The basalt fountain in Uersfeld recalls the barite mining industry that shaped village life until 1967. It was built in 1985; its design depicts a headframe, miners underground and mine carts. In this way, the mining history is brought to life through specific motifs that also feature on other routes through the village.
Local history at the Nostalgikum
The Nostalgikum is housed in Uersfeld’s former boys’ school, a building dating from before 1900. Its exhibition space covers around 300 square metres and features a variety of scenes from everyday life. These include a colonial goods shop, a hairdresser, a school, a post office, a bathroom, a village pub and craft workshops. The exhibition content may change over time.
The Nostalgikum offers guided group events and welcomes school classes. If you are planning a group visit, you should confirm the availability of the programme in advance. The visit thus combines a historic site—the former schoolhouse—with an exhibition that explores different aspects of everyday life.
Historic traces on foot and by bike
The “Border, Gallows and History” themed circular route loops around Uersfeld and takes in several historic traces. It features the basalt fountain as a reminder of the mining era and also includes Dreese Mill, documented since the 17th century. The old quarry on the Uersfelder Bach adds insight into aspects of historic life and work. The circular route places these sites in a shared historical context rather than focusing on a single monument.
The Elztal Cycle Route also passes through Uersfeld, running along the southern edge of the village. The route is around 31 kilometres long and leads from Gunderath via Uersfeld, Lirstal and Oberelz through the Elztal to Monreal and Mayen. Its stated distance therefore covers a longer route that passes through several named places. For trip planning, this offers a different perspective from the circular route, which explores historic traces around Uersfeld.
Other memorials add to the picture of the mining industry. Three mine carts were installed at the exit of the village towards Kelberg in 1988, recalling the former Bergkrone barite mine. Since its closure in 1967, the former De Kaul mine has been used as a water reservoir. Together with the fountain, these sites reflect different connections to mining history: a purpose-built monument, memorials to a mine, and a former mine put to new use.
The wider setting of the Vulkaneifel
The Vulkaneifel is characterised by volcanic landscapes, maars, forests, streams and far-reaching views. Regional activities include hiking, cycling, swimming in maars, visiting attractions and enjoying cultural experiences. Maars are volcanic crater lakes; swimming is permitted only in designated bathing areas at some maars. Whether swimming is possible may vary depending on the maar and the season. Check the conditions at your specific destination before heading out for a swim.
The geological scale of the region also illustrates its character: 77 maars have been identified in the Vulkaneifel to date. In addition, 350 eruption centres have been counted there, around 270 of them from a more recent phase. The Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place around 10,900 years ago.
The Vulkaneifel also has its own hiking trails, the Vulkaneifel-Pfade, which lead to scenic highlights on either side of the Eifelsteig. They are marked and signposted and include half-day hikes, day hikes and multi-day treks. This regional hiking network complements the historical themes of the Uersfeld circular route.
When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to distinguish between these attractions: Uersfeld offers connections to local and mining history as well as the Elztal Cycle Route; the Vulkaneifel broadens the perspective to include maars, landscapes and regional hiking trails. This can help you decide which part of the destination you would like to shape your trip most.
Discover more destinations: Drees, Neichen, Sassen, Mannebach, Lirstal, Gunderath, Hörschhausen, Zermüllen.
For the broader travel overview: Kelberg.
