Today's Hotel Alt-Montjoie (Old Monschau) still has a young – nevertheless quite changeable - history. The original purpose of the building was the operation of a bakery in the 1950s and 60s. Subsequently, after a sale, the bakery was turned into a milk bar.
Later, Marcel and Bruni (Marcel was originally from Belgium) decided to buy the house and rebuild.
Thus, the former milk bar became a restaurant. But to transform the existing building into a hotel was far more complicated.
Due to the monument protection regulations in Monschau, the building was not allowed to be demolished and to be rebuilt just like this.
First, the basement had to be demolished, with the upper floors being set on stilts. Only then could the basement be rebuilt. Finally, the upper floors were built.
Otherwise - in the case of a complete demolition – the owners would have to keep a distance of 3 meters to the curb and thus lose a lot of space.
The town takes its name from the castle, which lies on a rock above the Rur River. Monschau was first mentioned in 1198 as Mons Ioci, later, in 1217, as Munioie, and finally as Monjoje in 1226.
From 1816, the district was called "Montjoie."
Three months before the end of the First World War, on August 9, 1918, the Royal Prussian government decreed that the place name "Montjoie" be changed to "Monschau."
Against the will of the city council and the will of the population, the name change was implemented as an "administrative measure" without further justification.
A further change to Montjoie never took place, as a revision could potentially be interpreted as a request for annexation to the Kingdom of Belgium.
Our name thus commemorates the eventful history of our small town.
(Information from Wikipedia, Aachen and Montjoie-Monschau city region, Otto Isaac, Heimatkalender 1964
Meanwhile, over 40 years have passed, in which each generation has gained more regular guests. First, the daughter of the founders led the house and also the new owners want to retain the hospitable and international spirit of the cozy Alt-Montjoie Hotel and Restaurant.
We look forward welcoming you - Willkommen and Bienvenue ;-)