Completely renovated, historic gem with modern catering and event facilities, located in the city center of Bergisch Gladbach.

"Everything has its time."

After more than 33 years of dedicated, creative, and successful work, we would like to entrust the Buchmühle to new, responsible hands. For three decades, the Buchmühle has been a labor of love. As independent architects specializing in historical buildings and timber-frame construction, we purchased and completely renovated the Buchmühle in 1993. From 2012 to 2022, it served as a showroom for "bauoffice," a collaboration of engineers and craftsmen. From 2018 to 2022, my husband and I completely modernized the Buchmühle once again, transforming it into an exclusive wedding venue with a café and meeting rooms. High-quality, historically appropriate, breathable, and sustainable materials were used, and the finest technical equipment was installed, both inside and outside. Today, the Buchmühle is in top condition, offering a variety of rooms of different sizes and uses. The residents of the city associate positive experiences and memories with the building and appreciate the idyllic and beautiful architectural ensemble, with its charm stemming from the lovingly restored historical structure and the sophisticated, modern architectural design. They gladly participate in the diverse cultural program offered at the venue, utilize the building as a conference center, and celebrate important life events here, in a place with a positive atmosphere. The concept of an event venue/conference center focused on weddings and milestone birthdays, along with a cultural program and a café, is a way to utilize the versatile space, which extends over 370 square meters indoors. The outdoor area, with 2 terraces (one covered), a BBQ station, a garden house, and 5 private parking spaces, completes the space offering. Surrounded by green spaces, parks, and adjacent public parking areas, the location's proximity to the pedestrian zone and public transportation, such as buses and trains, makes it unique. All uses are approved by building regulations and have been inspected and approved for fire safety. We have the necessary permits and licenses, and we demonstrably comply with hygiene regulations. We have also successfully passed all customs inspections. Other usage concepts that focus on a central location with access to green spaces, representative and historically modern architecture, sustainability, and individuality also find resonance and opportunities for implementation here. The Buchmühle (Book Mill) is a piece of city history:

As part of a former manor house, it was one of the first mills to utilize the high water power of the Strunde stream, grinding grain as a flour mill and later contributing to the processing of flax as a book mill. Historically, it was first mentioned in 1699 and changed ownership several times. It was used as a mill, inn, butcher shop, residence, and music school by private individuals, the parish, and the city. The music school moved out at the end of 1993. The city sold the building to the architects Lisa Wendling and Oliver Weirich, who undertook a fundamental renovation in consultation with the historical preservation office. Since 2015, the couple Dieter Bille and Lisa Wendling have managed the historical landmark. After extensive modernization work, both inside and out, it now serves as an event venue with an attached café, a seminar center, and a cultural center. The building complex today consists of three parts: a historical half-timbered house – dating back to the 18th century according to building records – an adjacent brick building constructed around 1840, and a wooden and glass extension with a grass roof from 1994. A dendrochronological (tree ring) analysis conducted in 1993 by the architects in collaboration with the regional conservation office determined that the wooden beams used in the original half-timbered house were over 400 years old.

Location:
This detached complex of half-timbered houses is located in the center of Bergisch Gladbach, 200 meters from the town hall square, next to the Laurentius Church, and has its own public parking area. To the north of the building, in addition to private gardens, there is a newly renovated public park offering a variety of recreational activities. A stream with seating areas and interactive features, a children's playground, a boules court, and an adjacent, protected rose garden with a fountain create a welcoming atmosphere. Across from the Buchmühle (a mill), the adult education center offers its programs, and the adjacent commercial area extends to the main street, which has been developed as a pedestrian zone. On the northwest side, the Buchmühle is connected to Laurentius Street, which was redesigned and improved in 2025/2026. The increased space for pedestrians, with seating areas and green spaces, and the emphasis on cycling have also made this connection more attractive. East of the adult education center, there is a vacant lot that is planned to be developed with residential and commercial buildings. Plans are in place for a multi-generational house suitable for seniors, with a café and library (see the colored location map). The Buchmühle is located 200 meters from Konrad-Adenauer-Platz (City Hall Square). Here, the upper and lower pedestrian zones of the main street converge into a central, large square with a fountain and historic buildings. The City Hall, the Laurentius Church, the Kulturhaus Bergische Löwe, the City Museum Villa Zanders, and buildings from the Gründerzeit era form the backdrop for regular major events such as the fair, trade shows, the city festival, the city run, the Christmas market, and the popular weekly market, which takes place twice a week. There are shops of all kinds, banks, cafes, snack bars, and restaurants in the area. The population of Bergisch Gladbach is approximately 114,000 at the end of 2025, making it a steadily growing city. Bergisch Gladbach is located 15 kilometers from Cologne. The journey to Cologne by S-Bahn (suburban train) takes 20 minutes. The expansion of a second track is planned. The bus station is located directly next to the S-Bahn station. Bergisch Gladbach has all types of schools, as well as a large number of kindergartens and daycare centers. Location of the property:
The property is accessible from all sides. On the north-west side of the building, there is an entrance to 5 parking spaces. The public space surrounding the building has been completely renovated and redesigned as part of the "Regionale 2010" project. This project incorporated the building, which is a landmark and protected as a historical monument, into the design. It is a standalone building located in a prominent urban location. The plot is level, and its relationship to neighboring properties is normal. A pedestrian right-of-way exists along the north and east sides of the property. The property boundaries are clearly defined. The building complies with building regulations. There are building permits and change of use approvals from 1993 and 2020.