Altenrüthen has about 500 inhabitants and is located 2 kilometers west of Rüthen in the district of Soest. Until Rüthen received its town charter, the present-day Altenrüthen was still called "Routhino". In the year 1200 it then gave this name to the city. The history of the village is characterized by the parish "St. Gervasius and Protasius". In the time of the Carolingians, the parish belonged to the 14 ancestral parishes that were to promote missionary work in Südwestfalen. The two patrons of the church, two Roman soldiers, were martyrs and were canonized. This also indicates the long history of the parish. Attached to it were vicarages in several surrounding villages. In its eventful history Altenrüthen had to endure numerous "tribulations". For example, the chroniclers recorded it in the time of the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763). However, this event marked only the climax of a series of plundering and pillaging. Especially during the Soest feud (1444 - 1449), the Truchsessian turmoil (1583 - 1584) and above all during the 30 Years War (1618 - 1648), the village, the church and the art school located there at that time had to suffer heavily.
A village already mentioned in Carolingian times ( Altenrüthen), lies about 2 km west of Rüthen.
As a parent parish under the patrocinium of Saints Gervasius and Protasius, it was the ecclesiastical and administrative center in the Middle Ages.
Since 1072 (Archbishop Anno of Cologne) connected with Grafschaft Monastery. Gave its name to the town of Rüthen.
Alte Pastorat with church, pastorate, cemetery, cemetery wall with "footfalls" and Schulte-Hötte farm.
Romanesque church tower. Hall church with baroque furnishings and organ from the 17th/18th century, Romanesque lecture cross ("Herrgott von Altenrüthen").
Duration of the guided tours:
1.5 - 2 hours depending on the scope (can also be reduced).
Dates:
individually agreed with each group of visitors, group size possible up to approx. 25 persons.
Registration and information material:
City of Rüthen
Tourist office
Hochstr. 14
59602 Rüthen
Tel. 02952 - 818-172 or -173
fax 02952 - 818170
e-Mail: post@ruethen.de
Cost of participation:
Kindergarten groups/school classes per group 20,00 Euro
other groups 30,00 Euro
(payable to the city guide).