Borderland highlights

The Aachen Forest seems to be indifferent to borders. Seamlessly, we can also switch between attractive paths far away from traffic on the German, Belgian, and Dutch sides without leaving the extensive cross-border forest belt. At the beginning, we pass by the landmark of the Aachen Forest: The telecommunications tower, also known as "Mulleklenkes," stands out at 133 meters above sea level on the Karlshöhe and visibly marks the ridgeline in the southwest of the city.
At a crossroads in the middle of the forest, historical and current boundaries intersect: Along the hidden border stones on the way, we identify the present-day German-Belgian border. Upon closer inspection, we discover an even older boundary line with the Landgraben. From the 14th century onwards, the people of Aachen secured the rural areas and the forest outside the city walls with an earthwork and a dense beech hedge. When the city was fortified all around with the 70-kilometer-long green border, it was marked with boundary stones bearing the chiseled eagle, the coat of arms of Aachen, from 1611. Relics of the earthwork, gnarled mighty beech trees of the former hedge line that we encounter here and later in an idyllic hill passage, an eagle stone, and even a former watchtower at Türmchen Beeck still serve as witnesses to old border history on our hike.
The old pilgrimage route from Aachen to Moresnet-Chapelle, part of the Way of St. James, leads us to the King's Forest. After disputes over communal usage rights between Aachen, Kelmis, Montzen, and Moresnet, the area was placed under the authority of the Dukes of Burgundy in 1615 as the "King's Forest." Special boundary stones bear the Golden Fleece or the St. Andrew's Cross, the emblems of the former Habsburg rulers.
A straight line marks another historical yet visible border leading up to the Three-Country Point. The point attracts with attractions: Three-country boundary stone, the highest point in the Netherlands, observation towers, and plenty of opportunities for breaks for young and old.
At the bluestone boundary stone, we move effortlessly between three countries. For over 100 years, it was even four. Here too, disputes over usage rights had led to disagreements. In this case, in 1815, Prussia and the Netherlands could not agree on the lucrative calamine mining in Kelmis. Thus, the mini-state of Neutral Moresnet was created, a triangular area of 350 hectares between the Three-Country Point, Kelmis, and Liège Road. The zinc industry and smuggling of alcohol led to economic prosperity, but the decline of the mine in 1895 marked the end of its political special status. In 1919, Neutral Moresnet became part of Belgium at the request of its residents.

Highlights along the route:
1 Telecommunications tower Mulleklenkes
2 Landgraben, border beech trees, eagle stones on the pilgrimage route
3 Burgundy stones
4 Neutral Moresnet border
5 Three-Country Point (D/B/NL), Baudouin Tower, highest point in the Netherlands
6 Türmchen Beeck
7 Landgraben, border beech trees on Philippionsweg