Ahrweiler Old Town

In the historic town of Ahrweiler, an old custom has been preserved over the centuries. The city consists of four districts, the so-called Huts. In earlier times, these guards organized the guarding of the city wall and the pastures around it. Today, the Hut communities have taken on other tasks, such as looking after senior citizens or cultural tasks.One of these four Huts in Ahrweiler is the Ahrhut and the center of this district is the Ahrhutstrasse. We introduce the street and the tradition of the Ahrhut community. It also shows that Ahrhutstrasse, with the mighty Ahrtor, is not only rich in history, but also a very lively shopping street.There are many shops, cafes and restaurants on the street and there is always something going on during the day. Friedhelm Koll's shop is a very special shop. He sells more than 100 types of spices, by the gram. It is shops like this that give Ahrhutstrasse its special charm.And the houses with tradition, such as the Coels winery. It is the last wine-growing business in the Ahrhutstrasse and yet, or perhaps because of that, it is particularly successful. And the future of the winery is already secured because the next generation has just taken over.
Source:
swr Fernsehen.de/landesschau-rp/hierzuland/broadcastcontrib-swr-6178.html

Very beautiful city center with the half-timbered houses and the well-preserved city fortifications from the Middle Ages.
>> Ahrweiler << - the older of the two districts, was first mentioned as >> Ahrwilere << in the year 893 in a goods list of the Prüm Abbey. This abbey had large possessions in Ahrweiler. Until 1100 Ahrweiler belonged to the Argau. from 1100 - 1246 sovereignty was exercised by the Counts of Are; From them it passed in 1246 to the Counts of Hochstaden of the Archbishopric of Cologne, who remained rulers until 1794. Archbishop Konrad von Are-Hochstaden, who confirmed Ahrweiler's city rights in 1248, made the city, together with Bonn, Neuss and Andernach, co-capital of Electoral Cologne. In keeping with this political and strategic importance, the sovereign had Ahrweiler fortified with a fortification that is still worth seeing today.
The moats, city walls, gates and towers from the 13th century are almost completely preserved today. During the Thirty Years' War (1633, 1642, 1646) the city was besieged, looted and pillaged by enemies; During the 3rd French War of Robbery on May 1, 1689, all but 10 houses were completely destroyed. It took years for the reconstruction to take place. From 1794 - 1814 Ahrweiler was under French rule, which was followed by belonging to Prussia from 1815 - 1945. Ahrweiler had to endure the last enemy attacks in 1044 and 1945. The bombing left the southern part of the city center completely in ruins. But reconstruction took place quickly.
Anyone who visits Ahrweiler as a lover of antiquity will be particularly impressed by the St. Laurentius parish church (1269) - one of the first Gothic hall churches in the Rhineland - and the excavation work on the recently discovered probably second largest Roman villa north of the Alps.
Source:
finanzamt-ahrweiler.fin-rlp.de/wir-ueber-uns/chronik

A beautiful tourist town before the 2021 flood catastrophe, but unfortunately still under construction. Little by little there are places to stop and shop again.