Experience Haldern’s Cultural Heritage and Landscape

Haldern combines architectural history with a landscape to explore on foot or by bike. Sights include the Catholic parish church of St. George, the Protestant church dating from 1783, the Wesendonksche House from the early 19th century, the Doppeladler inn from the 19th century, and the late-medieval Battenberg Tower. The buildings therefore date from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century. Those interested in churches and historic buildings will find several specific points of interest here from different periods. Access conditions may vary when visiting individual buildings.

Cultural History in Haldern

Further cultural heritage sites include Haus Aspel, with its landscaped park and medieval motte, as well as Schledenhorst Chapel, home to a historically significant Crucifixion group dating to around 1500. The park, motte and chapel thus add further points of interest to the churches and historic buildings. The Crucifixion group offers a particular reason to explore the area’s artistic and religious heritage, while Haus Aspel brings together parkland and medieval history.

Woodlands, Heathland and Cycling Routes

Sonsfelder Forest and the neighbouring Klosterheide and Wittenhorster Heide offer landscapes for hiking and cycling, with visible dunes shaping these areas. Nearby Hagener or Sonsfelder Meer is an old branch of the Rhine, bordered by meadows, pastures and pollarded willows. Woodlands and heathland thus contrast with an open landscape shaped by water and trees. Depending on whether you prefer to explore the woods and heathland or experience the landscape along the old branch of the Rhine, you can focus your outings on different settings.

The cycling connections also offer different points of reference. The Sonsfeld–Haffen cycling route connects Haldern with Haffen. Another cycle route circles Reeser Meer and meets the Sonsfeld–Haffen connection near Alt-Sonsfeld. When planning, you can choose between a connection to Haffen and a route around Reeser Meer. Construction or maintenance work may temporarily affect cycling infrastructure; check current route information before setting off.

Haldern offers a range of themes to prioritise in different ways, depending on your travel plans. Consider which experiences matter most to you, and look for accommodation that suits your day’s itinerary.

In the wider destination of Rees

The wider destination of Rees offers further insights into the city’s history. Rees lies directly on the Rhine. Its historic town fortifications comprise six successive defensive systems dating from the 12th to the 18th century, built by four European nations. Rees was granted town status by the Archbishop of Cologne on 14 July 1228. In the 15th century, it was known for Hanseatic trade and is recorded as a Hanseatic town in an alliance with cities in the eastern Netherlands. The Städtisches Koenraad Bosman Museum Rees focuses on two themes: art and urban history.

Rees also offers various options for cycling trips: there are 19 signposted cycle routes in Rees and its surrounding area, ranging from 17 to 140 kilometres in length. They run through the town, the surrounding area and neighbouring towns. This wide range makes it easier to choose a ride that suits your plans for the day. Another option is the Planet Route, which is around 22 kilometres long. It starts at the sculpture park in Rees and follows the Lower Rhine’s first planetary trail along the dyke, on the cycle route to Rees-Mehr. Before setting off, check whether temporary diversions apply.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kleve, Kevelaer, Straelen, Rheurdt, Wachtendonk, Appeldorn, Bedburg-Hau, Geldern.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Kleve.