Nitz lies in the valley of the Nitzbach. For centuries, the stream shaped the settlement’s history, serving as a boundary between two lordships and administrative districts. The two sides were also assigned to different institutions: until a few years ago, they belonged to different districts, school districts and parishes. The historical forms of the name “Niteske” and “Nytze” are documented for Nitz in 1110 and 1336.

Local history and architectural heritage

Nitz has grown little due to its relatively secluded location and historical population trends; farms and houses have been adapted over time. The Catholic branch church, a small hall church probably dating from the first half of the 18th century, stands on the main street. The church was partly renovated after a fire in 1933. Another architectural landmark is the partly solid-built half-timbered house at Kapellenstraße 1, dating from the 19th century. The church probably dates from the first half of the 18th century, and the half-timbered house from the 19th century.

The Freundsmühle mill on the Bierschbach in Nitz was first mentioned in 1728 in connection with a grain delivery to the Nürburg district office. The mill is marked at its present location on the 1809 Tranchot map. The former millpond and millrace are still shown on cadastral maps, but are now barely discernible in the landscape. The map and the visible landscape therefore differ considerably in how they reflect the site’s history.

Valley trails and landscape

The Traumpfad Booser Doppelmaartour offers views of Nitz along its route and follows the Nitzbach Valley’s natural meanders through a wooded landscape. A walking route follows the valley for about two kilometres in a northeasterly direction before reaching Nitz; shortly before the village, it crosses the stream to the Bauersmühle mill. Check the current route status and conditions on site before setting out.

The Vulkaneifel as a wider region

In the wider travel destination of the Vulkaneifel, the focus shifts from local history to volcanic landscapes. So far, 77 maars have been identified there; a total of 350 eruption centres have been counted, about 270 of them from the more recent phase. The Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place approximately 10,900 years ago. The Vulkaneifel is characterised by volcanic cones and maar craters; regional highlights include hiking trails, cycling tours, maar lakes and geoscientific excursions.

The Vulkaneifel trails offer half-day hikes, day hikes and multi-day hikes; they are marked and signposted. The Eifel Volcano Museum in Daun displays three-dimensional landscape models of cinder cones, maars and mineral springs, as well as exhibits on West Eifel volcanism. The Vulkanhaus Strohn is an interactive museum featuring a lava fissure wall approximately 30,000 years old, around six metres long and four metres high.

Discover more destinations: Bereborn, Mannebach, Mosbruch, Uersfeld, Borler, Berenbach, Reimerath, Sassen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Kelberg.