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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 Wingertsbergwand near Mendig is a world-famous geological window onto the past and has long been used by volcanologists for research and teaching.

The history of the Mayener Grubenfeld begins with the eruption of the Bellerberg Volcano about 200,000 years ago.

Extraction of volcanic stone from the Dachsbusch ate deeper and deeper into the old cinder cone.

Nearly 13,000 years ago, clouds of hot volcanic ash from the Laacher See (Lake Laach) Volcano raced down the Brohltal (Brohl Valley) and filled it with huge amounts of loose volcanic material.

The sky turned dark in the Brohltal (Brohl Valley), when the Laacher See (Lake Laach) Volcano erupted only five kilometres away.

During the eruption of the Bausenberg Volcano, which lasted only a few weeks, a cinder cone was formed.

The Infozentrum Brohltal/Laacher See is the first port of call for holiday-makers in the Brohltal. This is where you can get an overview of the wide range of leisure activities and places of interest in this area.

Anyone who wants to learn more about tuff can easily find out about this rock and its uses in the 'Weiberner Schaufenster' ('Weibern Shop Window').

You have a chance to do that here on the Hohe Acht, the highest mountain in the Eifel!

A maar volcano created this broad basin which is about 1.5 kilometres in diameter.

The 10,900-years-old Ulmener Maar is the youngest volcano in Germany.

Did you know that there are more than a hundred volcanic 'peaks' in the Eifel region?

Healing water: The water which comes to us from deep under ground is pleasantly warm at a temperature of 32°C.

Welcome to the Immerather Maar nature reserve!

The Pulvermaar is the northernmost of a group of volcanoes which stretches from north to south.

When workers in the Wartgesberg quarry were doing some blasting in 1969, they were more than a little amazed!

'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.

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.

Inside the Earth, huge amounts of hot magma are under great pressure and are being pushed towards the surface.

What is going on deep beneath our feet? How does volcanic activity affect the landscape? Experience volcanic phenomena and activity at close range.

Sparkling greetings from inside the Earth! There are big bangs when water and magma meet.

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.

The Steffelnkopf cinder cone is underlain by a maar, as are most of the cinder cones in the West Eifel.

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.

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.

The 'Wallender Born' geyser came into being by accident during drilling operations in 1933.

A romantic village? An idyllic lake? This would have been unimaginable 45,000 years ago!

If you walk a little way further up, you will see a geological feature which is a major exception in the Volcanic Eifel.

Experience the exciting history of the Volcanic Eifel through spectacular simulations. And go on a journey inside the Earth.

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.