Herzogenrath, Municipality in Aachen district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Herzogenrath is a medium-sized town municipality at the German-Dutch border in the Aachen region, with the settlement extending across the Wurm river valley. The town sits directly adjacent to the Dutch town of Kerkrade, creating a natural binational urban area.
The settlement began in the 11th century as Rode near the Wurm river, with Augustinian monks establishing Kloosterrade abbey in 1104. This religious foundation shaped the area's development for centuries afterward.
The municipality shows strong ties to the Netherlands through daily interactions, shared markets at the border, and how residents naturally move between two countries. This cross-border closeness shapes the character of the place and how people use the shared spaces.
The town is easily reached from Aachen and has good connections to neighboring Kerkrade, making day trips from either country simple. The location along the Wurm valley provides clear orientation, and the nearby RWTH Aachen university influences the general atmosphere.
The Eurode Business Centre is Europe's first service center built directly across a national border between Germany and the Netherlands. This architectural feature shows how the two countries integrated their business operations in a novel way.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
