Katzensteine, Natural monument near Mechernich, Germany.
Katzensteine is a rock formation made of red sandstone located in the Eifel region with several towering stone pillars that rise up to 15 meters high. The walls drop steeply on three sides and create a striking natural landmark in the surrounding landscape.
People settled in this area during the Stone Age, as shown by findings from archaeological digs. Romans later established a quarry here and extracted material from the red sandstone.
The site contains remnants of a small temple dedicated to goddess Diana, constructed using sandstone blocks extracted from the adjacent Roman quarry.
Two hiking paths lead to this site: an easier circular route of about 3 kilometers from Katzvey and a more challenging trail of about 14 kilometers from Kommern-Sud. The shorter route works well for a quick visit, while the longer path offers a full day of hiking.
The red color of the stones comes from finely scattered iron oxide particles in the sandstone, giving the site its distinctive appearance. This mineral composition is typical of many rock formations in the Eifel region.
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