Moselle Slate Road
The Moselle Slate Road leads through a varied and charming landscape. Through vineyards on the lovely Moselle, across the volcanic landscape with the associated volcano park to the heights of the Eifel. The link between all these landscapes is the local slate tradition with the silky shining slate roofs to the left and right of the path.
The approx. 110km long circular route begins and ends in the town of Mayen and shows the state of Rhineland-Palatinate from its most beautiful side. You will always encounter the iconic slate roofs of the historic buildings on this round trip and bear witness to the centuries-old tradition of the slate craft.
The numerous slate-covered roofs of the famous Reichsburg in Cochem are also an excellent example of traditional roofing art.
The Moselle Slate Road makes it possible to experience:
- charming landscapes, impressive buildings and interesting excursion destinations around the Moselle slate;
- vineyards along the lovely Moselle, the volcanic landscape with its associated volcano park, all the way to the heights of the Eifel;
- silky shining slate roofs to the left and right of the path.
Type of Route: tourist route
Subject: nature, attractions, information about Slate
Start / finish: circular route starting and finishing in Mayen
Length: about 110 km
Federal State Rhineland-Palatinate
Holiday destinations: Mayen, Vordereifel Holiday Region, Kaisersesch Slate Country, Cochem Holiday Country, Treis-Karden Holiday Country, Maifeld Holiday Region, Sunny Lower Moselle
Highlights
German Slate Mine
An exciting journey back in time awaits visitors to the unique German Slate Mine in Mayen: where the Devonian sea stretched 400 million years ago, today the winding passages of the slate mine wind 16 metres below Genoveva Castle. This special part of the Eifel Museum provides vivid information about the work and everyday life of the slate miners. Touching is expressly permitted in the 340-metre-long labyrinth of tunnels, for the slate mine offers adventures for all the senses.
A lift takes visitors into a world of men, machines and dynamite. In the underground passages there are old lorries, rope saws, huge walking excavators and 20-kilogram pneumatic hammers.
Mayen
Mayen is surrounded by a charming forest landscape and is often called the "Gateway to the Eifel" because of its geographical location. Slate, basalt and tuff are the rocks of the region. Streams and lakes make the landscape bloom. The volcanic past is visible everywhere.
Influenced early on by slate quarrying, in Mayen you can still take a journey back in time to the slate history of Roman times at the Katzenberg. As a town where the slate trade has a long tradition, this is still upheld today.
The many slate roofs in Mayen also bear witness to a long history of roofing slate. Moselle slate has been extracted from the mines since Roman times. For those who want to learn more, the "German Slate Mine" in the Eifel Museum is a must. Housed in the Genoveva Castle, which towers over the town's market square, the "German Slate Mine" in the gallery under the castle provides impressive information on the history of Moselle slate from mining to its use, transport and where it is still mined today.
In addition, the Eifel town of Mayen is an ideal starting point for many interesting excursions into the surrounding area. The region around Mayen, as part of the Volcano Park, is easy to explore by bike or on foot.
Eltz Castle
The greatest attraction of Eltz Castle is its architecture: With its eight up to 35 meter high residential towers, its bay windows, roofs, half-timbered structures and peaks, it is the epitome of a knight's castle for the spontaneous viewer, yes the "castle par excellence" (Georg Dehio).
Its location is unique: hidden in a side valley of the Moselle, built there on a 70 m high rock, surrounded on three sides by the Elzbach and surrounded by a natural paradise, it alone allows the perfect medieval dream. The inner courtyard of the castle brings together 500 years of Eltz building history (from 1150 to 1650) at a glance and tells the colorful and often complicated story of three Eltz family lines living together in a confined space. The tour through the interior of the castle with its varied architecture and the authentic, complete and valuable furnishings is the heart of the “Eltz Castle Experience”.
Cochem
In the Moselle metropolis you come across slate at every turn. One of the most striking buildings with slate roofing is the baroque town hall on the market square. From the former Capuchin monastery you also have a wonderful view of the slate roof landscape of the old town.
The numerous slate-covered roofs of the famous Cochem Imperial Castle are an excellent example of traditional roofing art. The Reichsburg - destroyed by French troops in 1688 - was in ruins for almost 200 years until it was rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century. Today the Cochem Imperial Castle, high on the Burgberg in the middle of the city, majestically enthroned above the Moselle, is the most popular attraction in a wide area. The medieval wine town of Cochem, which is still surrounded by the old city wall and with its diverse range of leisure activities, owes its current status as a visitor metropolis on the Moselle to her.
Picture journey Moselle Slate Road
Route guidance with parking space information
This information is a service offer from ALPINE in cooperation with FERIENSTRASSEN.INFO 
Rathscheck Schiefer und Dachsysteme / ZN from Wilh. Werhahn KG Neuss
St. Barbara-Straße 3
D-56727 Mayen-Katzenberg
MOSELLE SLATE ROAD
