The Deutsche Vulkanstraße (German Volcano Route) invites visitors to embark on a 280 km long discovery tour. The signposted holiday and discovery route connects 39 places of interest - as regards geology, cultural history and industrial history - which are related to volcanic activity in the Eifel.
Geology
19. Vulcano-Infoplattform (Volcano Information Platform): Cheeky peaks
Did you know that there are more than a hundred volcanic 'peaks' in the Eifel region?
The history of the Mayener Grubenfeld begins with the eruption of the Bellerberg Volcano about 200,000 years ago. During the eruption the sides of the cinder cone split open in several places, so that three lava flows could form. One of the lava flows moved southwards, solidified and became the site of the Mayener Grubenfeld, which is one of the oldest and most important sites of basalt mining.
The Wingertsbergwand near Mendig is a world-famous geological window onto the past and has long been used by volcanologists for research and teaching. The impressive tephra deposits, up to 40 metres high in places, are a result of the largest volcanic eruption in recent geological history in Central Europe. We are talking about the Laacher See (Lake Laach) Volcano, which, around 13,000 years ago, forever changed large areas of the volcanic East Eifel.
There is a unique world of discovery waiting for you in the Lava Dome and the Lavakeller (Lava Cellars) in Mendig. This is where you can learn all about volcanicity in the East Eifel. Children especially, but adults too, can experience volcanic activity with all their senses in Mendig, a small town in the Eifel. The exhibition 'Im Land der Vulkane' ('In the Land of Volcanoes') includes a powerful multimedia volcanic eruption which demonstrates the immense forces of nature, and causes the ground to shake. You will never come closer to an 'active' volcano without being in danger than in Mendig.
5. Infozentrum Rauschermühle (Visitor Centre Rauschermühle)
The Infozentrum Rauschermühle, which lies between the villages of Plaidt and Saffig, is your first port of call not only for planning your journey, but also for finding out the key facts about volcanic activity and 7,000 years of rock extraction in the area. The Infozentrum Rauschermühle uses modern technology to present science-based information – everything you need to know for the perfect start to your journey through the world of volcanoes in the area.
The Römerbergwerk Meurin near Kretz is part of the largest Roman tuff stone mining area north of the Alps. It is one of the archaeological highlights of the Vulkanpark. The futuristic hall with its cantilevered roof now protects what remains of the mine, and also the archaeological excavations which have been opened up.
3. Eppelsberg (Mount Eppelsberg): An inferno set in stone!
The Eppelsberg near Nickenich is typical of the cinder cone volcanoes in the East Eifel and was active about 230,000 years ago. In modern times, quarrying exposed a unique window onto the inside of the volcano and the typical layered construction of a cinder cone.
2. Maria Laach: A monastery and volcanoes - what is the connection?
In the case of the Monastery Maria Laach, it is a very close one! Our tip: We suggest following a two-kilometre long geological trail which leads from the monastery to the former Naturkundemuseum (Natural History Museum). Along the trail you can find out about volcanic rocks, how they were formed and how they have been used. Anyone who looks out over this magnificent landscape - the lake basin and the tree-covered hills surrounding it - may find it hard to believe that a volcano erupted here nearly 13,000 years ago. It threw more material into the air than Vesuvius (79 CE) or Mount St. Helens (1980), and buried much of the surrounding area under piles of volcanic ash several metres high.
It is difficult to imagine what happened here almost 13,000 years ago: In the midst of gently rolling hills the roof was suddenly blown off a magma chamber which had formed beneath the Earth's surface. The whole area was shaken by a huge explosion, which was caused by hot gases coming into contact with groundwater. The volcano ejected vast quantities of ash and pumice.
If you walk a little way further up, you will see a geological feature which is a major exception in the Volcanic Eifel. The Windsborn cinder cone is the only volcanic crater north of the Alps which is filled with water. And not only that: Because of its particular location, it provides a habitat for extremely rare plants.
Experience the exciting history of the Volcanic Eifel through spectacular simulations. And go on a journey inside the Earth. The maars, unique archives of the past, are presented clearly here: One of the highlights of this interactive exhibition is a large model of a maar which you can walk on.
39. Gesteinsfalte (Slip Fold): A warm, shallow sea
Clay and sand particles float around gently and settle on top of each other in layers on the seabed. But this tranquillity comes to an abrupt end. The sea is caught between huge forces from north and south, which push the layers together: And so the Rhenish Massif is formed. Although this happened 300 million years ago, we can see the results of these processes in the face of this old quarry. The layers which used to lie flat on top of each other can now be seen in wave form as so-called 'folds' towards the top of the face. But that was not enough! About 65 million years ago the massif began to rise up.
Welcome to the Immerather Maar nature reserve! Here, on 66 hectares, you can discover that volcanoes are not just about lava. With its rim, the slopes down to the lake, the banks of the lake and the lake itself, the maar provides diverse habitats for valuable plants and wildlife. A three-kilometre circular trail shows you the green sides of the volcano. Follow the trail down into the basin. At first it takes you through a copper beech forest where the volcanic soil provides good growing conditions.
36. Meerfeld (Village of Meerfeld): In the eye of the volcano
A romantic village? An idyllic lake? This would have been unimaginable 45,000 years ago! Violent explosions blasted a huge crater in the landscape, vast quantities of volcanic ash built up a rim measuring 1.7 kilometres in diameter, and masses of rocks were thrown out as far as several kilometres. But the volcano calmed down eventually.
