Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate
Vulkaneifel
Katzwinkel
Afelskreuz and Pilgrims' Chapel
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate
Vulkaneifel
Katzwinkel
Afelskreuz and Pilgrims' Chapel
Cycling Highlight
Recommended by 207 out of 217 cyclists
This Highlight is in a protected area
Please check local regulations for: Natur- und Geopark Vulkaneifel
Location: Katzwinkel, Vulkaneifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
A historic site on the pilgrimage route from Bonn to Trier. The Romans also used this place as a crossroads on the Cologne-Trier military road.
January 4, 2020
The Afelskreuz (indulgence cross, mistakenly interpreted as the "Eifel Cross") stands on an old Roman military road. For centuries, pilgrims from the Bonn-Cologne region have traveled this route to the grave of the Apostle Saint Matthias in Trier.This path is therefore also popularly known as the Pilgrim's Route. Another name is the "Piglet Route," because farmers and traders drove their cattle along the Afelskreuz to the markets in Kelberg and Mehren until the 1830s.It is noteworthy that the cities of Trier and Cologne are equidistant from the Afelskreuz (Afelskreuz), some 90 kilometers away. The Romans already established a well-developed network of paths, which can still be seen today. Hörschhausen was a junction of several Roman-era paths and roads. There was also a path from Hörschhausen to Bongard, which crossed the main road between Uess and Lieser at the Afelskreuz.
July 24, 2025
A beautiful, quiet place. I find it most beautiful in the early morning.
October 3, 2020
In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!