Start of the 280 km long "German Volcano Road", which leads to the 39 highlights in the world of the Eifel volcanoes. Hard to imagine what happened here almost 13,000 years ago. In the gently rolling landscape, the roof of a volcanic focus that had formed underground suddenly bursts open. A massive explosion shakes the area, caused by the underground contact of hot gases and groundwater. The volcano throws out huge amounts of ash and pumice.

tourist information Maria Laach:18. march up to including 1. novembermonday - sunday and public holidays: 10.00 a.m. - 13.30 p.m.  / 14.00 p.m. - 17.00 p.m.ab 2. November:Freitag bis Sonntag: 10.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. / 13.00 a.m. - 16.00 p.m.december, january & februaryclosedWelcome to the Laacher See volcanic regionDiscover the sights of the Eastern Eifel in the Laacher See volcanic region. The beautiful landscape invites you on its well-signposted hiking trails and geo-paths to wonderful hikes or lively bike tours through the fascinating world of volcanoes.

Maria Laach is one of the most famous sights in the Laacher See Volcano Park. The abbey church is the most famous building in the Eifel.

The Eppelsberg offers a unique window into the volcanic history of the Eastern Eifel as well as deep insights into the structure of a cinder block gel volcano.

In the Roman mine at Meurin, visitors enter an underground world where Roman miners and soldiers worked.

As the central point of contact in the Volcano Park, the information centre offers an overview of the wide range of geological and archaeological themes covered in the park. 

The Lava Dome is a very special museum in the Volcano Park in the East Eifel. On 700 square metres it is not "museum-like", but spectacular - for children and adults, for absolute newcomers and for those who are pre-informed about volcanism. In the "Land of Volcanoes", a multimedia show tells the story of two violent volcanic eruptions. Images, sounds and projections let you relive them - up close and intense, but fortunately virtual. The "volcano workshop" is a genuine small science centre. At experimental stations, visitors gain a vivid impression of the processes inside the earth. The "Time of the Volcanoes" lets stones speak: Anyone who touches them can hear and see the great eruptions of times gone by. Current seismological data and images from webcams around the world are particularly exciting. And in the round cinema, a fictitious news programme takes your breath away, because here it becomes clear what another eruption of the Laacher See volcano would mean.

Soil outcrops on the Wingertsbergwand near Mendig allow science to explain the history of the Laacher See eruption through comparisons with currently active volcanoes.

Mayen´s pit field is oner of the oldest and most important mines of basalt lava. This porous stone is perfectly suitable for grain grindings am millstones. A tour leads through the mine landscape, in the depth of the petrified lava river of the Bellerberg volvano with ist bizzare pillars. Roman mining traces can be found near a modern crane from the 20 th century. The sculpture park "LAPIDEA" is also on this area which is used for all kinds of events an by arches as training camp.

The mining of volcanic material on the Dachsbusch ate deeper and deeper into the old cinder cone. It gives us an insight into the volcanic and climatic history. The volcanic layers show how they slipped during a cold period about 150,000 years ago due to the alternation of thawing and freezing. The badger bush does not need to fear further depletion, as the area is now a nature reserve. Follow the signposted path to the right up to the gliding fold, where you will find more information.

Almost 13,000 years ago, glowing clouds from the Laacher See volcano raced down the Brohltal and filled it with loose volcanic masses. This impressive spectacle can still be seen here today. Follow the road on the right behind the building complex and go uphill for a few meters. On the slope to the right, the layers of ash (trass) that have settled on the rocks of the older basement can be clearly seen. And where volcanoes were active, mineral springs are usually not far away.

The sky in the Brohl valley darkened when the Laacher See volcano erupted just five kilometers away. The once loose materials from the glowing avalanche have caked over time to form a rock that is called “trass” in our region.

The Bausenberg is still the best preserved horseshoe crater in the Eifel!There is a wide variety of different types of biotopes on the crater and its wall. The Niederzissen local mountain offers well over 500 plant species and an animal world with more than 5,000 different species that are protected by nature.

