- Alken
Alken is one of the oldest Mosel villages. The origin goes back to the Celtic and Roman times. Even today, you name a district with the Celtic name "Olk".
On a hill covered with deciduous forest in the Alkener Bachtal we find the remains of foundations of a so-called Keltenburg.
Thurant Castle is partially built on ancient foundations dating back to Roman times.
Numerous finds confirm the presence of the Romans. From the original name "Villa Alcana" (a Roman settlement) was finally our present alkene.
But also from later time we find in the village again and again building references. Once owned by the Palatinate (belonging to the Count Palatine in Heidelberg) in the middle of the Trier region, the disputes and claims for possession of the archbishops and electors of Trier and Cologne remained unavoidable.
After the final conquest of the castle Thurant by these two archbishops (Arnold II of Trier and Konrad of Hochstaden of Cologne), the place and the castle from 1248 were governed jointly by Kurtrier and Kurköln. The peace treaty of 17.09.1248 is still preserved today as one of the oldest documents in German language.
After completion of the ring fortification, connected to the castle Thurant, Alken is referred to in a collective privilege by Archbishop and Elector Balduin von Trier with city. On August 23, 1332, King Ludwig the Bavarian, Alken granted the same rights and freedoms of the city of Frankfurt a.M. - Emperor Charles IV confirmed these rights and freedoms in 1346.
A tour of Alken is always worthwhile. Particularly recommended is the visit to the "Castle Thurant" and the "Old St. Michael's Church".
On the map
Schulstraße 1-3
56332 Alken
DE
Phone: (0049) 2605 790
Fax: (0049) 2605 953261
E-mail: geminde-alken@t-online.de
Website: www.alken.de