| RSS | EN | DE | EL | ES | FR | IT | RU

West Eifel Volcanic Field Volcano

Updated: Apr 23, 2025 11:25 GMT -
Volcanic field, maars, cinder cones
Germany, 50.17°N / 6.85°E
Summit height: 600 m / 1,969 ft
Current status: (probably) extinct (0 out of 5)

The West Eifel Volcanic Field of western Germany is located SW of the city of Bonn and covers an area of approx. 600 sq km. It contains approx. 240 cinder cones and explosion craters, often lake-filled, known as maars, as well as small stratovolcanoes.
Most of the volcanic activity in this area took place mostly in past 730,000 years, with the most recent eruption dating back little more than 10,000 years at the Ulmener, Pulvermaar, and Strohn maars.

[smaller] [larger]
Typical eruption style: explosive (strombolian)
West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano eruptions: 10,300 years ago

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and TimeMag / DepthDistance / Location

Background

The smaller, but better known, East Eifel Volcanic Field is about 40 km NE. Individual vents spread across a broad NW-SE-trending area extending about 50 km from the towns of Ormont on the NW to Bad Bertrich on the SE. Eruptions originated from a mantle plume through Devonian sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
Two-thirds of the volcanic centers in the field are scoria cones; lava flows have been produced from about half of them. About 30% of the centers are maars or tuff rings, many of which are occupied by lakes.
About 230 eruptions have occurred during the past 730,000 years. The latest eruptions formed the Ulmener, Pulvermaar, and Strohn maars around the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene.
The West Eifel volcanic field is part of the Vulkaneifel, a UNESCO Global Geopark property.

West Eifel Volcanic Field Volcano Photos

Significant volcanic eruptions: West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano

No historic eruptions are known from West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano, but evidence from at least 2 eruptions during the past 10,000 years can be found in the geological record.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of West Eifel Volcanic Field can be found on the news page of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano.
DateNoteVEIDeathsDamage
8300 ±300 y. BCStrohn, Pulvermaar?
8740 ±150 y. BCUlmener Maar?
Remark:
Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

West Eifel Volcanic Field Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano?

Latest satellite images

west-eifel satellite image sat1west-eifel satellite image sat2

West Eifel Volcanic Field Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of few kilometers)
Satellite/aerial-type map of West Eifel Volcanic Field volcano (scale of few kilometers)
Volcanoes & Earthquakes - new app for Android
Guaranteed tours
9-25 Jun 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)
27 Jun - 6 Jul 2025: Iceland Volcano Special - Iceland
7-23 Jul 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)
1-17 Aug 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)
1-14 Oct 2025: Desert, salt and volcanoes - Danakil desert (Ethiopia)
4-12 Oct 2025: From Stromboli to Etna - Sicily and Eolian Islands (Italy)
3-19 Nov 2025: Volcanoes and Spices - Sulawesi/Halmahera (Indonesia)
= spaces available   = guaranteed   = few spaces left   = booked out

On this page:

Try our free app!
Volcanoes & Earthquakes - new app for Android
Android | iOS version

More on VolcanoDiscovery

Why is there advertising on this site?

Support us - Help us upgrade our services!

We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world. Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.
We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please make a donation (PayPal).

Planned features:Thanks to your past donations, these features have been added recently:
Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:
Android | IOS
Thank you!
Sources: VolcanoDiscovery / VolcanoAdventures and other sources as noted.
Use of material: Most text and images on our websites are owned by us. Re-use is generally not permitted without authorization. Contact us for licensing rights.
Volcanoes & Earthquakes
VolcanoDiscovery Home
Volcanoes | Earthquakes | Photos | Volcano News | | Shop | App
Adventure & Study Travel
Tours to Volcanoes and Volcanic Areas: walking tours, photo tours, study tours
Tours & Dates | FAQ | About us
Get our newsletter!
Company info
Contact | Legal info | Terms & conditions
Follow us
Follow us on facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Twitter Visit our Youtube channel
EN | DE | EL | ES | FR | IT | RU
VolcanoDiscovery GmbH, Germany, Reg. nr.: HRB 103744, EU Tax Id: DE 297 465 123 owned and created by
Dr. Tom Pfeiffer, volcanologist, volcano photographer, tour organizer member of
IAVCEI
IAVCEI
Vulkanologische Gesellschaft
Volcanological Society
Ecotourism Greece
Ecotourism Greece
RUV insurance
Insured by R+V
VolcanoDiscovery © 2004- All Rights Reserved | Privacy - Cookie Settings