. Since 1908, Haltern am See has had a pumping station to pump drinking water for the northern Ruhr area. Water extraction has been steadily expanded; it helped the city to earn its decorative name "Haltern am See" and reached its provisional end point with the completion of the Hullerner Lake in 1985. A side effect of the area-intensive water management is the increased recreational value of the Haltern landscape, which, free of industry, has become even more attractive to visitors and locals thanks to the creation of the lakes. Today, the Haltern lakes with their boathouses, sailing harbor and seaside resort are the destination of many people seeking relaxation. But Haltern am See has more to offer visitors than just the lake. The attractive and varied landscape is often referred to as the lungs of the Ruhr area. The city is the heart of the Hohe Mark Nature Park. The extensive forests of the Haard and the Hohe Mark, as well as the Westruper Heide, Holtwicker Heide and Sebbelheide nature reserves, are accessible via a dense network of hiking, cycling, horse riding and walking trails. The pedestrian zones of the old town and the modern town centers of Sythen, Flaesheim, Lippramsdorf, Hullern and Lavesum are popular shopping and meeting places for residents and visitors alike.

Nice resting place, great water playground for children but gastronomy overpriced

Drachenburg Castle is a castle on the Drachenfels in Koenigswinter. It was built in record time from 1882 to 1884 in the style of historicism (especially neo-early gothic on the exterior and neo-renaissance in the interior) as a representative residence for Stephan von Sarter, who, however, never lived in the castle. After his death, the castle was subjected to several changes in use.

It's simply wonderful there. The water levels are beautiful to look at and the sound is incredibly calming. It's also a bit cooler there than in the surrounding area because of the spray.

breathtaking vision

Great starting point for a walk around the lake. It's the largest drinking water extraction facility, which is why swimming is prohibited everywhere.

If the cattle are in the way, it is better to turn off the gas, especially if there are calves around ...