Promenade Closure
Permanent closure of the towpath and promenade along the Rhine near the Pfaffendorf bridge between the Weindorf and the palace steps.
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The Ufer-Bar is back!
From July 12th to October 6th, 2024, four Koblenz restaurants and a sparkling wine producer invite you to summer and early autumn evenings on the castle steps.
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Maria Laach

Peace and tranquility between Lake Laach and the Maria Laach Monastery.

Lake Laach enchants visitors with its idyllic landscape and the Maria Laach Abbey, which boasts a beautiful Romanesque abbey church and numerous attractions. Just 30 minutes from Koblenz, the Benedictine abbey of Maria Laach is located directly on Lake Laach. Here, landscape and culture, God's creation and human creativity merge into a place of relaxation and inspiration in a unique way. Today, the abbey is home to around 30 Benedictine monks who live according to the Benedictine rule "ora et labora". In the middle of Europe's "youngest landscape", the volcanic Eifel, Lake Laach was formed around 10,000 years ago by volcanic activity and the surrounding chain of hills. Founded in 1093, the monastery is home to a famous church whose stylistic purity makes it one of the most important Romanesque creations in Germany.

Maria Laach Monastery
Mann von hinten blickt auf das Kloster Maria Laach im Herbst © Koblenz-Touristik GmbH, Philip Bruederle

The unique view of Lake Laach is unmistakably characterized by the towers of the basilica of the Maria Laach monastery. In addition to the impressive abbey church, the monastery has a long tradition of craftsmanship, which is reflected in businesses such as the blacksmith's workshop and the ceramics factory. The public area of the monastery also offers a variety of interesting businesses, including the book and art shop, the monastery store with products from Laach manufactories, the exhibition garden of the art forge, the monastery nursery with garden center and the Tausend93 restaurant in the Seehotel Maria Laach. The Villa Reuter, the exhibition house of the Maria Laach carpentry workshop, also invites you to linger. The monastery restaurant offers attractively priced food, while the farm store in the visitor parking lot sells meat and products from organic farming in the Laach lake area.

The monastery forum provides insights into the life of the monastery in a 20-minute film in various languages. It also houses a small "monastery museum". Changing exhibitions on topics related to Maria Laach complete the offer. Groups can book guided tours of the abbey grounds via the monastery forum.
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From behind you can see the fountain in the Maria Laach monastery © Koblenz-Touristik GmbH, Philip Bruederle
The Lake
Dame in Kriegerstellung macht Yoga auf einem Baumstamm im Wasser beim Sonnenaufgang bei Maria Laach © Koblenz-Touristik GmbH, Philip Bruederle

In addition to the monastery's own businesses and the abbey church, Lake Laach contributes to the special recreational value of Maria Laach. At 3.3 square kilometres, it is the largest lake in Rhineland-Palatinate and attracts swimmers, sailors, surfers and hikers alike. The lake was formed around 12,900 years ago by the eruption of the Laacher See volcano, the volcanic origins of which can still be seen in the mofettes today. The beauty of the place is not only due to the lake itself, but also to the dense, reed-covered shores, which are dotted with water lilies and are a paradise for rare water birds. A walk around the "Blue Eye of the Eifel" offers the best opportunity to enjoy the idyll. Well-maintained hiking trails, Nordic walking routes and mountain bike trails invite you to exercise around Lake Laach. Those who prefer to experience the lake from the water can do so in a signposted area with pedal boats and rowing boats. A boat rental service, about 5 minutes from the monastery, offers this alternative perspective on the idyllic lake.

Maria Laach is a unique place that offers a rare power of regeneration in our hectic times. Maria Laach presents itself as one of the most attractive excursion destinations in Rhineland-Palatinate, which is why it is appreciated by over 700,000 visitors every year. Throughout the year, a wide variety of events attract visitors with a varied program for the whole family.
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Lady from the side looking at the sunrise at Maria Laach with the monastery and lake in the background © Koblenz-Touristik GmbH, Philip Bruederle
Lady in warrior pose doing yoga on tree trunk in water at sunrise near Maria Laach © Koblenz-Touristik GmbH, Philip Bruederle
Hiking and walking trails at Lake Laach
How about a walk around the lake or a hike on one of the numerous dream paths and dream trails near Lake Laach?
Experience Koblenz
Discover the city on the Rhine and Moselle according to your personal taste. Take a look at the various experience pages and plan your next vacation according to your wishes!
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Zwei Männer von der Seite halten Weingläser und blicken auf die Stadt Koblenz beim Sonnenuntergang © Koblenz-Touristik GmbH, Philip Bruederle

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