Viehöven

A legend tells of the origins of Viehöven: ‘Opposite, on the other side of the Rur, lies Altenburg, where the remains of the old castle of the Counts of Jülich can still be seen. The legend also says: Viehöven owes its origins to an owner of this old castle. Because there were such beautiful meadows here, the castle owner let his cattle graze here. He entrusted the care of the cattle to a hunter, who was accompanied by a housekeeper. The two married each other and settled there. The lord of the castle favoured the couple, so he gave them ownership of the entire land, but in return they had to pay an annual annuity in oats.’

In 1398/99, the hamlet had to pay the Duke of Jülich 100 malt of oats as a levy – a considerable amount compared to other places such as Schophoven, where only 8 malt were demanded.

This illustrates the former agricultural importance of Viehöven.

In 1799, Viehöven had 25 inhabitants over the age of 12, while the exact number of children is unknown. In 1961, Viehöven had 29 inhabitants.

Another legend says: ‘Viehöven used to be a free manor. If a prisoner fled there, he was allowed to stay in the village unchallenged for six weeks. The forest, called ‘Viehöver Hamm’, used to stretch towards Kirchberg and Altdorf. The giant oak standing in front of the village was felled in 1852. Messengers or bailiffs had to stop at this oak tree before entering the village and shout for permission to enter the village.’

The Viehöven chapel forms the centrepiece of the hamlet. The foundation stone was laid on 9 August 1874 by Pastor J. J. Hubert Wirtz (1815 – 1884), the pastor of Schophoven. Anton Robens (1799 – 1865), a wealthy farmer from Viehöven, bequeathed the land and a large sum of money for the construction of this building.

The chapel has had many ups and downs over the years. It was unscathed during the First World War, but badly damaged during the Second World War.

In the 1950s, the damaged chapel was repaired, and it was restored to its former splendour. In 1974, the chapel was renovated by private individuals and registered in the list of heritage item list of Inden on 5 March 1986 under number 38. It is therefore a protected cultural asset that reflects the history and special character of Viehöven. Its 150th anniversary was celebrated in 2024.

Before the amalgamation of communes in 1972, Viehöven was the northernmost village in the district of Düren.