Page 395 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

NOR TH RHINE-WESTPHALIA  393

3 Kleve (Cleves) + Schwanenburg
Am Schloßberg. Tel (02821) 22 884.
Road map A3. * 50,000. £ @ Open Apr–Oct: 11am–5pm daily;
n Opschlag 11–13 (02821-89 50 90).
Nov–Mar: 11am–5pm Sat & Sun. &
The town of Kleve is named E Museum Kurhaus Kleve –
after the high cliff, on which Ewald Mataré-Sammlung
a castle was built in the 10th Tiergartenstraße 41. Tel (02821) 750
century. Around it, a settlement 10. Open 11am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
developed, which became a
town in 1242. It was ruled by the Environs
dukes of Kleve, whose ambitions The suspension bridge across
reached their peak in 1539, the Rhine – at 1,228 m (4,028 ft)
when Anne of Cleves married the longest such structure in The Hafentempel in the Archäolo gischer
the English King Henry VIII. Germany – connects Kleve Park in Xanten
During World War II Kleve lost with Emmerich. Worth a visit
most of its historic buildings. here is the Martinskirche, with Colonia Ulpia Traiana near the
One that has survived is the its exquisite, late-10th-century local garrison. The present
imposing Gothic church of the shrine of St Willibrod. town, however, did not rise out
Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Twelve km (7 miles) to the of the ruins of the Roman town.
St Mariä Himmelfahrt (1341– southeast of Kleve lies the It was established nearby,
1426). It has remains of the high charming town of Kalkar around the memorial church
altar, dating from 1510–13, with which, in around 1500, was built on top of the grave of the
reliefs by Henrik Douvermann home to the famous Kalkar martyr St Viktor. It was named
and Jakob Dericks, as well as School specializing in ad sanctos (by the saints), later
beautiful monuments to the woodcarving. The church shortened to Xanten. A powerful
von Kleve dukes. The former of St Nicolai has superb town in the Middle Ages,
Franciscan St Mariä Empfängnis, furnishings dating from Xanten also features in the
a Gothic twin-nave hall-church the same period. Nibelung myth, and was said to
from the first half of the 15th Six km (4 miles) southeast is be the birthplace of Siegfried.
century, includes noteworthy the moated castle of Moyland. The most important historic
features such as the Gothic stalls It houses a modern art collec- building in the town is the Dom
(1474) and a Baroque pulpit tion, which belongs to the St Viktor, which, according to
(1698). The well-preserved ducal brothers von der Grinten and legend, was built on the graves
castle of Schwanenburg was includes over 4,000 works by of St Viktor and members of the
remodelled twice: in Gothic the artist Joseph Beuys. Thebian Legion. The surviving
style in the late 15th century, Gothic cathedral (1263–1517)
and in Baroque style in 1636–66. holds the shrine of St Victor
Testifying to former splendour 4 Xanten (1129), the early-Gothic stalls
are the parks established in the Road map A3. * 21,500. £ @ (1228) and, above all, the
mid-17th century by Johann n Kurfürstenstraße. 9 exquisite Marienaltar by Henrik
Moritz von Nassau. The most (02801-772 200). Douvermann. There are also
beautiful of these is the Neuer Gothic sculptures by the pillars
Tiergarten (new animal garden). The history of of the main nave. Equally
Haus Koekkoek once belonged Xanten goes fascinating are the collegial
to the Romantic painter Barend back to the buildings and the cloister
Cornalis Koek koek, after whom Romans, holding the tombs of the canons.
it was named. The Museum who Also worth visiting is the
Kurhaus Kleve – Ewald Mataré- founded Klever Tor, a magnificent late
Sammlung presents interesting the settle- 14th century double town-gate,
and diverse art exhibitions. ment of northwest of the town. The
Archä ologischer Park, on the
site of the Roman town, and
the Römer Museum display
many reconstructed Roman
public buildings including the
impressive Hafentempel
(harbour temple).
Y Archäologischer Park &
Römer Museum
Wardter Straße. Tel (02801) 29 99.
Open Mar–Oct: 9am–6pm daily;
Nov: 9am–5pm; Dec–Feb:
The Gothic Dom St Victor in Xanten 10am–4pm. &
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp500–501 and pp526–9

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