Kordel in the Kyll Valley: Sandstone and History

Kordel lies in a narrow basin in the lower Kyll Valley, formed by the Kyll River and the Welschbilliger and Kimmlinger streams. The river, sandstone and traces of different eras shape the town, along with the Kyll Cycle Route and the Kyll Valley swimming pool.

Landscape and Geology

Kordel’s valley slopes are steep and mostly wooded. They expose Upper Buntsandstein, which is overlain by shell sandstone. On Kordel’s eastern edge, the naturally preserved bed of the Kyll winds around Vogelskopf. Genoveva Cave is about 15 metres wide; its ceiling is approximately 8 to 10 metres above the floor.

Archaeological Traces and Building History

Kordel’s archaeological history dates back to the Late Palaeolithic. Evidence includes Genoveva Cave and ring walls on the heights of the Kyll Valley; sections of the Roman Long Wall lie within the municipal area. Finds in Genoveva Cave span the Palaeolithic, Roman and medieval periods through to modern times. The present-day parish church was built in 1865–67 as a Neo-Gothic hall church from grey-yellow sandstone. The occurrence and quality of Voltzien sandstone led to the start of the sandstone industry in Kordel from 1870. The church’s construction and the beginning of the industry’s history are only a few years apart; by contrast, the cave finds and ring walls date back to much earlier periods.

Burg Ramstein is a Gothic ruin on a Buntsandstein rock in the Kyll Valley near Kordel. A reconstructed glass furnace on the Hochmark is considered worth seeing. The Hochmark is popular with hikers, and the local restaurants are regarded as a popular place to stop.

Cycling and the Kyll Valley Swimming Pool

The Kyll Valley swimming pool is an outdoor pool in the Kyll Valley with spacious sunbathing lawns and four pools. The non-swimmer pool has a long slide, play equipment and a water fountain; facilities also include a slackline, beach volleyball, basketball and table tennis. Individual facilities may change. As seasonal opening times may also vary, check current opening hours and offerings before your visit.

The Kyll Cycle Route passes through Kordel and continues along the Kyll to Trier. The entire route from Losheimergraben to Trier is listed as 121.4 kilometres and is classified as moderate. Route details may be revised, so check the latest route information before setting out. In the wider Trier-Saarburg travel destination, the district’s cycle route plan lists a total of 492 kilometres of cycle routes. This district-wide figure uses a different scope from the 121.4 kilometres of the Kyll Cycle Route from Losheimergraben to Trier: it describes cycle routes throughout the district, not the length of this individual route.

Plan Your Journey

Kordel is connected by the Trier–Cologne railway and federal highway 422. If you are travelling by train, check the timetable for your travel date.

Discover more destinations: Butzweiler, Holzerath, Schweich, Longuich, Hentern, Wellen, Köwerich, Wincheringen

Back to the main travel overview: Trier-Saarburg.