The Schiessentümpel is a small, picturesque waterfall in the Black Ernz. With its ornate stone bridge and impressive rock formations, this spot is one of the most popular excursion destinations in the Mullerthal Region - Luxembourg's Little Switzerland.
Today, when we talk about the Schiessentümpel, we also mean both the bridge and the waterfall. The sandstone bridge was built in 1879, and although it doesn't serve a practical purpose for mobility like other large bridges, it has been the symbol of the Mullerthal Region - Luxembourg's Little Switzerland since 1879.
Before 1879, the region was difficult to access, dangerous for humans, and was said to resemble a primeval forest and was called the "land of the wolves."
However, this changed in 1814 with the prominent visit of Joseph von Görres from Koblenz. Joseph von Görres was not only the director of school education for the Lower and Middle Rhine province, to which Luxembourg belonged at the time, but he was also a researcher for the newspaper "Rheinischer Merkur," published in the same year. Brussels journalist Victor Joly also wrote about Luxembourg in his travel book "Les Ardennes."
These two mentions and descriptions led people from neighboring countries to become familiar with Luxembourg and to become interested in visiting the region. The Luxembourgish state then established a better road and rail network. In 1873, a train station opened in Grundhof, and in 1877, the first funds were made available for the construction of a road between Grundhof and the village of Müllerthal. The connection between the village of Müllerthal and Breitler was also completed in 1881, making the village and the Schiessentümpel accessible from both sides.
The famous bridge, now a symbol of the region, was built in four months between March 20 and July 27, 1879, by stonemason Jean-Pierre Prommenschenkel from Christnach. During that time, the bridge was constructed with steam lime and sandstone and still stands as it was then. The wooden railing was added a little later and has been replaced several times over the years. The bridge, or rather the middle of the Black Ernz, represents the municipal boundary between Waldbillig and Consdorf.
Now celebrating its 140th anniversary, the Schiessentümpel is part of the country's cultural and tourist heritage.
To easily view the Schiessentümpel, there are two walking options: from the "Tourist Center Heringer Millen" along the local hiking trails (W6 & W7), after about 1 km, or from the nearest large parking lot between the village of Mullerthal and the intersection at the Breidweiler bridge on the CR121 road.
From the parking lot, it is about 500 meters to the waterfall. You can walk along the road or via Route 3 of the Mullerthal Trail towards Mullerthal.
Hike: W7 (10.2 km) Nearest bus stop: Schiessentümpel (Parking) (500 m), Mullerthal, Möllerdall (1 km), Mullerthal, Cascades (1 km)