There are many steps leading deep down below the town of Mendig: Here in the lava cellars, which were carved into the cooled volcanic rock, it is consistently cold even in the hottest summers, there is a mysterious dim light, there is a smell of dampness. What gives human visitors to the historic lava cellars a comforting feeling of goose bumps was the economic engine of the city until the invention of refrigerators. For up to 28 breweries were built above ground, using the 32-metre-high, cathedral-like halls in the basalt rock to store fresh beer.

When the volcanoes in the Eifel erupted, a lava flow also flowed towards Mendig. The resulting basalt lava was later mined by the people of Mendig and was an important source of income - because basalt lava was a precious building material. Mighty pillars, left standing during centuries of basalt and lava mining, support the gigantic cellars.

Only part of the three square kilometres of tunnels and galleries of this underground landscape, which was dug into mighty volcanic layers, is accessible to visitors. But a guided tour through the cellars is an unforgettable aha-experience and shows sensually how people use the gift of Mother Earth for themselves. The Lava Dome as a multimedia museum is also an exciting journey into the diversity of volcanism. To this day, the Mendig Volcano Brewery, located above the cellars, uses this unique cold storage facility. Delicious and sweet above, mysterious and breathtaking below... that's what makes a trip to the lava cellars.

Travel sustainably! Use public transport! The stop "Lava-Dome" (Heidenstockstraße 43, 56743 Mendig) is located in the immediate vicinity of the Lava Dome. You can find more information about the connections at the stop at https://www.haltestellen-suche.de and at https://www.vrminfo.de.