Originally also called "Steintelberg", the 287 meter high Stenzelberg is located in the Siebengebirge southwest of Heisterbacherrott, only a few hundred meters away from the former Cistercian Abbey of Heisterbach.
Geologically, the Stenzelberg is a spring dome made from the volcanic rock Latit. The rising magma did not reach the surface of the earth, but got stuck in the surrounding tuff cover rock. The softer tuff was later removed by erosion, exposing the harder latite.
The Stenzelberg has been used as a quarry since the 11th century, where quartz-latite rock was extracted. Heisterbach Abbey also operated a quarry on the Stenzelberg. The excavated material was also used to erect the monastery buildings and the abbey church. Furthermore, stone from the Stenzelberg was used for the provost church in Oberpleis, the Nikolauskapelle in Heisterbacherrott and the Bonn Minster, and later also for the churches in Niederdollendorf, Oberdollendorf and Asbach. Operation of the quarry ended in 1931.
After the quarries were closed, a characteristic landscape developed on the Stenzelberg, which offers the special flora and fauna of a dry biotope.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Stenzelberg became a popular climbing area. The steep rock faces and the free-standing walkers were particularly inviting for sport climbing - the “Campanile Alto” and the “Campanile Basso” (“Campanile” actually refers to a free-standing bell tower, here are steep rock peaks).
Climbing was initially tolerated and then expressly forbidden in 2005 by the Rhein-Sieg district with reference to the nature conservation ordinance in the course of the recognition of the Siebengebirge as an FFH area (flora-fauna habitat) by the European Union.
Source: Rhineland Regional Council