Olm: Historic Farms and Chapel

When planning a stay in Olm, choosing a hotel goes hand in hand with exploring the village’s history. Hotel l’Empire is located in Olm and is recommended for a longer stay in the municipality of Kehlen. Check independently that it is currently operating before basing your plans on it. For getting your bearings in the village, the historic centre and the Eisch–Mamer cycle path (PC 14) offer concrete reference points.

The historic centre

The historic centre includes the 17th-century Saint Nicholas Chapel and the adjoining former school, dating from the 19th century. Both share a triangular square bordered by Rue de Nospelt and Rue de Kehlen. The chapel was built in 1620. Their shared location connects the buildings spatially, while their dates of origin mark different centuries. Together, the buildings and the square help define the historic centre.

The square’s location shows how the village centre is laid out; the farms, by contrast, shift the focus to the architectural form and construction phases of individual farmsteads.

Historic linear farmsteads

Two linear farmsteads add to this local history. The farm “An Tempels” is in the centre of Olm, near the chapel, and is thought to be the village’s oldest surviving farmstead. The landmark farm “A Wirtgens” is near the village centre. Its agricultural building was constructed partly around 1770 and partly between 1788 and 1805; the house was built in 1814. The farms offer different historical points of reference: for An Tempels, its probable age is significant; for A Wirtgens, it is the sequence of dated building sections.

A Wirtgens also offers a closer look at architectural design. The window and door surrounds are late Baroque in style; a surround is the frame around a window or door opening. The farmstead also retains authentic architectural details: a fully preserved sandstone door surround inside, preserved frames around the bread oven and hearth, a partly preserved built-in cupboard, a slate washbasin and the roof structure. These decorative surrounds sit alongside details of the interior fittings and construction.

On 5 September 1999, “A Wirtgens” was added to the Inventaire supplémentaire; the inventory confirmed its protected status. This date marks the listing, not a construction phase of the farmstead. In chronological terms, the dates given range from the chapel, built in 1620, to the house at A Wirtgens, built in 1814; the agricultural building comprises two earlier phases. The listing year 1999 thus belongs to a later layer of local history: it dates the protected status, not a construction phase.

Planning a cycle ride and accommodation

The currently rideable section of the Eisch–Mamer cycle path (PC 14) connects Mamer with Olm via Capellen. Check the status of the rideable section before setting out, as it may change. For your plans, PC 14 adds a link between Mamer, Capellen and Olm to the area’s architectural history, while the square and farms offer a spatial and historical reference to the village.

Discover more destinations: Eischen, Hobscheid, Septfontaines, Steinfort, Gaichel, Greisch, Bascharage, Mamer.

Go to the main travel overview: Capellen.