The best traffic-free bike rides around Bollendorf

In the rock labyrinth of the Eulenhorst rock formation, you sometimes feel like you're getting lost among all the high rock crevices, passages, small stairs, etc. But you usually find the path again.

Beautiful viewpoint. Under the imposing wooden cross, the Sauer valley stretches out before you. Enjoy the panorama and - if necessary - you can rest on the bench. Beautiful viewpoint. Under the imposing wooden cross, the Sauer valley stretches out before you. Enjoy the panorama and - if necessary - you can rest on the bench.

At the end of the 18th century, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, also Duchess of Luxembourg, had the land surveyed by engineers and cartographers. Here, on the border between the possessions of the Abbey of Echternach and the County of Vianden, a boundary stone was erected on the site of a cross that had marked the border for centuries. The massive, square stone, over a meter high and 80 cm wide, now bears the name of the esteemed sovereign, the "Maria Theresa Stone". On the east side of the marker stone is the coat of arms of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation", the double-headed eagle. This testifies to the fact that the Abbey of Echternach was an imperial abbey directly subordinate to the emperor. The year of construction, 1771, is engraved above the imperial coat of arms. The coat of arms of the Counts of Vianden can be seen on the west side of the stone. The two crosses on the sides date from the Prussian era (1816). The border ran from the Maria Theresa Stone in a westerly direction through a deeply cut valley, popularly known as the "Moarkendell" - "boundary stone valley". The Moarkendell still marks the border between the districts of Bollendorf and Wallendorf today. (Felsenland Südeifel)

Beautiful place

Built in 1955 as a thank you for the return from Russian captivity of Johann Peter Colle

The name dates back to Maria Theresa (1717–1780), Archduchess of Austria and ruler of the Austrian Netherlands, which included the area around Bollendorf in the 18th century. Today, the Maria-Theresien-Stein primarily serves as a waypoint within the ‘Grüne Hölle’ (Green Hell) listening tour. It is integrated into the route guidance and is presented as a stop with scenic and historical significance during the tour.

Text according to the information panel: The large, sculpted stone was erected during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, around the 18th century. It marked the border between the lordships of Echternach and Vianden, thus forming the border region between the Duchy of Luxembourg and the Electorate of Trier. The east side of the stone displays the coat of arms of Echternach Abbey: Saint Willibrord with his bishop's staff. The west side, however, bears the coat of arms of the County of Vianden with a rampant lion. On the Echternach side, one can also see the letters A.O. (Abbatia Ordinis – Abbey Order) and E.E. (Echternachensis Ecclesiae – Church of Echternach). On the Vianden side, the letters C.V. (Comitatus Vianden – County of Vianden) can be read. The stone was restored and re-erected in the 1970s. Originally, it stood slightly further south, directly on the historical border. Today it is located on the hiking trail between Bollendorf and Wallendorf.

Perched atop a rocky plateau stands this simple summit cross, which gives the place its name. From here, an impressive view unfolds across the Sauer Valley, the wooded heights of the Eifel region, and as far as Luxembourg. The Kreuzlay is located on the Ferschweiler-Bollendorf plateau and is part of several popular hiking trails, including the Felsenweg 2 (Rock Trail 2) and the "Grüne Hölle" (Green Hell) route. The ascent leads along narrow paths and past rock formations. Due to its scenic beauty and geological significance, the Kreuzlay is considered one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Southern Eifel.