International Guild Meeting of Night Watchmen and Tower Keepers in Bad Bentheim with historical reenactment in the old town
Until the 19th century, night watchmen and tower keepers were important professions in medieval towns. The night watchman walked through the alleys with a lantern and horn, announced the hours, and oversaw fire safety, morality, and security. The tower keeper observed the surroundings from towers and sounded the alarm in case of fire or danger.
Today, these professions have been revived as tourist and historical reenactments. In many medieval towns in Germany, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Italy, there are night watchmen and tower keepers who lead tours through the city in historical costume, tell stories, and convey a piece of medieval city life to tourists.
The international guild meeting brings these professional representatives together for a multi-day program in one city. In 2026, Bad Bentheim will be the host. The town, with its distinctive castle, historic old town, and spa park setting, offers a perfect backdrop for the event.
The program typically consists of parades in full costume, joint city walks, demonstrations of historical duties (hour announcements, horn blowing, lantern procession), evening gatherings around a campfire, and a festive event. The exact program details will be published by the organizer.
For the town of Bad Bentheim, hosting such an international meeting is an opportunity to position itself as a tourist destination while simultaneously preserving the customs of this castle and medieval town.
This event appears in the official tourism calendar 2026 for the Grafschaft Bentheim and is a highlight of the spring season in Bad Bentheim.
The complete 2026 program will be published by the town of Bad Bentheim via the Grafschaft Bentheim Tourism website.
Bad Bentheim, likely Bentheim Castle and Old Town, 48455 Bad Bentheim
May 14th to 17th, 2026
Inquire with the organizer for details; public program points usually free admission
Town of Bad Bentheim, further information available on the Grafschaft Bentheim Tourism website
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