Altenberg Cathedral

The Altenberg Cathedral is probably the most famous church in the Bergisches Land. It was built from 1255 in the Gothic style as the monastery church of St. Maria Himmelfahrt for Altenberg Abbey. The Altenberg Cathedral was built from trachyte rock, which was hewn from the Drachenfels in the Siebengebirge. Right next to the cathedral you can stop off at the Hotel-Restaurant Altenberger Hof.

Altenberg (district of Odenthal) is located in the Bergisches Land and belongs to the Rheinisch-Bergisch district. Altenberg is best known for the Altenberg Cathedral, the monastery church of the former Altenberg Abbey. This hike follows the water route, a circular hiking trail that was set up as part of the "unverDHÜNNt" campaign.

The patronage "Assumption of Mary" of the former Cistercian monastery church and today's simultaneous church (usually used by a Catholic as well as a Protestant community) - colloquially usually called "Altenberger Dom" - refers to one of the many commemoration days and festivals in honor of the Mother of God Mary. It goes back to the feast of her bodily assumption into heaven, which the (Catholic) Church celebrates annually on August 15. In the Orthodox Church, the festival is called the Dormition.
In many rural areas it is customary for the population to collect bundles of herbs (called "Kruggweusch" in the Rhenish dialect) on this day and to bless them in the festival service.