Genoveva cave

You will come across the legendary cave, which offered protection and refuge to humans for thousands of years, on a hike along the Eifelsteig or Römerpfad.

South of Kordel in the Kyll valley lies the imposing and legendary Genova cave high above the Kuttbach valley. The premium hiking trails Eifelsteig and Römerpfad guide hikers to this once hidden place in the middle of the forest. Millions of years ago, erosion, wind erosion and frost blasting defied the sandstone to form this shell-shaped cave in the massive rock. The rock section offered people protection from all kinds of dangers of nature - presumably for thousands of years. This is evidenced by finds from the Palaeolithic and Roman wall sherds to ceramics from the Middle Ages and even modern times. People built smaller huts in the interior of the cave. Once, the terraced natural structure could only be reached by ladders, ropes or climbing timbers - this thus also protected the inhabitants from wild animals.

The widest part of the cave is about 15 m, the ceiling is about 8-10 m above the floor. The steps to the cave were only carved into the rock by the Eifelverein in 1910. During a rest on the rock terraces, you can experience the sheltering feeling for yourself.

Caves have always had something mystical about them and have been the stuff of legends. And the Genoveva Cave also owes its name to a legend. It is said that Count Palatine Siegfried married Genoveva, the daughter of the Duke of Brabant. When Siegfried returned from a war, the steward Golo accused the countess of infidelity. Genoveva was then to be killed together with her son, but was able to flee with the child into the woods, where the two led a miserable life in the shelter of this cave. Years later, the Count Palatine found the two of them again during a hunt and took them back, repentant and full of joy.