Altena is a city with a monumental silhouette of the castle rising above it. Built in the Middle Ages as the seat of local princes, it was converted into the world's first hostel in 1912. A lot of historic buildings have also been preserved in the city.
From the 11th century, Altena was the seat of the dukes of burg, who later took their surname from the name of the city. Its biggest attraction is the neo-gothic Altena castle. It stands on a hill above the city, and its origins date back to the early Middle Ages. It owes its present-day romantic appearance to the 19th-century reconstruction. In 1912, Richard Schirrmann founded the world's first hostel in the castle. Today it occupies some of the castle rooms. Others are used by the museum.
In the town below the castle, an interesting place is the German Wire Museum. It shows not only the history of production, but also the use of wire. Exhibitions show how necessary it is in life and work, not only in industrial plants. In Altena you can also see the Holtzbrinck Castle standing in the city, which is used for exhibition purposes.
The surroundings of Altena are mountainous, and about 250 km of hiking and biking trails create perfect conditions for active tourism.
