Location: Watermill, Church and Landscape

Lage combines historic buildings with a landscape along the Dinkel. The historic village center is centered around the old watermill. The church, manor house and former castle add further chapters to the area's history. If you are looking for accommodation, you can consider whether the mill's history and the buildings should be the main focus, or whether topics from the County of Bentheim should also feature in your travel plans.

Watermill and Local History

The Lage watermill was built around 1270 as a grain and oil mill. It stands on the Dinkel's former course and has two waterwheels: one for producing flour and the other for producing vegetable oil. The mill can be demonstrated in operation on selected days. Demonstrations may depend on the season and local schedule, so check the dates before you arrive. This lets you include the mill in your plans both as a building and as working technology, without assuming that demonstrations take place every day.

The Evangelical Reformed Church of Lage and the manor house also offer different architectural points of interest. The church was built between 1687 and 1688. It is a brick hall church with sandstone frames around its doors and windows. The manor house dates from 1686 and has a Dutch architectural character. The two buildings were constructed around the same time, but their described architectural styles make distinct statements. The manor house is not open to the public. Therefore, do not plan to visit its interior, and check the access information again before your trip.

The area's history also includes the former Lage Castle, which was an important stronghold until the Eighty Years' War. After the count withdrew, the castle was destroyed by Dutch troops. This past adds another historical perspective to the view of the surviving buildings.

Lager Busch and the Dinkel

The Dinkel features in two different landscape settings: the watermill stands on the river's former course, while Lager Busch is a landscape of woodland and meadows on the edge of the Dinkel. The description of Lage thus brings together technological history and landscape, though these are different kinds of experience. If you are weighing nature against architectural history when planning your trip, these themes offer a helpful guide: the mill tells the story of its former function, while Lager Busch is characterized by woodland and meadows.

A Broader View of the County of Bentheim

The County of Bentheim is a varied landscape of heathland, raised and lowland bogs, wooded ridges and the Vechte river valley. One specific example of protected landscape is Itterbecker Heide, a nature reserve covering around 85 hectares. Kunstwegen offers a cultural focus: this open-air museum of contemporary art, nature and history extends for more than 180 kilometers through the Vechte valley, with more than 80 sculpture projects along the route.

The Grafschafter Fietsentour also offers a different perspective on the region. Its main route is around 220 kilometers long and passes through all the municipalities in the district. In Nordhorn, museums offer further thematic highlights: the Maritime Museum covers 350 square meters and displays, among other things, historic ship models, nautical equipment, nautical charts and information on shipbuilding. The Nordhorn City Museum uses three listed industrial buildings for permanent and temporary exhibitions. The region's offerings thus range from landscapes and cycling routes to maritime history and industrial heritage.

Tourist overnight guests in the County of Bentheim can use buses and trains throughout the district free of charge with the Grafschafter guest card. Check the current conditions before your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Hoogstede, Wietmarschen, Itterbeck, Engden, Bad Bentheim, Georgsdorf, Neuenhaus, Schüttorf.

Back to the regional travel overview: County of Bentheim.