Discover Kircheib: Basilica and Broichhausen Motte

Kircheib combines a Romanesque basilica with an archaeological monument south of the village. This brings together two historical perspectives: the architectural form of a sacred building and the surviving earthworks of a medieval castle complex. If you enjoy exploring history through tangible buildings and traces in the landscape, the village offers two clearly distinct themes.

Basilica and motte: two historical perspectives

The Romanesque three-aisled basilica with pillars and a west tower was built of coursed rubble stone. It was first mentioned in a document in 1131; the bells date from 1200 and 1535. These dates refer to different things: 1131 marks the first documentary mention, while the later years are associated with the bells. The architectural form can also be described precisely: “three-aisled” refers to its layout, the pillars are part of the basilica, and the west tower is another defining feature of the building. The church thus offers several starting points for exploring its Romanesque architecture and history.

Broichhausen Motte lies south of Kircheib and is an archaeological monument zone open to the public. Its surviving features include a medieval castle mound, defensive banks, and a water-filled moat. Together, these traces in the landscape bring the fortification to life: the raised mound, banks, and moat form distinct parts of the surviving complex. In contrast to the basilica, the focus here is not on the design of a building, but on the form of a medieval castle complex.

A signposted route leads from Kircheib to Broichhausen Motte. The route is about 1.5 kilometres long and can be covered on foot or by bicycle. Check local trail conditions before setting out. This lets you factor the archaeological site into your day’s plans and decide whether the route itself should be part of your outing.

Travel planning and getting around

The B8 runs through Kircheib. A combined footpath and cycle path also passes through the village. The road provides connections towards Cologne and Bonn, as well as to park-and-ride railway stations in Eitorf and Hennef. This means that travel planning can take into account both road connections and potential points for connecting to train journeys. Check current road and rail connections before setting off.

The right accommodation depends on how you would like to spend your days.

Further cultural perspectives in the wider Altenkirchen destination

The wider Altenkirchen destination offers further distinctive historical and cultural themes. In Flammersfeld, Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen founded the “Flammersfelder Hülfsverein zur Unterstützung unbemittelter Landwirthe” in 1849, the world’s first loan fund association. This adds the story of an early cooperative to the region’s historical points of interest.

In Marienthal, the Klosterdorfweg trail loops around the former Franciscan monastery and passes through the shaded Kurwald forest of the Archdiocese of Cologne. Marienthal is still a popular pilgrimage site today. The trail and pilgrimage site offer a different cultural perspective from Kircheib’s basilica and Broichhausen Motte.

Discover more destinations: Mehren, Hemmelzen, Gieleroth, Weyerbusch, Helmenzen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Altenkirchen.