Schönbach: Kreuzberg, Eifel Views and Village History

Schönbach invites you to discover the volcanic landscape of Kreuzberg and the history of the village. Sweeping views across the Eifel, hikes of varying lengths and local traditions add different dimensions to your trip—from the landscape to village culture.

Kreuzberg: Volcanic Landscape and Sweeping Views

The Eifel-Blick Kreuzberg viewpoint, at an elevation of 516 metres, offers sweeping views across the Eifel as far as the Hunsrück ridges. Kreuzberg itself also tells the story of how the landscape formed and was used: it is a tuff and sand volcano from the Cenozoic Era. Together with Hummerich, it forms the northern ridge of the Schönbachtal. Both are among the older Eifel volcanoes and are probably well over 100,000 years old.

Until the 1960s, Kreuzberg was first used as a millstone quarry and later for lava extraction. Today, the Kreuzberg site helps preserve the cultural landscape of the Eifel, including its characteristic flora and small creatures. The geology, former uses and landscape conservation give the place several facets that visitors can connect as they explore.

Hiking Around Schönbach

There are hiking routes of varying lengths and difficulty levels in the area around the Eifel-Blick Kreuzberg viewpoint. One specific option is the moderately challenging HeimatSpur Täler- und Höhenweg: the 14.6-kilometre circular hike starts and ends at the “Zum Kreuzberg” country inn in Schönbach. It circles Schönbach and Utzerath, passing the viewpoint, through woodland and along valleys beside small streams. Parking is available on Mühlenweg.

The stated distance and difficulty rating can help you compare this circular route with other hikes in the area. Before choosing a route, consider how far you want to walk as part of your day’s plans. That way, you can explore the landscape on foot without every hike needing to be the same length or level of difficulty.

Chapel and Village History

In the centre of Schönbach, the Quirinus Chapel stands right next to the community hall. It was built in 1968. Notable features include colourful ornamental arched windows, a large window depicting Saint Michael and a Baroque altar more than five metres high. The altar is dedicated to Saint Quirinus and the Five Holy Wounds. The chapel therefore offers a concrete insight into local religious culture.

The name of the village has a local distinction too: Schönbach is known in the local dialect as Schimmich. Written records of the village date back to 1364. If you are interested in Schönbach’s history as well as its landscape, these details add linguistic and historical dimensions to your impression of the place.

Local Traditions Through the Year

The Schönbach village fair is celebrated on the first Sunday in September. After the Bambini fire brigade was founded, the fair was revived in 2010. The September date can help with trip planning; if you are planning to attend in a particular year, it is worth checking the latest dates.

A local tradition links the cross on Kreuzberg with the gratitude of people who returned from the Second World War. The tradition of caring for the cross continues. The fair and the cross represent different forms of local custom: a revived celebration and a story passed down through the generations, which is still being kept alive today.

The Vulkaneifel on a Larger Scale

The Vulkaneifel provides the wider geological setting: it is a UNESCO Global Geopark shaped by volcanic activity, volcanic cones, mineral springs and a high concentration of remarkable natural features. The region is especially well known for its maars, which formed through steam explosions. So far, 77 maars have been identified in the Vulkaneifel. In addition, 350 eruption centres have been counted there, about 270 of them from a more recent phase.

At Kreuzberg, you can see a single tuff and sand volcano and learn about its history of use; the figures for maars and eruption centres describe the Vulkaneifel as a whole. These two scales offer a helpful point of reference if you are interested in the region’s landforms and volcanic history.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

When looking for accommodation, your main interests can help you decide: would you like to focus your trip on hiking and scenery, or are you especially interested in the chapel, village history and fair?

Discover more destinations: Brockscheid, Strotzbüsch, Kradenbach, Saxler, Nerdlen, Bleckhausen, Udler, Dockweiler

For the main travel overview: Daun.