Day of Open Monuments 2026

NetzWERKE: Heritage & Infrastructure – Historic Buildings that Move and Connect Us

Open Heritage Day on Sunday 13 September 2026 will be held under the theme «NetzWERKE: Denkmal & Infrastruktur – Historische Bauten, die uns bewegen und verbinden».

Between 10:00 and 16:00, visitors can take a free guided tour of the Jakob Bengel industrial monument and Villa Bengel. Until 16:00, visitors will also have the opportunity to design their own piece of jewellery using chain parts prefabricated with the help of the historic chain machines.

From 16:00, two talks will take place: Theo Smeets, Professor at the Campus of Gemstones and Jewellery of Trier University of Applied Arts and Sciences in Idar-Oberstein, will shed light on the social relationships hidden behind pieces of jewellery in his talk ‘Networks and Jewellery’. Manfred Rauscher, former town archivist in Idar-Oberstein, historian and author, will speak on the topic ‘Sponsors, Patrons, Donors – Often Behind the Scenes’ about notable donors who have shaped the local and town history of Idar-Oberstein. The lectures will be held in German. Admission to the talks is free.