Discover Gevelsberg

Hiking trails and green surroundings

The 330-hectare Gevelsberg City Forest offers opportunities for active hiking. The first stage of the Wappenweg trail leads through the forest and the Buntebach Valley, alternating between woodland and meadows. If you enjoy including varied landscapes in a hike, this gives you a clear guide to choosing a route.

The “Over the Klutertberg” circular trail also passes through Gevelsberg City Forest. From there, you can enjoy views across Gevelsberg toward the Ruhr region. Stefansbachtal Recreation Park is another option for a leisurely stroll. Depending on your interests, you can plan an active hike, a circular route with a view or a more relaxed walk.

The city forest also contains an area designated as a Flora-Fauna-Habitat site, which the city’s tourism information describes as a worthwhile destination for nature lovers. The woodland and the Ennepe valley add natural scenery to the picture of the town.

Local history and culture

The historical town walk focuses on Archbishop and Imperial Administrator Engelbert. He was killed there on November 7, 1225, in a sunken lane. The walk also shares anecdotes and stories from more recent times. In the former monastery area, numerous surviving older houses are protected as historic monuments: since 1989, the “Elberfelder Straße/Altes Dorf” conservation-area statute has applied there.

Gevelsberg’s town emblem combines art with references to its industrial heritage and to the tension between nature and the environment. The artist Janusz Hajduk-Gubalke, who lives in Düsseldorf, created it in 1989 with the aim of integrating contemporary art into the townscape. Visitors can walk through the emblem. The “Everyday People” sculptures by Christel Lechner are also located in the city center; they are part of the art exhibitions included in Gevelsberg’s cultural program.

Cultural life also includes theater performances and music events in a range of genres. The Heimatstube exhibition includes mementos of former clubs, notable places and people, as well as local customs, especially the funfair. Filmriss Cinema is located in the historic Saalbau Buschmann, built in 1874, and has been part of cultural life since 2003. In addition to a changing weekly film program, it offers music and cabaret events, readings, exhibitions, breakfast matinees, and theater for all ages.

Weekly market and traditional funfair

Gevelsberg’s weekly market takes place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at Vendômer Platz. Stalls sell fruit and vegetables, some of them organically grown, as well as fresh meat, fish and dairy products, and honey. If you would like to plan a market visit during your stay, the two market days and morning hours are a useful guide.

Gevelsberg’s traditional funfair, which is more than 200 years old, takes place every year from Friday to Tuesday on the last weekend in June. Almost all the food and drink stalls have been run by local clubs for generations. The funfair is described as family-friendly; at the same time, the grounds include slopes of up to 12 percent. Both details may be relevant when planning your visit.

More ways to find your bearings

Areas along the centrally located Ennepebogen invite visitors to linger; two pitches for motorhomes or caravans are available there. Those traveling the Way of St. James can follow the signs at prominent points, marked with a yellow scallop shell on a blue background. The route passes through Gevelsberg as part of its journey through the Ennepe-Ruhr district.

You can also visit Hattingen, Schwelm and Sprockhövel for more destination pages.

For the broader travel overview: Ennepe-Ruhr district.