Schönbach: Local History and Volcanic Landscape

In Schönbach, local history, a distinctive chapel and the landscape around Kreuzberg come together. This offers different perspectives for your stay: you can explore the history of the village, learn about geological features or focus on a hike.

Local History and the Schönbach Kirmes

A document from 1364 mentions Schönbach. In the local dialect, the village is called Schimmich. The Schönbach Kirmes is also one of the local traditions: it is celebrated on the first Sunday in September. The Kirmes was revived in 2010 after the Bambini fire brigade was founded. The programme may vary from year to year. If you are planning your trip around the Kirmes, check the details for the relevant year.

The Quirinus Chapel in the Village Centre

The Quirinus Chapel stands in the centre of Schönbach, next to the community hall. It was built in 1968. Its features include colourful ornamental arched windows and a large window depicting Saint Michael. Another eye-catcher is the Baroque altar: it is more than five metres high and is dedicated to Saint Quirinus and the Five Wounds. The chapel thus combines a specific place in the centre with its religious furnishings.

Kreuzberg: Volcano, Views and Tradition

Kreuzberg is a tuff and sand volcano from the Cenozoic Era. Together with Hummerich, it forms the northern barrier of the Schönbach Valley. Both are among the older Eifel volcanoes and are believed to be well over 100,000 years old. The history of Kreuzberg also includes its former use: until the 1960s, it was used first as a millstone quarry and later for lava extraction.

From the Eifel-Blick Kreuzberg, the wide-ranging view stretches across the Eifel to the heights of the Hunsrück. The viewpoint is 516 metres above sea level. A cross on Kreuzberg is traditionally associated with the gratitude of people who returned from the Second World War. The tradition of maintaining the cross continues. Landscape conservation is also part of what defines Kreuzberg: the site helps preserve the Eifel cultural landscape, with its characteristic plant life and small organisms.

Hiking Around Schönbach

The moderately rated HeimatSpur Täler- und Höhenweg is a 14.6-kilometre circular trail. The start and finish are at the Landgasthaus “Zum Kreuzberg” in Schönbach. The route leads around Schönbach and Utzerath, past the Kreuzberg viewpoint, through woodland and valleys alongside small streams. The route is freely accessible; parking is available on Mühlenweg.

There are also hikes of various lengths and difficulty levels around the Eifel-Blick Kreuzberg. This lets you compare the specific circular route with other hiking options in the area: the named trail has a specified length and difficulty rating, while the routes around the viewpoint vary in length and level of challenge.

The Vulkaneifel as a Regional Setting

At a regional level, the Vulkaneifel is a UNESCO Global Geopark shaped by volcanic activity, volcanic cones and mineral springs. The region’s distinctive features include the maars, which were formed by volcanic steam explosions. So far, 77 maars have been identified in the Vulkaneifel. In addition, 350 eruption centres have been counted there, around 270 of them from the more recent phase.

The geological timescale of the region is also remarkable: the Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place around 10,900 years ago. This context complements the view of Kreuzberg, whose volcanic origins and former use have shaped the landscape of Schönbach in their own way.

Discover more destinations: Oberstadtfeld, Steiningen, Mehren, Brockscheid, Deudesfeld, Demerath, Strotzbüsch, Betteldorf.

Go to the regional travel overview: Daun.