The history of Menden goes back to the early Middle Ages. Already around 800 it was one of the original parishes of the Sauerland. Since 1180, the small village of Menden belonged to the Electorate of Cologne. Located close to the hostile territory of the Counts of the Mark, the unprotected village had to be developed into a border fortress after several invasions.
In 1276 Menden was elevated to the status of a town by the Archbishop of Cologne, Siegfried von Westerburg. This meant compulsory military service and the right to defend oneself. The people of Menden were trained as crossbowmen. A high city wall with twelve defense towers and three city gates, built after the last heavy attack by the Margraves from about 1344 under Archbishop Walram of Jülich, surrounded the city.
Of the former twelve towers, the Teufelsturm (today the Museum of Westphalian Carnival), the Poenigeturm and the Rentschreiber tower at the former castle in Bahnhofstraße have been preserved. The town fortifications fell more and more into disrepair in the 18th century, and their remains were demolished between about 1790 and 1813.
Directions
- by car
- Street Turmstraße
- parking lots parking guidance system (underground parking lot city hall, parking lot Neumarkt)
- by train
- stop Menden (5 min.), RB 54 (Hönnetalbahn)
- by bus
- bus stops Nordwall (3 min.), lines 1, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 132, 514
- train station (5 min.) lines S3, 1, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 132, 514