A visit to the Information Centre Rauschermühle in Plaidt/Saffig – Enter the world of volcanoes

The Information Centre Rauschermühle is the central point in the Volcano Park. Here you can find information about all the projects. Take a journey through time with the help of two films showing fascinating pictures and computer animations; experience the dramatic evolutionary history of the Eifel and the 7000 year old story of stone extraction in the region. Illuminated pictures, large format photographs, ancient and medieval original exhibits all help to make a unique presentation. You can tour the Information Centre either with the audio guide or by booking a guided tour to learn all about volcanism and stone extraction.

Visit the nearby Rauscherpark

The Rauscherpark lies directly behind the Information Centre. For over 200,000 years the river Nette has cut its way through the lava stream of the Wannen volcano group. Over the course of thousands of years the river has freed up basalt blocks over which the Nette now gently cascades. Visible marks in the stone bear witness to Roman excavation activity.

A visit to the Eppelsberg in Nickenich

Most of the Eifel volcanoes are cinder cones. The Eppelsberg volcano is a particularly fine example of a cinder cone, the Eppelsberg volcano came into existence approximately 230,000 years ago.

From a raised vantage point you can look over to the 60 meter high rock face and see the deposits of the five different eruption phases that built up the Eppelsberg volcano. After these events followed a volcanic dormant phase of a few centuries which was ended by eruptions of nearby volcanoes. The top part of the Eppelsberg volcano is composed of deposits from these later eruptions.

The Wingertsbergwand in Mendig

Nowhere else is the Laacher See eruption, 13,000 years ago, more impressively documented than at the world famous volcanic outcrop - the Wingertsbergwand. The 60 meter high pumice and tuff rock face has been laid bare by the extraction of the volcanic rock. The cross section made visible by the rock extraction shows how the strata were laid down as a result of the Laacher See eruption. Each of the visible layers shows the varying transport processes of the volcanic material that had previously been buried under the countryside.

Further information about opening times can be found here.