Townapedia
Altena Burg 20051030
Altena Burg 20051030 · Dr.G.Schmitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
Altena-101120-19041-Reformierte-Kirche
Altena-101120-19041-Reformierte-Kirche · user:Mbdortmund, GFDL 1.2
Altena-101120-19037-Burg-Holtzbrinck-cor
Altena-101120-19037-Burg-Holtzbrinck-cor · user:Mbdortmund, GFDL 1.2
Altena-101120-19047-Burg-Holtzbrinck
Altena-101120-19047-Burg-Holtzbrinck · user:Mbdortmund, GFDL 1.2
Altena-101120-19036-Burg-Holtzbrinck
Altena-101120-19036-Burg-Holtzbrinck · user:Mbdortmund, GFDL 1.2
Altena-101120-19038-Burg-Holtzbrinck-cor
Altena-101120-19038-Burg-Holtzbrinck-cor · user:Mbdortmund, GFDL 1.2

Altena, Germany

Altena is a town of 20,862 people in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

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Population20,862 GeoNames
Elevation190 m 623 ft
Time zoneEurope/Berlin
Land area44.4 km²
Nearest airportDortmund Airport (DTM) 25 km

Why visit Altena

Townapedia lists 37 museums and landmarks, 23 parks and trails, 54 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 33 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Dechen Cave, Hofladen-Weustermann, Haus Nachrodt and Burg Altena.

About Altena

Altena (German pronunciation: [ˈaltəna] ; Westphalian: Altenoa) is a town in the district of Märkischer Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town's castle is the origin for the later Dukes of Berg. Altena is situated on the Lenne river valley, in the northern stretches of the Sauerland.

From the Wikipedia article Altena (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do33

Dechen Cave

Monument and historic site · 8.1 km

Show cave in Germany

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Hofladen-Weustermann

Farm and orchard · 4.5 km

9 Brenscheid, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00; Su 00:00-24:00

Open in Google Maps

Apollo Service Kino

Cinema and theater

15 Nettestraße, Altena

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 22279

Biesenberg

Scenic view · 3.9 km

Open in Google Maps

Bräker Kopf

Scenic view · 5.0 km

Open in Google Maps

Höhendorf-Alpakas

Farm and orchard · 3.8 km

24 Lüdenscheider Straße, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

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Wixberg

Scenic view · 2.6 km

Open in Google Maps

Auf der Hard

Scenic view · 4.8 km

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Bergfried

Scenic view

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Beulberg

Scenic view · 5.6 km

Open in Google Maps

Bueberg

Scenic view · 2.8 km

Open in Google Maps

Endert

Scenic view · 2.7 km

Open in Google Maps

21 more on the map.

Museums and landmarks37

Haus Nachrodt

Monument and historic site · 5.2 km

51 Hagener Straße, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

Mo, We, Fr 08:00-12:00; Tu, Th 08:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Burg Altena

Museum

Tu-Fr 09:30-17:00; Sa,Su 11:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Burg Holtzbrink

Monument and historic site

20 Kirchstraße, Altena

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Erlebnisaufzug

Museum

Tu-Fr 09:30-17:30; Sa,Su,PH 10:00-18:30

Open in Google Maps

Bauernhaus Rosiepen

Monument and historic site · 4.0 km

1 Rosiepen, Altena

Open in Google Maps

Deutsches Drahtmuseum

Museum

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Brenscheider Ölmühle

Monument and historic site · 4.6 km

Technical_monument

5 Brenscheider Mühle, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Drahtrolle „Am Hurk“

Monument and historic site · 4.4 km

18 Im Springen, Altena

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 71504

atlier antek

Museum

30 Kirchstraße, Altena

Open in Google Maps

Ehrendenkmal

Monument and historic site · 3.5 km

Denkmal der verstorbenen Soldaten

Open in Google Maps

Ehrenmal

Monument and historic site · 4.4 km

Open in Google Maps

Gerstenberg

Museum · 0.6 km

17 Lennestraße, Altena

Open in Google Maps

25 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds23

Wildgehege Mesekendahl

Park · 4.9 km

1 Mesekendahl, Schalksmühle

We-Fr 13:00-18:00; Sa,Su,PH 10:00-19:00

Open in Google Maps

In der Hardt

Hiking and trails · 5.7 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Leihenberg-Nordhelle

