image author: Axel Küppers

The Irmgardis chapel is situated picturesque on the Heiligenberg in the Süchtelner Heights. Cyclists can reach the chapel Irmgard von Süchteln by doing a detour.

Cyclists on tour discover religious sites in the district Viersen. Starting place is the Neersen palace. The tour runs on the Lower Rhine route through Neersen's village centre and along the main road.

image author: Kurt Zich

There is the chapel Klein Jerusalem from the 17th-century. Gerhard Vynhoven, priest and field-chaplain, had the chapel built after travels to the Holy Land. The church depictions show copies of the holy places in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Pilgrims get to know the live and the suffering of Jesus. Restored in past decades the chapel is unique at the Lower Rhine.
Cyclists on the Lower Rhine route no. 55 pass by the House Broich including Hausbroicher Lake direction Anrath. The Hubertus chapel, a little chapel lines the path at the Hausbroicher Straße, corner Lohrfeld. The route runs over railway tracks to the Willicher Rundweg to the estate Groß Lind. On the premises is an octagonal thatched round barn from the 18th-century.
The tour runs further in the direction of St. Tönis. On the Schlufftrasse in direction Vorst cyclists reach the Stations of the Cross, where also the House Neersdonk is situated. This was created in 1764 along the Stations of the Cross and Gotthardus path and completed at the beginning of the 20th-century. When a citizen died the women from the neighbourhood would gather in front of the deceased person and make a pilgrimage along the Gotthardus path. Today a procession with a relic of the Holy Godehard goes along the path on the Gotthardus festival.

image author: Kurt Zich

The Schlufftrasse leads to the village centre of Süchteln with the Catholic parish church St. Clemens. Irmgard is being worshipped as a village patron saint. According to the legend she lived for many years on the Heiligenberg in the forest of the Süchtelner Heights. At this place several miracles happened.

Thereon the Irmgardis chapel was built on the hill. Cyclists reach the chapel via a detour towards the north. At the hill's south slope is a Irmgardis-fountain. In 1998 the chapel's 500-year exsitence was celebrated. The Holy Irmgardis is buried in the Cologne cathedral.
The cycle tour runs along the Mispel-route through the Süchtelner Heights, pass the stone labyrinth at the sports facility Hoher Busch in Viersen. Then further on through the southern area of the market town. At the roadside is the Bongartz Mill. Along the railway track to Willich cyclists will reach Neersen palace after 41km again.