Relax by the Rhine waterfront in Kaltenengers, where there are unobstructed views of Engers Castle. The town also offers a tangible chapter in the history of the pumice industry: the German Pumice Museum presents it in the original setting of a former pumice-stone factory.

Industrial history and a local memorial

The German Pumice Museum displays numerous original machines. Together, the original factory setting and the machines on display provide two specific points of interest for visitors. Its focus on the history of the pumice industry offers a different perspective from the scenic views from the Rhine waterfront.

A stone statue of Saint Sylvester stands in the church in Kaltenengers. It was already in the town’s first chapel, which was located on Rheinuferstraße. This individual object adds another part of local history to the story of industry: here, the focus is on a religious statue, not the development of an industrial sector.

More cultural and landscape attractions in the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination

In the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination, Sayn Ironworks is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the only monument in Rhineland-Palatinate to receive this distinction. Following restoration, modern exhibitions and multimedia displays invite visitors to explore. Sayn Ironworks also offers guided tours and creative workshops. This provides a distinct way to experience industrial heritage alongside the history of the pumice industry presented at the German Pumice Museum in Kaltenengers.

Sayn Abbey is also part of the broader historical picture in the Mayen-Koblenz destination. It was founded around 1200, and its abbey church was consecrated in 1202. The abbey’s exterior paintings, dating from around 1255, are considered the best-preserved examples in Germany from the High Middle Ages. Its foundation, the consecration of the church and the paintings give the abbey a rich chronology. Genoveva Castle in Mayen was built in 1280 by Heinrich of Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier.

Sayn Palace Park is a landscape attraction in the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination. From 1840 to 1850, architect Carl Friedrich Thelemann designed it as an English landscape garden for Prince Ludwig Adolf Friedrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. The park features a palace pond with a water fountain, winding paths, numerous benches and secluded, quiet spots. Its 19th-century design thus offers a different focus from the medieval landmarks in the region’s cultural history.

Natural phenomena are also among the attractions in the wider Mayen-Koblenz destination: the Geyser Museum explains how the world’s tallest cold-water geyser works across five exhibition areas. The Lava Dome in Mendig is the German Volcano Museum. These museums focus on volcanism and the forces of nature, while Kaltenengers’ attractions range from the Rhine waterfront to the pumice industry and church history.

Discover more destinations: Arft, Polch, Vallendar, Koblenz, Nitztal, Acht, Niederfell, Löf.

View the full travel guide: Mayen-Koblenz.