Page 307 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

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Among the interesting geophysical features of is the cultural aspect including the architecture
the Vulkaneifel are over 180 volcanic cones and from volcanic building materials or the recreational
remnant volcanic plugs, shield volcanoes, maars activities on or near the maars and the mountains,
and crater lakes, lava pits with tuff layers, lava flows the volcanic past is a major draw card of the
and basalt columns, cinder cones and ancient Vulkaneifel and offers holiday destinations for every
volcanic crater walls, colourful ash layers, columnar kind of visitor. Many people are repeat visitors who
jointing, hot and mineral springs, volcano museums have made the Eifel their annual holiday destination
as well as historic architecture using volcanic rocks for years, which is not uncommon in Germany.
as building material. However, the Eifel region is Tourism marketing generally includes the volcanic
also marketing a vast variety of recreational environment, and many sports activities are carried
attractions to cater for every taste and every out in close proximity to anything volcanic, as the
budget. All activities commonly refer to the dormant state of the Vulkaneifel allows for a
volcanic past of the Eifel and often include some completely different planning and infrastructure
form of educational experience or guided tours than those near active volcanoes.
with visits to interpretive centres where tourists
can learn about the history, the geology, culture References
and architecture while sampling the local cuisine,
tasting Vulkanpark butter or trying a beer from the Baales, M., Jöris, O., Street, M., Weninger, B. and
Vulkan Brewery (Bell GmbH, 2004). Wiethold, J. (2002) ‘Impact of the late glacial
eruption of the Laacher See volcano, Central
Commercial use of volcanic landforms Rhineland, Germany’, Quaternary Research, vol 58,
pp273–288
The thick basalt layers common to the region Baumgarten, J. (1884) Coblenz nebstAusflügen und
have been used as quarries for building material Rundreisen am Rhein, an Lahn und Mosel, sowie in der
and have been used since historical times to cut Eifel, Führer für Einheimische und Fremde, Mit einem
millstones (Meyer et al, 2007; Schmincke, 2009; Plane der Stadt und vier Spezitalkärtchen, Wilhelm
Vulkan Brauerei und Brauhaus, 2009). The Vulkan Groos Hofbuchhandlung, Coblenz, Germany
Brewery in Mayen was built on a lava flow, which Baumgarten, J. (1888) Mittelrhein: Mosel, Lahn, Eifel,
was used as a storage facility after excavation with Taunus und Westerwald, vierte Auflage, W. Groos,
a constant temperature of 6–8°C (Meyer et al, Hofbuchhandlung (Kindt and Meinardus), Germany
2007; Vulkan Brauerei Mendig, 2009) and is Bell GmbH (2004) ‘Burgfestspiele – Vulkane und
included as a tourist attraction with guided tours Wohlfühlen’, www.reisebuero-bell.de/servlet/de.
through the extensive lava caves. Not just the blueorange.xred.util.GetFile/?db=bell&tbl=int_xr
basalt layers were exploited; pumice deposits in edfile&key=id&keyval=801&imgcol=xred_file,
accessed 10 August 2009
the area of the Neuwieder Becken were mined as Blenke, R. (1879) Der Laacher See und seine vulkanische
well (Vulkan Brauerei und Brauhaus, 2009). Umgebung, Strüder’sche Buchdruckerei and
However, of late former quarries have been Buchhandlung in Neuwied, Germany
returned to nature and the establishment of special Bojanowski, A. (2007) ‘Forscher warnen vor Vulkangefahr
ecosystems and biotopes has been encouraged in der Eifel’, Spiegel Online, 13 February 2007, www.
(Schmincke, 2009) to offer visitors an insight into spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/0,1518,466051,00.
former volcanic activity and how nature is kind to html, accessed 20 June 2009
the scarred landscape by existing next to where Eifel Gästejournal (2010) Online Document: www.
man has exploited the volcanic deposits. eifel.de/go/gaestejournal/842.html, accessed 8
January 2010
Conclusion Frey, M. L., Schäfer, K., Büchel, G. and Patzak, M.
The Vulkaneifel has a long history of volcano (2006) Geoparks – A Regional European and
Global Policy, in Dowling, R. and Newsome, D.
tourism, even if this may go rather unnoticed by (eds) Geotourism, Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann
many visitors. However, the landscape with its Oxford, pp95–117
geological heritage is tightly interwoven with most Locator Map Vulkaneifel (2010) Locator map of
attractions and activities in this region. Whether it Landkreis Vulkaneifel in Rhineland-Palatinate,

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