Ice Caves Birresborn 54574 Birresborn
The Birresborn ice caves are - as the name suggests - refreshingly cold in summer. Used as ice storage for centuries, the temperature in the caves does not rise above 7 degrees, even in hot summers.
The ice caves near Birresborn in the Kylltal were once a mining site for basalt millstones, then they were used as a natural refrigerator. Today they are a winter refuge for bats and are therefore only open from April to October for species protection reasons.
Regional export hits from the mountain
Humans have always made use of the volcanic treasures at their feet. Without the heavy and robust basalt grinding stones, no grain, mustard or oilseed could have been ground until the 19th century. The millstones were mainly used to defiber the oak bark needed for tanning leather. They found their way into the numerous water-powered mills in the Eifel and were also the region's export hit for centuries. The Eiflers cut the stones out of the mountain using heavy manual labor. Accessible caves were often created in this way - not real underground mines, but not opencast mines either.
An approximately five kilometer long geo-circular path “Birresborn Ice Caves”, which starts in the center of the town, leads to the caves and through a picturesque, mountainous forest and meadow landscape.
Highlights nearby
- Linden Source
- Bertradaburg Mürlenbach