Bütgenbach

The lake of Bütgenbach gives the village its tourist value. There are opportunities for fishing, sailing, swimming, canoeing and especially windsurfing; in short, all water sports can be practised there – exception: motorboats aren’t allowed.

The first building upstream is the dam, with a capacity of 11 million cubic metres. It was built in the 1930s according to the plans of the Italian engineer Boldo.

The dam is 23 m high, 140 m long and consists of several vaulted arches. The dam also supplies an electricity plant and serves as a water reservoir for the lake for Robertville. Near the dam are remains of castle ruins dating from 1230-1240.

The St. Stephanus Church, built in 1932 by architect Henri Cunibert in neo-Romanesque style, features various old tombstones, including the Epitaph von Johann Reinhard von Bulich from the second half of the 16th century and the Reiffenberg epitaph.

The church also contains some furniture pieces from the former destroyed chapel (15th century) and a baptismal font from the 13th century.

For more information: Historischer Rundweg – Tafel 2

The Bütgenbach estate is a listed former castle courtyard from the 15th century, which has been restored several times over the centuries.

Today, it serves as a senior citizens’ home and houses the ‘Hof Bütgenbach’ gallery.

For more information: Historischer Rundweg – Tafel 7

The former Kirch House, which served as the headquarters of the Allied Forces during the Ardennen-Offensive in the winter of 1944-1945 and where future US President General Dwight D. Eisenhower stayed for several days. Today, there is a memorial plaque in honor of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

For more information: Historischer Rundweg – Tafel 7

Discover more info about this interesting place on Vinzentinerinnen Place.

The place ” Kerchenoord” burned in 1853

The district described here and densely inhabitated lay near the “old church” on the cemetery of Bütgenbach. All buildings affected by the fire stood along the street to the “Hühnermarkt” (poultry market).

In the chronicle of the municipality of Bütgenbach one can read that children played with matches on 18 September 1853 and thus caused a terrible fire catastrophe. As a result of the flying sparks, the fire destroyed six houses, ten stables, five barns and a shed.

When rebuilding their buildings, the affected citizens also used stones from the nearby castle ruins. Some of the houses still show such stones from the castle, such as the sandstone heads on the sides of the doors of the newly built house “Fohnen”, where both the year 1853 and 1854 are marked, which probably commemorate this fire catastrophe.