The German border town of Monschau

Monschau is a resort town in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany, located in the hills of the Northern Eifel in the Hochswiln-Eifel Nature Park in the narrow valley of the Ruhr River on the German-Belgian border. The historic city center with its many well-preserved half-timbered houses and narrow streets has remained virtually unchanged for 300 years, making the town of Monschau a popular tourist attraction today. High above the town is Monschau Castle, which dates back to the 13th century. From 1433 onwards, the castle was used as the seat of the Duchy of Jülich. In 1543 during the Gould War, troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V surrounded the town, later occupying and plundering it. However, the castle remained in Jülich until 1609 when it became part of the Palatinate-Neustadt. In 1795, the French occupied the area and made it the capital of a canton in the Ruhr province under the name of Montjoie. After the region became part of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1815, Monschau became the regional capital of Kressmunschau. During World War I, some argued that Montjoy should be annexed to Belgium, as they saw it as a region of Wallonia that had historically been Germanized by the Prussians. In 1918, German Emperor Wilhelm II changed the name to Monschau. During World War II, the town of Monschau was located on an important road network and was a tactically important fulcrum during the opening stages of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, the northernmost point of the front. An open-air classical music festival is held at Monschau Castle every year. Textiles are the main industry in the town. #GermanyTravel #OverseasTravel #GreenTourism #EuropeanTown #Germany #staycation #deutschland #monschau