Visitor portal Steinhaus

The Steinhaus visitor portal is located on the northeastern edge of the Königsforst forest near Bergisch Gladbach-Moitzfeld, not far from the center of Bensberg. The Gross Steinhaus estate was first mentioned in 1403 as a fief of the Count of Bensberg, but by 1413, as a farmstead with its own jurisdiction (a type of manorial estate), it had become the property of St. Severin's Abbey in Cologne. From this period, a few boundary stones bearing the letters SS for Sancti Severini (St. Severin) can still be found in the forest. After 1733, the estate passed to the Augustinian Hermits of Cologne, who expanded it in the late Baroque style and added a chapel dedicated to St. John Nepomuk in 1740. Following secularization, the property was nationalized and in 1815 passed to the Prussian Forestry Administration, which quartered its forester there. He had to earn his living through agriculture. Therefore, in 1825 he demolished the chapel to use the stones for the renovation of the dilapidated barn. Only the side wall of the chapel remained as a boundary for the courtyard.

In 1966, the forester's lodge was threatened with demolition to make way for the A4 motorway access road. With the support of the then-head of the state forest department at the Cologne Regional Council, the lodge was placed under historical monument protection. A key factor in this designation was the Cologne ceilings, whose exposed beam structure is adorned with floral ornaments and cherub heads. Until 2003, the lodge served as the office of the district forester. As part of the Regionale 2010 project, the barn in Steinhaus was converted into the Wahner Heide/Königsforst information center. Today, it houses an interactive permanent exhibition entitled "Nature Uses - Resource," providing information about the nature reserve and highlighting the importance of nature for humankind. Various events are held throughout the year, covering topics such as forests, nature, and herbs. You can find the program here. 

The old forester's lodge, mostly surrounded by grassland, can be reached by public transport, stop "Technologie-Park Bergisch Gladbach". From there, the path leads across the technology park's car parks and over a small bridge that crosses the A4 motorway to the Steinhaus entrance.

Ownership: The Steinhaus forester's lodge is owned by the state-owned forestry and timber company of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Opening hours:
April to the end of October:

Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 17:00 p.m
Friday 11:00 a.m. – 17:00 p.m
Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m
Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m

November to the end of March:

Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 16:30 p.m
Friday 11:00 a.m. – 16:30 p.m
Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 16:30 p.m
and by arrangement

Eintritt der ist frei.

E-bike charging station
An e-bike charging station is located at the Steinhaus visitor portal. Charging equipment can also be rented for a fee during the portal's opening hours.