What if the stones beneath our feet could talk? They might tell tales of Graurheindorf, a part of Bonn with a history stretching back centuries.
Graurheindorf sits in the north of Bonn. It is bordered by the Rhine and the areas of Bonn-Castell and Auerberg. This place has a unique story to tell. Graurheindorf joined Bonn in 1809. It got the name “Grau” to match the gray robes of the Cistercian nuns. This helped tell it apart from Schwarzrheindorf. Schwarzrheindorf was on the other side of the Rhine.
Let’s step back to 1131. A document mentions Rindorp. It speaks of its church and castle. Around 1230, Cistercian nuns founded a monastery here. The Graurheindorf castle was destroyed in 1689. It was rebuilt in 1755. Some think Michael Leveilly designed it. He also designed Bonn’s town hall.
Look at Estermannstraße. It follows an old Roman military road. The buildings along this street show how a Frankish street village once looked.
The parish church, St. Margareta, stands where a Roman country house once stood. In the past, Bonn collected city taxes near where the Rheindorfer Bach flows into the Rhine.
Graurheindorf began to grow in the mid-1800s. The St. Sebastianus shooting brotherhood started in 1848. A men’s choir formed in 1872. Around 1900, the Rheindorf volunteer fire brigade was founded. It still exists today. The Rhine port of Bonn was built in Graurheindorf in the 1920s. The Auermühle, now an office building, dates from this time.
Graurheindorf has kept its simple village look. You can see many half-timbered houses, especially on Estermannstraße.
The “Historische Weg Graurheindorf” opened in March 2021. It has information signs at 15 locations.
Down by the Rhine, the old Auermühle grain silos are now modern offices. The port and terminal are at Rhine kilometer 658. They use IT-supported cranes for quick cargo handling.
Need a rest? There is a long bench near St. Margareta church by Rhine kilometer 659.
The Friedhof Graurheindorf lies between the Rheindorf castle and the Margarethenkirche. It was built in 1842. It replaced an older one that was too small. The old part of the cemetery is under historical protection. It features sandstone blocks that depict scenes from the Passion of Christ.
Notice the central cross. It once stood in front of the church. It was moved to the cemetery. Baker Kutter and his wife donated it in 1746.
Graurheindorf today has around 3,000 people. It still feels like a village, even though it became part of Bonn long ago. Take a walk around. Imagine the stories these streets could tell.