Kelmis
Formerly Neutral-Moresnet, now Kelmis. For more than a hundred years, from 1816 to 1919, Neutral-Moresnet constituted an oddity of European history.
Kelmis – a place with a curious history
The name of the village of Kelmis is derived from the zinc ore calamine, which was known as kelme in the region. It was mined there from the early Middle Ages until the end of the 19th century. The village became known internationally in the period from 1816 to 1919. The genesis of the neutral condominium of Moresnet goes back to a conflict between the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and Prussia in determining new borders following the demise of the French Empire. A local coin was minted under the name 'Free Community of Moresnet', but it never went into circulation in the neutral zone. In 1886, eight postage stamps were issued too, with the idea of founding an autonomous local postal service. But they were only on sale for a fortnight, as the postal service was a state monopoly.
Numerous historical relics enable visitors to immerse themselves in the enigmatic past of Kelmis. That history is explained in a clear and interesting way on the history trail, the industrial educational trail, in the Altenberg conservation area, and on information boards not far from the historical zinc mines.
Point of interest
Border country
At the border triangle, the borders of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands meet. In the times of Neutral-Moresnet, indeed, it wasn't three borders that met here, but four. At the same time, at 323 metres above sea level, the point where these borders m
Boundary stones
In the Preuswald, between Kelmis and Aachen, there are many different boundary stones to be discovered. They bear witness to the variegated history of this region. The Preuswald got its name from the Central German word preus, meaning 'border'. Al
Calvary of Moresnet
The place of pilgrimage that is Moresnet-Chapelle is a place of veneration of the Virgin Mary and consists of a chapel of mercy, the pilgrimage church and the park-like Calvary with its way of the cross. It has its origin in the miraculous healing of the Mo
Casino pond and Altenberg conservation area
The casino pond and the calamine tip at Altenberg are relics of the ore mining activities that took place around Kelmis in the 19th century. Today, the area is a popular destination for excursions and a conservation area. The ore-bearing soils from the mine
Church of the Assumption
The Catholic parish church of Kelmis is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. This church, built in the neo-Gothic style, was officially opened in 1865. Since then, the red brick building has hardly changed at all on the outside. The erection of
Eyneburg
The Eyneburg was built on a hill high up above the Göhl. It is one of the few hilltop castles in the former Duchy of Limburg. The name Eyneburg or Eyneberghe comes from a family to whom this manor house belonged in the 13th century. The name 'Emmab
History trail
The Kelmis history trail runs through the middle of this former mining village and depicts it through the ages. The angles at which the 15 illustration plates are viewed have each been selected in such a way as to correspond to the point where the observer
Industrial educational trail
The industrial educational trail at Kelmis is a varied walk, 7.5 kilometres in length. It begins at the Park Hotel in the middle of the village and runs past various locations which were important for calamine mining in Kelmis. Numerous columns along the wa
Kelmis panorama board
The panorama board is situated between points 46 and 99 in the junction node network. Because of its elevated position, it gives a particularly beautiful view on the village Kelmis. An aerial photograph of Kelmis and the surrounding area makes it possible t
Moresnet: Göhl valley viaduct
With an overall length of 1107 metres and a height of 52 metres, the Göhl valley viaduct spans the Göhl valley near Moresnet. For some time, it was the longest bridge in the Belgian rail network. The viaduct is part of the connection between the G
Pennings houses
The Pennings houses are on the Lütticher Strasse not far from the entrance to the casino pond. These two rough stone houses got their name from the smith who once lived here, Willem Anton Pennings. They are among the oldest preserved houses in Kelmis.
St. John's Protestant Church
The foundation stone of St. John's Church was laid on 7 July 1856. The Vieille-Montagne company, at which some 120 Protestant white and blue-collar workers were employed, provided the land and a large donation. The rest came from various other collectio
St. Rochus Chapel
The St. Rochus Chapel was first mentioned in official documents in 1646. It is located at the confluence of the Hohn and Grünstrasser streams on the southern edge of what is Kelmis today. The chapel and the surrounding farmsteads formed the original nu
Vieille-Montagne Museum
The destiny of the village of Kelmis is inseparably associated with zinc ore, which was mined there for centuries. The mining of the ore and the production of zinc were strongly influenced by the Vieille-Montagne mining company. The museum is in the company
Contact us
High Fens House for Tourism – East Belgium NPO
East Belgium
Place Albert I 29a
4960 Malmedy
T. +32 80 33 02 50
E. info@ostbelgien.eu
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