Altenkirchen: History and Active Experiences
Accommodation in Altenkirchen
Altenkirchen can be discovered from a variety of perspectives: Raiffeisen history, historic buildings, a weekly market and specific opportunities to get active give your stay a clear focus. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether the attractions in the town itself or a particular excursion should shape your trip.
History between Flammersfeld and Altenkirchen
A notable historical connection leads to Flammersfeld in the district of Altenkirchen. There, in 1849, Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen founded the “Flammersfeld Relief Association for the Support of Needy Farmers” (Flammersfelder Hülfsverein zur Unterstützung unbemittelter Landwirthe), the world’s first loan fund association. From 1848 to 1852, the Raiffeisen House in Flammersfeld served as Raiffeisen’s place of work and residence while he was mayor of the Flammersfeld collective municipality. These two dates tell of different stages in the same story: his work and life in Flammersfeld, and the founding of the association there in 1849.
In Altenkirchen, the Bismarck Tower stands on the Dorn, a hill with a good view of the district town. Local residents initiated its construction using local rock; the foundation stone was laid on 1 April 1914. The First World War prevented the planned opening on 1 April 1915. The tower was completed in 1922, and its official inauguration followed on 21 May that year. Older traces can also be seen in the foundations of Christ Church: reliefs and column remnants from the old cemetery were used in the church’s reconstruction.
Weekly Market, Water and Activity
The weekly market in Altenkirchen takes place on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the pedestrian zone. Offerings include fish, cheese, fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs, meat and potatoes, as well as honey products direct from the producer, pickled specialities, flowers and textiles. The Simon-Juda Market is also an annual fixture: it takes place on the last Friday in October.
The Glockenspitze indoor swimming pool in Altenkirchen opened on 26 November 2025. It includes a five-lane sports pool, a one-metre diving board and a three-metre diving tower. There is also a teaching pool with a movable floor for water aerobics, aquacycling and swimming lessons. A paddling pool with a slide is available for toddlers. The pool therefore offers different areas for water activities, from swimming laps to splashing around with young children.
If you prefer outdoor activities, Altenkirchen has the KlimaWandelPfad: a 7.5-kilometre circular route with 14 information panels. Disc golf at Parc de Tarbes offers another way to spend time outdoors. The course is free to use at any time; you will need to bring your own discs to play. For a cycling trip, the “Tour 5: From Valley to Valley” route passes through the town of Altenkirchen and leads to this park. Parc de Tarbes is named after the French twin town of Tarbes.
These activities offer different experiences: the KlimaWandelPfad combines a circular route with stops, disc golf centres on playing in the park, and the cycling route has a named destination in Parc de Tarbes. This can help you plan your days around your interests without trying to fit every activity into the same outing.
More destinations in the surrounding region
In Marienthal, the Klosterdorfweg trail runs around the former Franciscan monastery through the shaded spa forest of the Archdiocese of Cologne. Marienthal remains a popular pilgrimage destination today. In Steineroth, a well-developed, family-friendly circular route offers a different focus: it leads to the summit plateau of the Steinerother Kopf, where there is a summit cross. Information panels along the way tell visitors about the history of the former basalt quarry and the region’s flora and fauna. The Steinerother Kopf, at 478 metres, is a basalt hill offering panoramic views across the Siegerland and Elbbach Valley; on a clear day, the view extends as far as the Siebengebirge.
For a cultural and historical outing, visit the Mining Museum of the District of Altenkirchen in Herdorf-Sassenroth. It displays authentic tools, mine lamps, machinery, minerals and documents from more than 2,000 years of mining history. When choosing a holiday apartment, the focus you want for your trip may also matter: the history and activities in Altenkirchen itself, or a specific visit to another place in the surrounding region.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Helmeroth, Birkenbeul, Selbach (Sieg), Gebhardshain, Altenkirchen, Obererbach, Niederdreisbach, Fürthen, Niederirsen, Neitersen, Betzdorf, Daaden, Kirchen, Hamm, Wissen, Flammersfeld.
Go to the main travel overview: Rhineland-Palatinate.
