The earth has eyes - a trip to the maars of Eifel in Germany

By Heidemarie Puetz Jun 1, 2010, 23:30 GMT

Daun, Germany - Like deep and fathomless eyes, maars (volcanic craters) stare up from the depths throughout the Eifel region in western Germany.

Around the town of Daun, pilot Bernd Hein flies in his four-seater plane over some of the more than 70 craters that are situated in the Eifel, the highest concentration of such geological features to be found in Germany.

With it hills, deep forests, meadows and villages, the area around Gerolstein, Manderscheid and Ulmen is especially serene.

However, between 35 and 45 million years ago this place was home to countless eruptions as cavities in the earth's crust spat out red-hot gases, mud and lava. Around 350 volcanoes of varying sizes were to be found in the smallest of areas, which led to the maars and lava trails that mark out the Eifel region as the unique place it is today.

The last eruption occurred over 10,000 years ago and what was once Central Europe's most volatile region is now a geological treasure.

'Underground the volcanic Eifel is shot through with holes like a Swiss cheese,' says Andreas Schueller, scientific head at Vulkan Eifel European Geopark.

Scientists like Schueller are dedicated to the promotion of volcano tourism in the area. The idea of a volcanic park complete with museums, information centres and geological walking routes was first mooted in 1994 and has developed at an incredible pace since then.

The plan was to protect the character of the area while at the same time presenting its unique natural history to tourists. All the hard work was rewarded in 2004 when Eifel's volcanic region was declared a UNESCO Global Geopark.

The maars are the signature features of the area and show that volcanoes aren't always mountains. The circular or oval craters sink deep into the earth and were created when hot rising magma met water. This rapid cooling process led to massive explosions, leaving behind a funnel that filled with ground water.

'Today, water is constantly present in only around eight of the at least 75 maars. They are of more recent origin,' explains Schueller.

The majority of maars, the name given to the features by the people of Eifel, dried up over time and are now meadows and moors which are home to some rare plants. The maars are at their most impressive when seen from the air and Hein's trip from Daun-Senheld airfield around Daun, Gillenfeld and Manderscheid is unforgettable.

Three of Eifel's most famous maars at Gemuenden, Weinfeld and Schalkenmehren are to be found near Daun.

The Weinfeld maar with its isolated church and graveyard on the shore is a melancholy paradise. The chapel was built in memory of those Weinfelden villagers who died of the Plague.

During the flight, Hein approaches Gillenfeld and points out the smallest maar, which is known as the 'Hitsche' and whose crater only fills during strong rainfall. The circular Pulver maar is to be found nearby and has a water depth of 74 metres.

The oldest of Eifel's maars is to be found near Manderscheid and it was here that geologists found the remains of a pregnant prehistoric horse as well as the world's oldest honey bees. The 45-million-year-old treasures can be seen at the maar museum in Manderscheid.