Discover Kevelaer

Kevelaer combines a strong pilgrimage tradition with churches, pilgrimage routes, a museum and experiences ranging from water fun to relaxation at the graduation tower. This makes the town an appealing destination for trips with different focuses: you can explore religious sites, plan cultural activities or alternate between active pursuits and quieter moments.

Pilgrimage and routes in Kevelaer

Kapellenplatz is the religious centre of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer and a destination for pilgrims. Here you will find the Chapel of Grace, which is also a destination for Kevelaer pilgrims and houses the image of grace “Consolatrix Afflictorum”. The pilgrimage church on the square was elevated to the status of a papal basilica in 1923; the Candle Chapel is the oldest church on Kapellenplatz. Together, these sites offer a tangible insight into the religious character of Kevelaer.

The Great Way of the Cross adds a dedicated site to the pilgrimage experience: it is 1.2 kilometres long, comprises 15 Stations of the Cross and was inaugurated in 1874. Its length and number of stations convey the scale of the route, while the year of its inauguration places it in its historical context. St. Anthony’s Church is also part of the pilgrimage setting: it is located on the Way of St. James in Kevelaer. Kevelaer also lies on the Way of St. James Route 3, which runs from the Lower Rhine through the Netherlands to Belgium. The town thus brings together religious buildings and the wider course of a pilgrimage route.

Museum, water experiences and relaxation

The Lower Rhine Museum Kevelaer e.V. has more than 2,500 square metres of exhibition space and over 20 permanent exhibition areas. These figures give an impression of the museum’s size and the structure of its permanent exhibitions. The museum also offers guided tours, talks and workshops for visitors. Its programme therefore includes a range of formats to consider when planning a cultural day out.

If you want to focus on water attractions, Irrland offers another highlight in Kevelaer. It features more than 13 water attractions, including fountains, water fights and water slides. The attractions on offer may change; if you have a particular attraction in mind, it is best to check the current selection. These examples show the variety of water experiences available.

For a more peaceful experience, the St. Jakob Salt Garden invites you to relax, unwind and take a breather, particularly around the graduation tower. This walk-through structure is shaped like a shell, stands 12 metres high and has a diameter of approximately 25 metres. Its shape and dimensions make it a distinctive place to visit in the Salt Garden, where the focus is on taking a break rather than a packed programme.

When looking for accommodation, you can start by considering the character you want your trip to have: should it focus primarily on pilgrimage sites and routes, culture, or active or relaxing experiences? Once you have settled on a focus, you can tailor your accommodation search more closely to your travel plans.

Cycling in the wider Kleve destination

The wider Kleve destination also offers a regional perspective on landscape and cycling. The district of Kleve encompasses picturesque riverbanks, green meadows and extensive forests. Its cycle route network includes more than 1,500 kilometres of routes and numerous themed trails. The signposted Niers cycle path is 128 kilometres long and runs from the source of the Niers in Mönchengladbach through the districts of Viersen and Kleve to the municipality of Gennep in the Netherlands. A pocket guide shows all the junctions in the district of Kleve when unfolded and provides helpful information about how the district-wide junction system works. This lets you distinguish Kevelaer’s own experiences from the cycling and landscape attractions elsewhere in the district of Kleve.

Discover more destinations: Kleve, Bedburg-Hau, Issum, Appeldorn, Weeze, Geldern, Kranenburg, Kalkar.

Return to the wider travel overview: Kleve.