Luxem: Village History in the Eifel Landscape

Luxem is a community with a strong agricultural character, located amid the Eifel landscape at 440 m above sea level. Its history can be seen in specific buildings and in the chapel; the village festival and fair are recurring summer events. This brings together rural character, local architectural history and village life as travel interests.

Architectural history from Roman times to half-timbered buildings

At Schulstraße 4 stands a Streckhof, a partly solid half-timbered building dating from the 18th century. At the edge of Luxem, on the road towards Weiler, there is a niche wayside shrine dating from 1680. Finds from Roman times also point to settlement in antiquity. The historical span thus extends from the Roman era through the wayside shrine to the 18th-century Streckhof.

Chapel history and historic furnishings

The first chapel in Luxem was built in 1686. During the night of 24 March 1966, a side wall of the old chapel collapsed. The Baroque altar had previously been brought to safety and was reinstalled in the newly built chapel. Windows, doors and parts of the old chapel’s pews were also reused in the new building. The chapel contains a statue of the Madonna and Child from the early 19th century, as well as Baroque wooden figures of John the Baptist and Saint Roch. A small organ was installed in 1883.

Summer events

The village festival takes place every year at the end of June in the village community centre. It is organised by the Schützenkapelle, the music association within the shooting club, which is the largest club in the village. The fair takes place on the third weekend in July. The two events therefore offer different recurring dates for a summer trip. If you are planning to attend a specific festival, check the date of that year’s event before travelling.

Location and finding accommodation

Luxem is located in the centre of the Vordereifel collective municipality, around 10 kilometres west of Mayen. This provides a regional orientation, while the buildings and summer events highlight the village’s specific local themes.

Culture in the wider destination of Mayen-Koblenz

The wider destination of Mayen-Koblenz also offers its own cultural and historical perspective. Genovevaburg Castle in Mayen was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier. Sayn Abbey was founded around 1200; its abbey church was consecrated in 1202. Sayner Hütte is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the only monument in Rhineland-Palatinate to receive this distinction. Following restoration, it invites visitors to explore modern exhibitions and multimedia presentations; it also offers guided tours and creative workshops. This allows you to distinguish Luxem’s local village and chapel history from other cultural themes in the wider destination when deciding what to focus on in your travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Anschau, Langenfeld, Weiler.

Back to the wider travel overview: Vordereifel.