Altena: Birthplace of the Youth Hostel in the Lennetal
Altena lies in the narrow Lenne valley in the Maerkischer Kreis of Nordrhein-Westfalen, with about 20,860 inhabitants. The Burg Altena, a hilltop castle above the river, became the world's first permanent youth hostel in 1914 when teacher Richard Schirrmann established a hostel in the castle. The museum inside documents this history. Wire drawing and metalworking have been Altena's economic backbone for centuries, and the Drahtmuseum in the castle courtyard explains this industrial heritage.
Luedenscheid is roughly 10 kilometres west. Iserlohn lies to the north. The Lenne valley is steep and narrow here, with the town squeezed between forested hillsides. The Erlebnisaufzug, a tunnel lift built through the mountain, connects the town centre to the castle above.
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Altena lies in the narrow Lenne valley in the Maerkischer Kreis of Nordrhein-Westfalen, with about 20,860 inhabitants. The Burg Altena, a hilltop castle above the river, became the world's first permanent youth hostel in 1914 when teacher Richard Schirrmann established a hostel in the castle. The museum inside documents this history. Wire drawing and metalworking have been Altena's economic backbone for centuries, and the Drahtmuseum in the castle courtyard explains this industrial heritage.
Luedenscheid is roughly 10 kilometres west. Iserlohn lies to the north. The Lenne valley is steep and narrow here, with the town squeezed between forested hillsides. The Erlebnisaufzug, a tunnel lift built through the mountain, connects the town centre to the castle above.
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