Neersen: Attractions around the hotel
The hotel 'Alt Stocks' is located in the smallest of the four districts in Willich - in Neersen. With around 7000 inhabitants, this village has survived its rural charm. Neersen is located in the administrative district of Düsseldorf the Lower Rhine. The advantage of this little town is the direct city access: situated centrally in the city triangle Dusseldorf-Krefeld-Mönchengladbach. Whether strolling or recreation: Let yourself be enchanted by the people and the landscape of this region.
Chapel 'Klein Jerusalem'
The chapel of 'Little Jerusalem' was founded around 1656 by Gerhard Vynhoven. The priest built the chapel in the vicinity where he was born - on the outskirts of Neersen. After several trips to the Holy Land his idea was a possible faithful replica of the holy sites in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, which should be accessible to all people. The chapel with the imposing crucifix and the replica of the Grotto of the Nativity is still an attractive target of various pilgrims and the center of the annual 'marksmen's festival' .
Neersen Palace
The Neersen Palace, built about 800 years ago, has a dynamic architecture history: from the Roman castle
a change was made to Gothic, until 1661 the expansion of the Castle by Adrian Virmond was done. At that time the old rectangular
building was changed to its still characteristic symmetrical horseshoe shape.
In 1970 the city of Willich acquired the historic building. Today the palace is the administrative and cultural center.
In summer time, it serves as a picturesque backdrop of an open-air theater. The annually 'Neersen Palace Festival'
is known far beyond the city limits. Where once carriages drove up with nobles, today the festival-goers applause combine the culture of past and present.
'Am Nordkanal'
Hiking on Napoleon's footsteps: A nearly 100 km long Fietsallee along the North Channel, built in 1806 to Napoleon's command
, makes it possible. Since the EUROGA 2002 on this Fietsallee Route cyclists and pedestrians find a whole new way
to discover this region of the Lower Rhine. It was honored as bike route in 2009 in NRW.
The "blue ribbon" in the form of road markings and vertical blue posts helps to orient and estimate distances. Beyond inhabited
settlements orange and white striped marker poles point the way throug the canal. Hidden channel sections that sometimes being used
as a waterway, as a soil profile, or as a garden canal can be rediscovered. They remind us of the historical past
and thus to the great skill of Napoleon's engineers.