Herzogenrath – Rolduc Border Tour
Borders in flux
Current, past, and blurring borders: This hike through settlements and forests reveals many different facets of borders. Among the historical landmarks is Rode Castle, a medieval customs post in the former country of Rode, which also included Kerkrade. Before the Worm River became a national border in 1815, the region had been united under various ruling houses for over 800 years. Some of the early rulers—the Dukes of Limburg—found their final resting place in the neighboring Rolduc Abbey, which traces its origins to an early Count of Rode. In the forest south of Herzogenrath we enter the Duchy of Jülich. Protected by Wilhelmstein Castle, the Dutchy extended from here, between the Aachen Empire to the south and the country of Rode, all the way to the Worm River.
But it’s not just the old borders that are blurring; the Eurode Business Center, with parts of its buildings spanning two countries, and Aachener Straße/Nieuw Straat, where German and Dutch neighbors face each other, exemplify the region’s shared roots and visions.