The best MTB trails around Bickendorf

The House As early as 1052, a medieval defensive structure in Hamm was mentioned, which was repeatedly adapted to contemporary needs over the centuries through alterations and new constructions. It stands on the site of a much older, early medieval refuge castle, where the inhabitants of the surrounding manors could retreat in times of danger during the Migration Period. The present appearance is significantly shaped by the surrounding and defensive walls as well as a residential complex from the Gothic period. The complex has dimensions of 40 x 80 m. The oldest building, still preserved in its basic structure, can be traced back to the Romanesque period and includes, among other things, the chapel, which was converted in the Baroque style in 1700. Two round towers frame a palace from the 14th century, also dating back to the late Gothic period, which was replaced by a Renaissance building in 1586. After a long period of vacancy around the mid-19th century, a fundamental renovation with some structural changes took place from 1885-1896. The Renaissance palace, like parts of the adjacent Gothic building, fell victim to arson by German troops in 1945, who did not want to let any German cultural heritage fall into the hands of the Allies. The post-war reconstruction secured the courtyard facade of the Renaissance palace, but removed the garden side, which was heavily destroyed by the building fabric, and added a small half-timbered structure in its place. The Family The original owners of Hamm were the Counts of Hamm, who served as vogts of the Abbey of Prüm. It was a fief of the Counts of Vianden, with whom they had close family ties. For a long time, the Bidgau was also administered from here. In 1371, the property was passed on through the marriage of the last of their line, Maria von Hamm, to the von Malberg - Milburg family. The last of her name, Anna von Malberg, married Gerhard von der Horst around 1580, the builder of the Renaissance palace. About 100 years later, the property passed through the marriage of the last von der Horst to the Counts Lannoy, who, after a hall collapse in connection with a fire in 1835, in a part of the building no longer preserved today, retreated entirely to their homeland of Clerf (Clervaux/Luxemburg). After the castle stood empty and the estate fell into disrepair, a descendant of theirs, Baroness Sidonie v. Tornaco, finally received the inheritance. She married Count Friedrich v. Renesse and, with him, carried out the aforementioned fundamental renovation. Their daughter Elisabeth married Egon Graf von und zu Westerholt und Gysenberg in 1909. Their son Otto managed and lived in Hamm with his family. After his death in 1980, his son Ferdinand took over the property and the house. Since 1998, Schloss Hamm has been partially accessible to the public through tours, weddings, registry office branch, festivals and cultural events, and much more.

I find this part of the trail very beautiful, especially on nice autumn days

Fascinating Roman villa. I visit it regularly when I'm in the area.

🏛️🍇 Villa Otrang The villa was built in the 1st century AD and reached its zenith in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, when it was expanded several times. It was inhabited until the 4th century, before presumably being destroyed by Germanic tribes. The main building (manor house) covered an area of over 3,600 square meters, and the entire estate encompassed approximately 50,000 square meters, including farm buildings and temple complexes.

🏛️🍇 Villa Otrang is one of the most impressive and best-preserved archaeological sites of Roman culture in Germany, located in the Southern Eifel region near Fließem (Bitburg-Prüm district, Rhineland-Palatinate). It was a Roman villa rustica (a large Roman country estate) and is among the largest and most magnificent sites of its kind north of the Alps.

🏰 Rittersdorf Castle Rittersdorf Castle is one of the most valuable and best-preserved medieval sites in the region: a moated castle located in the municipality of Rittersdorf, just about three kilometers north of Bitburg, directly on the Nims River. The almost square structure is surrounded by a moat. Surrounded by the tranquil Nims river landscape, Rittersdorf Castle is a popular destination for history buffs, gourmets, and cyclists in the Eifel region.

🌊 The Nims River The Nims is an idyllic river that flows through the Bitburg-Prüm district in the Eifel region: The Nims is an approximately 61 km long left tributary of the Prüm. It rises near Weinsheim and flows south, past towns such as Schönecken and Bitburg, before joining the Prüm below Irrel.

Beautiful romantic ensemble of the Nims river with its weirs and fortifications and the mighty castle complex in the style of a moated castle.