In the heart of Igel stands the Igel Column, a Roman tomb monument made of red sandstone. Other historic landmarks include the Grutenhäuschen in the vineyards and the old parish church on a rocky promontory. For cyclists, the Moselle Cycle Route offers a different approach to planning.
Roman Heritage and Architectural History
The Igel Column, a Roman tomb monument made of red sandstone dating from the 3rd century, stands in the centre of Igel. It is considered the best-preserved pillar tomb north of the Alps and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986. Its function as a tomb monument gives it a distinct place in the Roman history of the town.
The Grutenhäuschen is located in the vineyards about 1.5 kilometres west of Igel. The reconstructed Roman temple stands above an originally preserved, vaulted Roman burial chamber. It was rebuilt in 2001. Unlike the Igel Column, the structure combines a temple with a burial chamber beneath it.
The old parish church stands above Igel on a rocky promontory. The church building dates to 1265, while its present form dates to 1759. These two dates mark different aspects of its architectural history: the construction of the church and the creation of its present form. Alongside the Roman remains, the church offers a look at a much later period of architectural history.
Cycling on the Moselle Cycle Route
The Moselle Cycle Route runs close to the Moselle and offers mostly flat riverside stretches. Routes are available on both banks; bridges make rides of different lengths possible. This means that route length and choice of bank are flexible planning options. If you are looking for a relatively flat riverside route, you can use this general route profile as a guide; rides can also be planned to different lengths.
Find Hotels by Travel Interest
When looking for hotels in Igel, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on. The Roman structures and the parish church give your trip a cultural and historical focus; for cycling, route length and choice of bank are the main variables.
Cycling in the Trier-Saarburg District
In the wider Trier-Saarburg destination, the district has 492 kilometres of cycle paths. The Tälchen Tour starts and ends in Konz, is classified as moderate and is 37.28 kilometres long; its duration is listed as about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The route passes the Wiltinger Saarbogen nature reserve and recommends a detour to the waterfall in Saarburg’s old town. Compared with the general profile of the Moselle Cycle Route, with its mostly flat riverside stretches and rides of varying lengths, the Tälchen Tour provides specific details on difficulty, distance, time and destinations. These are two distinct planning profiles: a riverside route of variable length and a designated moderate circular route in the Trier-Saarburg district. There is an extensive network of cycling and hiking trails along the Viezstraße in Trier-Saarburg.
Discover more destinations: Kordel, Waldrach, Heddert, Nittel, Rascheid, NeuhĂĽtten, Mehring, Baldringen
Back to the wider travel overview: Trier-Saarburg.
