Niedersalwey: Chapel and Homert Route

The history of the chapel and the landscape give Niedersalwey two distinct points of interest. The chapel’s history dates back a long way; Niedersalwey is also one of the villages on the Homert Route. When planning your trip, you can consider two separate questions: Are you particularly interested in a historic building, or would you like the regional landscape to shape your stay? The wider destination of Eslohe (Sauerland) also offers other cultural and leisure interests.

The chapel and its history

The history of the chapel in Niedersalwey dates back to the second half of the 13th century. It is considered the oldest building in the municipality of Eslohe, most likely. The present building was constructed in 1956–1957, replacing a smaller chapel; the chapel has been a listed building since 1985. Several periods therefore come together here: its long history, the more recent replacement building and its subsequent listing. For visitors interested in culture, the chapel offers a tangible way to explore local history, taking into account both the building’s age and its renewal.

The Homert Route and the landscape

The Homert Route runs through a region where stretches of forest alternate with wide valleys around the 656-metre-high Homert ridge. Niedersalwey is one of the villages on the route. This landscape provides a different perspective alongside the chapel: forests and valleys shape the character of the region, while the Homert ridge offers a specific point of reference for its elevation. When choosing a destination, you can therefore consider whether you are more interested in the history of a particular place or the wider landscape.

Eslohe (Sauerland): culture and leisure on a broader scale

The wider destination of Eslohe (Sauerland) lies within the Sauerland-Rothaargebirge Nature Park; Eslohe is also a state-recognised climatic health resort. The local history here is on a different scale from that of Niedersalwey, too: around 200-year-old half-timbered houses stand around St. Peter and Paul parish church in the historic town centre. This places a single historic building in Niedersalwey alongside several half-timbered houses in Eslohe’s town centre as distinct cultural highlights.

The DampfLandLeute Museum is located in a side valley of Eslohe. Its permanent exhibition covers agriculture, forestry, village crafts, folklore and technology. The range of subjects thus extends from agriculture and forestry to crafts, folklore and technology. While the chapel in Niedersalwey focuses on the history of a specific building, the museum offers a broader thematic perspective. Historic steam engines are put into operation at least twice a year during Steam Days.

The museum railway also has a seasonal timetable: from April to October, it runs with a diesel locomotive from 3 pm to 5 pm on the first Saturday of every month. If you would like to include this in your plans, check the timetable before your visit.

For a more active stay, Eslohe offers other specific activities. The 84-kilometre SauerlandRadring cycling route connects Finnentrop, Eslohe, Schmallenberg and Lennestadt. The Bike Parcours Eslohe at the Fun- & Sportanlage Eslohe offers dirt lines, jumps at three difficulty levels, a flow trail and a large pump track. Eslohe also has an indoor swimming pool, a heated outdoor pool and mini-golf courses. You can compare different interests for your trip, including local and museum history, cycling or other leisure activities.

Discover more destinations

Wenholthausen, Lochtrop, Reiste, Cobbenrode

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Eslohe.