Hiking and trails · 3.2 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Lohagen

Hiking and trails · 4.4 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Pragpaul

Hiking and trails · 2.3 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Kesberner Kalkbuchenwald

Hiking and trails · 4.9 km

Open in Google Maps

Klief

Hiking and trails · 5.3 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Klippkes

Hiking and trails · 5.9 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Naturschutzgebiet Geßhardthöhle

Hiking and trails · 4.1 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Picknick mit Alpakas

Park · 3.8 km

24 Lüdenscheider Straße, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

Open in Google Maps

Tiefenbach

Hiking and trails · 4.1 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Wildblumenwiese

Park · 4.0 km

Über dem Dorfe, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

24/7

Open in Google Maps

11 more on the map.

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Restaurants and cafes54

Pilling

Restaurant · Regional

18 Nettestraße, Altena

Jun-Sep Tu-Sa 17:00-21:30, Su 16:00-21:30; Oct-May Tu-Sa...

Open in Google Maps · +49235224559

Gasthof Spelsberg

Restaurant · Regional, German · 3.1 km

17 Großendrescheid, Altena

Mo 06:30-22:00; Tu 16:30-22:00; We-Su 06:30-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +492352952800

Waldrestaurant Brenscheider Mühle

Restaurant · Regional · 5.0 km

1 Brenscheider Mühle, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

We-Su 11:30-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +4923522904

Burgrestaurant Altena

Restaurant · 0.6 km

80 Fritz-Thomee-Straße

Th-Sa 11:30-22:00; We 11:30-17:00; Su 11:30-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 548 86 95

Bäckerei Kayser

Bakery · 1.1 km

49 Rahmedestraße, Altena

Mo-Fr 06:15-20:00; Sa 06:15-16:00; Su 08:00-11:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 333888

Goldbäckerei Grote

Bakery · 4.4 km

49-51 Altenaer Straße, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

Mo-Fr 05:30-19:00,Sa 05:30-18:00,Su 07:00-12:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 5491630

Cafe Merz

Cafe · 0.8 km

15-17 Bahnhofstraße, Altena

Mo off; Tu-Sa 14:00-18:00; Su 13:00-17:00

Open in Google Maps

Haus Lennestein

Restaurant · 0.8 km

We-Sa 17:00-23:00; Su 12:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 25233

Pizzeria Casa Mia

Restaurant · Pizza · 5.1 km

1 Ehrenmalstraße, Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 5498222

Alte Linden

Restaurant · German · 5.9 km

Open in Google Maps · +49 2352 979695

Elfenfohren

Restaurant · Regional · 5.5 km

359 Ihmerter Straße, Hemer

Open in Google Maps

Hotel-Restaurant Zagreb

Restaurant · International · 4.4 km

318 Rahmedestraße, Altena

Mo-Th 17:00-23:00; Fr 11:30-14:30, 17:00-23:00; Sa,Su,PH 11:30-23:00

Open in Google Maps

42 more on the map.

History

Altena Castle was built in the early 12th century, as a stronghold of the older Counts of Berg. A short time later a village was founded beneath the hill, with the castle alongside the river Lenne, which feeds into the river Ruhr. After the distribution of the Berg family estates in 1161, Altena became the centre of the County of Altena. The first Count of Altena became Eberhard I, Count of Berg-Altena. In 1180, after the death of the first count, the county was divided between the two oldest sons: Arnold of Altena and Friedrich of Altena.

From the History section of Altena on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay6

Churches and places of worship25

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Shopping16

Gas and EV charging6

Schools, colleges and libraries11

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Healthcare5

Map of Altena

216 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Dortmund Airport (DTM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 km away.

  • Werdohl 8 km southeast, about 8 min by car
  • Neuenrade 8 km east, about 8 min by car
  • Lüdenscheid 9 km south, about 9 min by car
  • Iserlohn 9 km north, about 9 min by car
  • Schalksmühle 12 km southwest, about 12 min by car
  • Hemer 12 km northeast, about 12 min by car
  • Balve 14 km east, about 14 min by car
  • Hagen 16 km northwest, about 16 min by car
  • Plettenberg 17 km southeast, about 17 min by car
  • Schwerte 18 km northwest, about 18 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 8, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.