If you would like to learn more about tuff, you can find out more about this rock and its possible uses here in the "Weiberner Schaufenster" on the left. The path up to the right also takes you in just a few minutes to the open-air exhibition at the stone saw house, where, among other things, a stone saw and a crane clearly illustrate the work processes involved in the tuff stone. The tourist information offers regular guided tours to the impressive Weiberner tuff quarries and - like the local stone cutters' association - organizes hands-on stone hammering courses, in which individual works of art are created from volcanic rock.

The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Turm was erected on the mountain Hohe Acht, at an altitude of 747 metres.

Mosbrucher Pond The Mosbrucher pond is framed by agriculturally used area of the neighbouring communities. In the areas of undisturbed marshland development, the peat thickness is up to 6 metres, on top of which a varied mosaic of different marshland communities can be found.

At around 11,000 years old, the Ulmener Maar is the youngest Eifel maar.

Where it is most beautiful between the Moselle and the Eifel - this is Bad Bertrich! Romantic location in the Üssbach valley, framed by the Moselle and Vulkaneifel. Bad Bertrich, the spa with the only Glauber's salt thermal water in Germany (32° C naturally warm), offers relaxation and recreation in a varied environment.

the hidden maar

Discover the unfathomable depths of the Pulvermaar! Located directly near Gillenfeld, the Pulvermaar is the deepest maar in the Eifel at 74 metres. It is surrounded by beautiful beech forest and in summer is a popular address for all those who want to swim or go boating in the midst of beautiful nature.

Explore the origins of the massive Strohn Lava Bomb on-site and witness the power of volcanism in the Eifel region firsthand.

best researched worldwide

a dry maar full of sedges, mosses & cotton grasses

Especially if you visit the GesundLand Vulkaneifel in summer, a detour to the Schalkenmehren Maar is a must. Located directly at the village of the same name and opposite the Weinfelder Maar, the Schalkenmehrener Maar is one of the three Dauner Maars and offers a wonderful backdrop for an extended walk or an extensive hike. If you look closely, you can see that the Schalkenmehren Maar was once a double maar, formed by volcanic activity around 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. But the tuffs of the western maar filled up the eastern maar funnel, so that nothing can be seen of the second maar today, except for the fen vegetation that has spread in this area. Take a little discovery tour and observe numerous animal and plant species along the way!

also called Totenmaar [maar of the dead] The Weinfelder Maar is considered the "symbol of the Eifel melancholy". Gentle slopes, on which the Eifel gold - popularly known as "Besenginster"grows and shines in early summer, around the mostly turquoise shimmering water.

The Gemünden maar is lined up along a fissure running SE to NW. About 20,000 to 30,000 years ago they erupted and Gemünden Maar lake was formed.

Visit the Vulkanmuseum Daun and experience the fascinating history of volcanism!

Another testimony of volcanic origin is the Vulkania healing spring, not far from the Nürburg spring in Dreis-Brück. The recognised healing water is a little refreshment on the way.

The volcanic crater Arensberg (also called Arnulphusberg).

The visitor's magnet with its detailed geological phenomena around volcanism.

The millstone caves are located northwest of Gerolstein, between the districts Müllenborn and Roth. For those who want to get really deep insights into the interior of the volcano Eifel, a visit to the Mühlstein caves is a must.

The volcanic activity on Munterley has had several eruptions, the most notable being the crater of Papenkaule. The volcanic crater is about 80 m wide and 20 m deep. Today, the Papenkaule is a top-class geo- and biotope.

A seemingly peaceful fountain awakens, begins to bubbling. Suddenly, a fountain of 9 ° C of cold water shoots into the sky, for six minutes it bubbles up. The haunted by, the "Brubbel" like the locals call their phenomenon affectionate, is just as flashy.

The view from the lookout tower “Landesblick” is impressive: The Maar lake glistens around 200 metres below, gently embedded in the largest Maar funnel in the Eifel. However, only part of the 1,700 metres long basin is covered with water.

Volcanism comes alive in the Volcano Experience Park Mosenberg! Imagine the forces that were unleashed thousands of years ago when you stand in front of the meter-high lava wall and follow the tracks of various volcanic rocks on the nature trail. An exciting look into the history of the earth awaits you at the Mosenberg Volcano Experience Park!

Experience an adventure and travel to the center of the earth!

The rock crevice on the outskirts of Manderscheid is one of the highlights along the German Volcano Route