Maria Laach Abbey & Laacher See
Abtei Maria Laach / Laacher See
A Benedictine abbey on the shore of a volcanic crater lake. Its six-towered Romanesque church is a landmark of German Romanesque architecture, and the lake can be circled on foot.
Maria Laach Abbey was founded in 1093, and its church was completed around 1230. It has six towers and a westwork atrium known as Paradise, making it one of the best-preserved Romanesque buildings in Germany, and monks still live there today. Beside the abbey lies Laacher See, a crater lake formed by a massive volcanic eruption about 13,000 years ago, where you can still see volcanic gas bubbling up from the lake. The loop trail around the lake is about 8 km. Entry to the abbey church is free, and the grounds have a bookshop, a nursery, a farm shop, and a restaurant. It is about 35 km from Cochem, roughly a 40-minute drive.
Opening hours
Church approx. 05:00–20:00 (please do not walk around during Mass)
Nearby sights
- Burg Pyrmont & Waterfall
- Eltz Castle
- St. Castor, Karden
- Burg Thurant
- Wild- und Freizeitpark Klotten
- Bundesbank Bunker Cochem
- Cochem Chairlift & Pinnerkreuz
- Historic Mustard Mill Cochem