Vulkaneifel UNESCO Global Geopark, Germany

The geological outcrops of Vulkaneifel are windows into the history of the earth that tell us about the formation and development of its rocks. Among the geopark’s other geological features are the 350 volcanic eruption centres that, to date, have been recorded here.

These originate from two volcanic phases: the first phase, which occurred 45-35,000,000 years ago, and a later phase that began around 700,000 years ago, with the most recent eruption happening around 10,900 years ago.

Of the 350 known eruption centres, 77 maar volcanoes have been identified. These are a special type of volcano in which contact between gas-rich magma and water-bearing layers in the subsurface triggers an explosion, resulting in what is known as a phreatomagmatic eruption. 

In rare cases, these maars fill with water. There are twelve examples of this phenomenon in the Vulkaneifel. Some maars are silted up, allowing peat bogs to develop.

The Meerfeld Maar is one of the largest maars in the Vulkaneifel, with a crater diameter of 17,730 metres and depth of 400 metres. It was created in an explosion around 80,000 years ago, and has, since then, partially filled with water.

Several metres of stratified sediments lie at the bottom of the lake. They have been used to determine the climatic development of Central Europe on a seasonally resolved basis. This information, together with the findings from other maars, reaches back 120,000 years.

The Windsborn Crater Lake is the only permanently water-filled mountain crater lake north of the Alps. Only rainwater feeds the lake, on the banks of which special vegetation has developed. The crater has a diameter of 300 metres and is 30 metres deep.

Volcanic gases rising from the earth's mantle dissolve in water and emerge as sparkling spring water, called Drees. The water is rich in minerals from the layers of rock through which it flows and is sparkling due to its natural volcanic carbon dioxide content.

Recognised as a national geosite, the Dreimühlen waterfall is an impressive natural phenomenon. Layers of calcium carbonate from the waterfall’s carbon-rich waters constantly accumulate on the moss of the waterfall, causing it to continuously grow forwards into the valley.

The earliest evidence of humans in the Vulkaneifel dates back around 30,000 years, to when they were still hunter-gatherers. Archaeological finds include stone tools and bones.

In Roman times, quarrying began. The extracted rock was used to make many objects including millstones, which benefit from the special self-sharpening characteristic of vesicular volcanic rock: new vesicles with sharp edges keep appearing as it is abraded.

The impressive Manderscheid castles, in the scenic Lieser Valley, provide evidence of settlers in the Middle Ages. Earth history is tangible on the steep rock faces nearby, where it is possible to climb the 400-million-year-old sedimentary rocks from the Lower Devonian period.

At first glance, the area’s volcanic soils appear meagre and lifeless. However, they are rich in minerals and ideal for the rare and specialised plant species that are dependent on the special conditions of this landscape, some of which are on the Red List of endangered species.

The lean, calcareous soils of the geopark create perfect conditions for rare, wild orchids. With more than 30 different species growing here, it is one of the most orchid-rich regions in Germany.