Geopark Vulkaneifel

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Strohner Määrchen A raised moor in the Maar Valley

The Strohner Maar is one of the last raised bogs in the Eifel. It is quite small, hence its name: Fairy Tale. It is a dry moor and belongs to the nature reserve “Pulvermaar with Römerberg and Strohner Määrchen”.

Geology

In this Lower Devonian area, the gray siltstones, quartzitic sandstones and shales of the Eckfeld layers meet the disjointed rocks of the Elm stage, which also consist of sandstones and claystones. On the land surface these are covered by maart tuffs.

Special features

Römerberg - Strohner Maar - Pulvermaar together form a volcanic group that sits on a SSE - NNW running fissure. First, the Strohner Maar exploded in the south. The next eruption created what is now a somewhat asymmetrical volcanic cone, Römerberg. At some point, its southern half slipped into the Strohner Maar and filled it. This is where the Strohner Määrchen, one of the last raised moors in the Eifel, was created. Last but not least, the Pulvermaar was created.

How did the moor in the maar come about?

Sphagnum moss settled on the constantly moist ground surface of the almost dry maar lake, which slowly formed a blanket. This constantly grows upwards and the lower, dead plant parts turn into peat in the absence of air. A raised bog is created when the mosses grow beyond the groundwater, bulge in the middle and only survive on rain. Typical moor plants are peat mosses and cotton and sedge grasses. With a diameter of a good 170 meters, the Strohner Maar is rather small and has an impressive vegetation diversity of around 250 plant species of rare raised and intermediate bog plants.

Highlights nearby

• Vulkano House Strohn
• Pulvermaar
• School Museum Immerath
• Immerather Maar
• Strotzbüscher Source
• Roman Grave
• Trautzberger Maar
• Lavabombe Strohn
• Holzmaar
• Dürres Maar
• Hetsche Maar
• Sangweiher
• Mürmes

Directions & Parking