Ravensberg

The Ravensberg in Troisdorf is an approximately 124-metre-high elevation on the edge of the Wahner Heide and a historically significant point on the region’s walking trails. The rise lies in the area between Spich and Altenrath and served for millennia as a workplace for quartzite. Today the Ravensberg is a quiet resting point on forest and marked walking routes. The former hermitage on the hill and the visible Ringelstein recall the long history of use. The hill is free of charge and ideal for walks and as a stop on tours through the Wahner Heide. From here views open into the surrounding heath and forest landscape. Access is signposted from the Mauspfad and lies on the Fliegenberg Tour.

History of Ravensberg

The history of the Ravensberg reaches back to the Palaeolithic. The slope was visited over hundreds of thousands of years because of its quartzite deposits in order to obtain raw material for stone tools. The oldest finds, including hand axes, probably belong to the Middle Palaeolithic. Many artefacts date to the Micoquian of the classic Neanderthal period. Quartzite was also worked here in the Upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic. In the Middle Ages stones from the quarries were used as Ravensberg blocks. In 1670 a Franciscan hermitage with chapel and dwelling house was built on the Ravensberg. The Ringelstein served as a foundation. Processions led from Sieglar to the hermitage. The complex lasted until secularisation and was demolished around 1808 or 1833. Today memorial stones and the Ringelstein recall the hermitage. The finds are held in the Rhineland Regional Museum in Bonn.

Highlights of Ravensberg

The highlights of the Ravensberg lie in the combination of nature and history. The visible Ringelstein, a natural quartzite slab, marks the site of the former hermitage. Information boards explain the Stone Age use and the Franciscan hermitage. The hill lies on the Fliegenberg Tour and is easily reachable from the Mauspfad. The surrounding heath and forest landscape of the Wahner Heide offers quiet paths and typical vegetation. The Ravensberg serves as a natural resting point on walks. Nearby are further stations such as the Fliegenberg and the Telegraphenberg. The paths are subject to the path obligation of the nature reserve. The site is suitable for short visits and longer tours and impressively conveys the millennia-long human presence in the heath.

Opening Hours, Tickets & How to Get to Ravensberg

The Ravensberg is accessible year-round and free of charge. The walking trails of the Wahner Heide are subject to the path obligation; leaving the marked paths is prohibited. By car reach parking areas at the Mauspfad, at Fliegenberg or at Burg Wissem. By public transport travel to Troisdorf or Spich station and use bus lines towards Altenrath or Wahner Heide. The footpath from the Mauspfad to the hermitage and the Ravensberg is signposted and short. Sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended. Rules of conduct and information boards must be observed, as parts of the heath are former military terrain. The visit can easily be combined with the Fliegenberg Tour.

Attractions Near Ravensberg

In the immediate vicinity of the Ravensberg are the Fliegenberg, the Telegraphenberg and the Leyenweiher. The former hermitage with the Ringelstein is directly on site. Burg Wissem with museums and deer park as well as the forest and bird park complete the offer. The Wahner Heide information centre in Altenrath and the portal at Burg Wissem provide information about the heath. The Aggerauen and the town centre of Troisdorf are easily reachable. Bonn and Cologne lie within easy reach. In this way a visit to the Ravensberg can easily be combined with a heath walk and an exploration of the surrounding natural and cultural sites.