Mendig: Volcanism and the History of Stonecutting

Mendig is a destination where volcanism and the history of stone quarrying come together. Lava cellars lie beneath the town; museums and a sculpture trail explore the work with basalt. There are also hiking trails of varying lengths and through different landscapes. If you are looking for a hotel in Mendig, these themes can shape your stay: for example, a focus on the museum and the history of stonecutting, or time spent on trails through the landscape.

Lava Cellars and Basalt Quarrying

A network of underground lava cellars extends beneath the town across almost three square kilometres, at a depth of 32 metres. The cellars were created by quarrying basalt lava for use as building stone; the basalt lava was formed in the late Middle Ages. Mendig thus brings together two aspects of its local history: the underground spaces of the cellars and the rock quarried for use as a building material. The lava cellars therefore represent a history that can be seen not only in buildings or exhibits, but is also connected with the quarrying of building stone.

Museumslay and Volcano Museum

Museumslay is an open-air museum on the site of a former quarry in Mendig. Visitors can learn about historical working methods there, including the step-by-step process of splitting a block of basalt. Exhibits include a faithfully reconstructed horse-powered mill and the Schläsch Express, an old quarry railway with mine carts. Together, they draw attention to the methods and equipment used in stone quarrying.

The Vulkanwerkstatt at the German Volcano Museum “Lava-Dome” offers a different perspective: at ten interactive stations, it combines games and experiments about volcanism. Visitors can also learn at the museum, through simulated volcanic eruptions, how the region around Mendig was shaped over the centuries. These offer different ways to explore the subject: practical experiments on volcanism and the history of basalt quarrying and stoneworking.

Sculpture Trail and Hikes

The nine-kilometre-long sculpture trail links more than 40 works that bear witness to the history of stonecutters and the people of Lay. It starts at Museumslay and passes through both districts of Mendig. Its starting point and subject make it particularly suitable if you are interested in local stonecutting history. The Vier-Berge-Tour has a different focus: this circular hike, which starts in Mendig, is 12.9 kilometres long in total and passes through idyllic valleys and deep forests, as well as over hilltops with far-reaching views across the Pellenz.

The Millstone Hiking Trail links production and quarrying sites in the millstone district between Mayen and Mendig. It therefore draws attention to a wider area than the circular hike in Mendig. The stated differences are particularly useful when choosing between the routes: the Vier-Berge-Tour is a 12.9-kilometre circular route with described landscapes, while the Millstone Hiking Trail links production and quarrying sites. The Wingertsbergwand, in the area around Mendig, offers another perspective on the landscape. It is up to 50 metres high and has an information trail about how the landscape formed. The wall is currently inaccessible; check its current status before your trip.

Culture in the Wider Mayen-Koblenz Destination

In the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination, other landmarks complement Mendig’s volcanic and stonecutting history with themes of castles, monasteries and industrial heritage. Genovevaburg Castle in Mayen was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier. Sayn Abbey was founded around 1200, and its abbey church was consecrated in 1202; the exterior paintings dating from around 1255 are considered the best-preserved examples of their kind from the High Middle Ages in Germany. Sayner Hütte is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the only monument in Rhineland-Palatinate to hold this distinction. These examples belong to the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination, not to the sights in Mendig.

The 33-kilometre Vulkanpark Cycle Route also offers a view of this wider region: it runs from Mayen via Mendig, Kretz and Plaidt to Andernach. This allows Mendig to be understood through its own themes, while the examples from Mayen-Koblenz add other historical highlights to the regional perspective.

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