Geopark Laacher See

The Geopark Laacher See is a national geopark in the East Eifel, which is made up of the volcano park in the Mayen-Koblenz district and the volcano park in the Brohl valley .

Establishment and recognition of the Laacher See National Geopark

The volcano park in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, the volcano park Brohltal / Laacher See and the nature and geopark Vulkaneifel have formed the National Geopark Vulkanland Eifel since 2005 . In July 2016 this Geopark was divided into two separate Geoparks, the Geopark Laacher See and the Geopark Vulkaneifel. With this separation and designation of two National GeoParks in the Eifel, the GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation complied with a request from all actors involved. The reasons for this are the recognition of the Vulkaneifel Nature and Geopark as a UNESCO Global Geopark and differences in administration and funding policy. With this change there are 16 National GeoParks in Germany.

The German Volcano Road remains the connecting element of the two geoparks in the Eifel . The holiday route connects 39 geological features over 280 kilometers.

A geopark is certified by the GeoUnion / Alfred Wegener Foundation. The quality of a geopark and the fulfillment of the criteria laid down in the guidelines based on a written application are decisive for certification. The title is limited to five years. The two national geoparks do not have to be recertified, as the recertification did not take place until 2015.

Location and topics

Map of the Laacher See National Geopark

The Geopark Laacher See essentially extends around the Laacher See . In the west it extends to the Nürburgring, in the south it borders on the A48 and in the east on the Rhine. The landscape is shaped by Quaternary volcanism and is characterized by a large number of cinder cones . The center of the Geopark is the Laacher See volcano, the eruption of which left many visible traces around 12,000 years ago, especially the water-filled caldera , the Laacher See, the largest lake in Rhineland-Palatinate. The newly formed Laacher See National Geopark focuses on the Laacher See or Laacher See volcano with its ejecta and life and work with volcanic stones at the following stations:

In the Mayen-Koblenz district

• 17 landscape monuments with circular routes
• the Vulkanpark information center in Plaidt / Saffig
• the Meurin Roman mine with ancient technology in Kretz
• the geyser in Andernach
• the Lava Dome in Mendig
• Terra Vulcania in Mayen
• the German pumice museum in Kaltenengers

In the area of ​​the Brohltal community

• five geo-path hiking routes
• the Highlight Autoroute H
• the information center in the Niederzissen tourist information center

Web links

Commons : Nationaler Geopark Laacher See  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Volcano Park in the Mayen-Koblenz district
• Laacher See holiday region
• Tourist information offices in the Laacher See volcanic region

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Accolade for the region: Nature and Geopark Vulkaneifel receives an official Unesco certificate. geopark-vulkaneifel.de, accessed on September 20, 2016 . 
2. ↑ Make 2 out of 1: National GeoPark is divided into two Geoparks. National-geopark.de, accessed on September 20, 2016 . 
3. ↑ How does a region become a National GeoPark in Germany? National-geopark.de, accessed on September 20, 2016 . 
4. ↑ New name and new members: National Geopark Laacher See recognized. Rhein-Zeitung, accessed on September 15, 2016 . 

Coordinates: 50 ° 24 '24.6 "  N , 7 ° 15' 18.9"  E