Discover Oberpleis: Churches, Garden and Hiking Trails

Travel in Oberpleis can encompass a range of interests, from the Romanesque Provost Church of St. Pankratius and its art to a garden for plants, animals and people, as well as hiking trails with different focuses. For your stay, you can weigh up architectural and art history, the character of the garden and impressions of the landscape.

Churches, Architecture and Art in Oberpleis

The Provost Church of St. Pankratius is a three-aisled Romanesque pillar basilica. Its architectural features include a transept, a semicircular apse and a hall crypt. It was built between 1100 and 1120 as a provost church. The terms describe different aspects of the building: the three aisles and pillars characterize the church interior, while the transept, apse and crypt refer to other parts of the structure.

The artworks in St. Pankratius also date from different periods. The relief of the Three Kings on the high altar is considered an outstanding work of 12th-century Rhenish sculpture. The church also contains a decorative floor with a cosmic image dating from 1220/30, as well as a Vesperbild, also known as a Pietà, from the 15th century. The Felicitas Shrine, created in 1961, is in the crypt. These dates offer a distinct way to explore the site's architectural and art history.

The Evangelical Church of Oberpleis is a listed historic building and a Type D Bartning emergency church. It has largely been preserved in its original condition. Free guided tours may be available by prior appointment. If a tour is important to your plans, arrange a time in advance.

The Provost Garden and Trails with Different Focuses

Behind St. Pankratius Church in Königswinter-Oberpleis, the inclusive Provost Garden extends across around 3,000 square metres. It is a “garden for everyone”—for plants, animals and people. Alongside church architecture, it adds another theme to the area's profile: the garden's shared importance for plant and animal habitats and for people.

After leaving Oberpleis, the Chapel Loop – Villages, Chapels & Fruit Growing passes by orchards. It visits five of the twelve chapels on the Chapel Hike. The route thus has two clearly defined focuses: chapels and fruit growing. Stage 13 of the Bergischer Weg takes a different approach, following paths through secluded valleys and forests.

A marked, 2.5-kilometre access route leads from the end of the Bergischer Weg stage to Königswinter-Oberpleis station. This route information refers to the access route to the station, so it can be considered separately from the description of Stage 13. When planning, you can distinguish between an interest in the chapels and fruit-growing on the Chapel Loop, the forest and valley paths of Stage 13, or the marked route to the station.

More Cultural and Nature Attractions in the Wider Destination of Königswinter

In the wider destination of Königswinter, the Petersberg Exhibition Centre presents a five-part exhibition on the site's history; one section focuses on the nature of Petersberg. Another covers the building's former function as a guardhouse and its security features. The Rheinsteig hiking trail runs directly past the Petersberg Exhibition Centre. The exhibition and access are accessible. If you rely on specific access details, check them before your trip.

The Brückenhof Museum in Königswinter-Oberdollendorf also features a range of topics. Its permanent exhibition includes an early 20th-century kitchen, a fully equipped shoemaker's workshop and the “Weilberg” model railway layout. It depicts the Heisterbach Valley Railway, which ran through the Heisterbach Valley as a narrow-gauge railway from 1889 to 1950. Special exhibitions cover local history and associations, as well as works by local artists.

Other distinct destinations in the wider Königswinter area include Drachenburg Castle and the Drachenfels Railway. Drachenburg Castle was built between 1882 and 1884; visitors can experience the domestic culture of the late 19th century in its furnished rooms. The Drachenfels Railway is Germany's oldest cog railway and connects Königswinter's old town with the ruins on the Drachenfels. The grounds of Heisterbach Abbey include the choir of the former abbey church and several 18th-century buildings within a historic monastery wall. The Heisterbach Abbey Foundation provides information on guided tours, events and literature, as well as materials on the world of the Cistercians.

Discover more destinations: Eudenbach.

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