To spot the Pannhaus, look for a large, rugged stone building with a steep slate roof and rows of small wooden windows-it’s right ahead of you, with its old stones giving it away!
Now, let’s step back in time! Imagine it’s the year 1427, and the air is buzzing with stories from the past. The Pannhaus you see before you is the most famous quarry stone house in all of Eilendorf-tough as a castle, but with a mischievous secret. Long ago, this was no ordinary home; it was the stern seat of the local court, complete with a chilly arrest cell and even a pillory out front-nobody wanted to be put on display there! Later, the Pannhaus switched from justice to joy: it became Eilendorf’s forced brewery, so named because “pann” means “pan,” the key tool where the beer was brewed right here since the 15th century. Monks from the Kornelimünster Abbey granted brewing rights and Oh, how the scents of hops must have floated through the village! In the 1600s, the Meessen family, with Martin Meessen as both brewer and ruler, kept the ale flowing-and likely, the stories too. The house has grown over the centuries, a number on its wall-1622-proves some parts came later. And right behind it, engraved in stone, you'll spot “1845 PIO,” a little signature from one of its facelifts. Today, the Pannhaus and its old tithe barn are protected pieces of history-no secret judges or surprise jail stays, just tales, laughter, and a whole lot of character. Quite a journey for one building, wouldn’t you say?
