Culture & Attractions

The few walls of the once stately Ulmen Castle rise above the steep bank of the Ulmener Maar. Only parts of the upper castle have survived for posterity.

The spa town of Manderscheid is most famous for two medieval castle ruins that stand directly opposite each other on steep mountain spurs not far from the town's alleyways. The massive complexes are separated only by the little Lieser river and a meadow, which in summer becomes a perfect place for a breather while hiking the Eifelsteig trail or for a family picnic with children. On a weekend in August, however, the castles and the meadow are ideal settings for a spectacular festival with quaint crafts, jugglers, jousting tournaments and minstrel singing. In Advent, the Manderscheid Castle Christmas lends the town a special magic. The freely accessible upper castle with its five-storey keep still looks martial today. The lower castle can be explored on guided tours - even at night - or on your own; it only remains closed in bad weather.

In 1787, Elector Clemens Wenzeslaus had the “Small Kurhaus” built according to plans by the court architect Andreas Gärtner in the style of the early French-inspired classicism.

Pass through the gateway to the centuries-old Himmerod Abbey and discover a time that seems long forgotten. The thick walls and small monastery farms of the Cistercian Abbey in the Salm Valley give you contemplative moments in the middle of the GesundLand Vulkaneifel.

The Catholic church in Manderscheid could probably tell many stories about the last centuries. It was first mentioned in 1330. It is called the Tree of Life Church because a tree of life in the form of a column grows from the baptismal font in the crypt.

The late Gothic-Era construction, in the Lutzather district of Driesch, was built at the end of the 15th century as a pilgrimage church in honor of the Mater Dolorosa (the mother of pain).