The Steffelnkopf cinder cone is underlain by a maar, as are most of the cinder cones in the West Eifel. In the Volcano Garden it is possible to 'read' a physical record of the volcanic activity in the surrounding area.
'And what was the weather like?' is a question we are often asked when we have been on holiday. And it is one we can answer easily. It is much more difficult, though, when we have to look a lot further back - to a time before any weather records were kept.
The Pulvermaar is the northernmost of a group of volcanoes which stretches from north to south. Magma forced its way up through a conduit and came into contact with groundwater. Huge steam explosions blew the overlying layers of the existing massif into the air. Rocks which fell back into the crater or were broken off the crater rim and rolled back in created a cone-shaped funnel, the Strohner Märchen (little Strohn maar). On its northwestern rim more magma soon rose up again.
The 10,900-years-old Ulmener Maar is the youngest volcano in Germany. If we imagine the whole of the Earth’s history compressed into 24 hours, it is only a moment ago that hot magma was rising up from 60 kilometres below the Earth’s surface here. That which gets going slowly and sluggishly to start with, suddenly becomes highly explosive! As soon as magma from inside the Earth comes into contact with groundwater, there are almighty explosions, in which all the water suddenly turns into steam.
20. Bad Bertrich: Thermal springs and 'Käsegrotte' ('Cheese Cave')
Healing water: The water which comes to us from deep under ground is pleasantly warm at a temperature of 32°C. And it carries with it something special: healing compounds which have been dissolved from the rocks through which the water has passed. Ancient sediments, which were laid down on the seabed and then formed layers in the Rhenish Massif, are a source of sodium sulphate, in particular, so that the spring here in Bad Bertrich is the only Glauber’s salt thermal spa in Germany. The medicinal water is renowned for its healing powers, especially where metabolic disorders are concerned.
23. Lavabombe Strohn (Strohn Lava Bomb): a hot snowball
When workers in the Wartgesberg quarry were doing some blasting in 1969, they were more than a little amazed! A round boulder measuring 5 metres in diameter fell out of the middle of the wall of the quarry. A lava bomb? Even experts were uncertain to start with, because it is difficult to imagine that the Eifel’s volcanic forces were powerful enough to throw 120 tons into the air.
Unlike the circular lake of the nearby Holzmaar (Wood Maar), the Dürres Maar has become increasingly silted up since its formation about 20,000 years ago.
Weinfelder Maar: The former parish church of Weinfeld is the only building that survived when the village was wiped out by the plague in the 16th century. The short west tower and the square choir with its cross-ribbed vaults are Gothic and date from the 14th century, whereas the biaxial flat-ceilinged nave dates from 1723. On the western side of the maar crater, cinders and Devonian slate are visible.
27. Gemündener Maar: Siblings - and yet so very different!
Inside the Earth, huge amounts of hot magma are under great pressure and are being pushed towards the surface. Where there are weaknesses in the Earth’s crust, magma sometimes rises up and flows out onto the surface as lava. The Daun Maars were formed in a weak zone such as this.
Sparkling greetings from inside the Earth! There are big bangs when water and magma meet. When water comes into contact with hot magma, it turns explosively into steam and blows out a big funnel-shaped hole in the surface of the Earth. This explains how the Dreiser Weiher, one of the largest maar basins in the Volcanic Eifel, was formed.
Two volcanic eruptions created a mountain where there was none before. The first eruption took place about 32 million years ago: Rising magma forced its way up through layers of slate, limestone and sandstone and with immense power dragged blocks of rock up with it.
32. Mühlsteinhöhle (Mill Stone Cave) Rother Kopf: Hard toil
A volcano erupts. Hot drops of lava are thrown out of the vent and fall onto other fragments of lava which have been spewed out during earlier eruptions. All the many lava fragments melt together and cool down. This is how the basaltic cinders which were exploited thousands of years later, came into being. The porous rock is full of little holes and is ideal for use as millstones, because the constant abrasion continually opens up new pores, so that the millstone remains sharp. Extraction here at the Rother Kopf began in the 13th century. With the tools available at that time it was not an easy task.
There really ought to be a mountain here. Or at least a hill.But we find exactly the opposite: a hollow! Because something got in the way tens of thousands of years ago. To start with, everything went according to plan for the young volcano. Hot magma rose up from about 70 kilometres underground. A conduit formed, the magma was under steady pressure, and the first fragments of lava began to build up a crater rim on the Earth's surface. That could have gone on for a long time, so that bit-by-bit, a regular volcanic cone would have been built up. But suddenly something happened: The flow of lava stopped, no more molten rock rose to the surface of the Earth. It was as if the tap of the volcano had been turned off. What had happened?
The 'Wallender Born' geyser came into being by accident during drilling operations in 1933. During those operations - with the aim of making profitable use of underground reservoirs of carbonic acid - the workers discovered a gas-filled chamber. Ever since then, the gas has shot up to the surface under high pressure, taking water with it.
15. Hohe Acht (Mount Hohe Acht): Have you ever climbed the highest peak in a mountain range?
You have a chance to do that here on the Hohe Acht, the highest mountain in the Eifel! If you’re looking for the highest peaks in this region, it is often volcanoes which are top of the list. The Hohe Acht is itself a volcanic cone: Basalt was extruded through a vent in the old mountain remnant and now rises 50 metres above it.
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