Aldenhoven

The last remaining witness to the Middle Ages: the east tower of the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist dates back to the 12th century and is the oldest building in the village of Niedermerz. The nave is significantly younger – it was rebuilt in the 18th century and later enlarged. The small hall church with a recessed tower consists of a choir, which was restored in 1865, the east tower and the nave. Inside is a three-bay hall with a groined vault and transverse arches.

Visitors can view the interior of the church. Among other things, the organ loft, confessional box, pulpit, communion benches and the main and side altars can be seen here. The furnishings date from the 19th century. The main altar differs from other altars of its kind in that it is located in the church tower rather than in the nave, as is usually the case. In addition, the tower faces east, which is also unusual, as the main nave normally faces this direction. The cemetery belonging to the church still contains grave crosses and slabs from the 18th century.

Stone Age, Romans and Franks
In the nearby Merzbach Valley, there are still archaeological sites from the Neolithic Age and the Roman and Frankish periods. The settlement sites, wall remains and graves suggest that Niedermerz was already inhabited more than 6,000 years ago. The Via Belgica ran past Niedermerz at a distance of about three kilometres, and the Roman road from Aquae Granni (Aachen) to Iuliacum (Jülich) led directly through the village.