Discover Menkhausen

Menkhausen offers a specific place of cultural and historical interest: the village chapel of St. Agatha. Built in 1667 and dedicated to Saint Agatha, the chapel is located on the road towards Niederlandenbeck.

The Chapel of St. Agatha: Architecture and History

The small stone building is single-naved and has a 5/8 choir, a tower on the west side, a wooden ceiling, a pointed-arch entrance portal and round-arched windows. The choir’s end and the single nave give the building its clear basic form. The portal and windows feature two different types of arches: the entrance is pointed-arched, while the windows are round-arched. These specific architectural features make the design tangible, without any one detail needing to stand on its own.

The bell also has its own precisely dated history. The bronze bell was removed during the Second World War, later recovered and repaired, and returned to the tower in 1993. Electric operation was installed in 1994. Alongside the chapel’s year of construction, these are further milestones that trace the journey of a single fitting: its removal, return and a later technical change.

More experiences in the wider destination of Schmallenberg

The wider destination of Schmallenberg offers more cultural themes to explore. Schmallenberg’s old town has a uniform Neoclassical architectural character and many restored half-timbered houses. A historical city tour offers insights into Schmallenberg’s history and introduces local characters such as the Floigenkasper and the Breybalg. Architecture and local stories provide different points of interest. If a guided tour might suit your plans, check current dates and booking options in advance.

The collection at the Forestry Museum in Schmallenberg-Latrop includes historical tools, pictures of earlier forest and village life, historical forestry records, and information about the development of the chainsaw. The exhibits span everything from tools and life in the forest and village to a technological development. Those interested in forest history will find a different perspective here than on the region’s themed trails.

Two trails can also be easily distinguished by their themes and details. Schmallenberg has a family adventure trail of around three kilometres, with 13 stations about forests, animals, wood and birds. The Forest Workers’ and Foresters’ Trail in Schmallenberg-Latrop is 4.5 kilometres long and has 17 stations about forest ecology and the use of timber. The adventure trail brings together several nature themes, while the Forest Workers’ and Foresters’ Trail focuses on ecological connections and the use of wood. The distance, number of stations and themes offer different ways to guide your choice.

For another way to explore the area, there is the 84-kilometre Sauerland Cycle Ring. It connects Finnentrop, Eslohe, Schmallenberg and Lennestadt and follows former railway lines. Temporary diversions are not included in the route details; check the current route when planning your trip.

Use your interests to guide your accommodation search

These are different interests that you do not need to combine into a single local itinerary when planning your trip. If several themes matter to you, rank them by priority and search for accommodation near the place where you would like to stay. That way, you can consider Menkhausen’s architectural and bell history alongside Schmallenberg’s town history, forest themes and cycling route.

Discover more destinations: Altenilpe, Niederberndorf, Sellinghausen, Niederhenneborn, Dorlar, Winkhausen, Rehsiepen, Westfeld.

Back to the wider travel overview: Schmallenberg.