Marienfeld, Former lignite mining site near Cologne, Germany

Marienfeld is a 260-hectare open field on the reclaimed site of the Frechen open-pit lignite mine, which operated from 1952 to 1986 and extracted coal from a depth of 250 metres. It lies west of Cologne in the Rhein-Erft district, bordered to the north by the Fürstenberggraben and to the south by the Kerpen-Türnich industrial area. At its centre stands the Papsthügel, a 10-metre-high earth mound with a base area of 15,000 square metres and a 3,500-square-metre top platform.

Lignite was mined here from 1952 to 1986, from a depth of 250 metres, and the open pit was backfilled and recultivated from 2003. The 260-hectare field was prepared from September 2004 for World Youth Day, and the Pope Hill was built after the groundbreaking on 31 March 2005. The hill remained after the installations were dismantled by December 2005.

The name Marienfeld refers to a Pietà carved around 1420 from French limestone, long venerated by pilgrims. The statue stood in the chapel at Alt-Grefrath, then in the Bottenbroich convent church from 1730; after that church was demolished in 1948, it was moved to Frechen-Grefrath, about 2 km away. A 10-metre wooden cross blessed at the site's inauguration on 10 October 2004 recalls this pilgrimage history.

The field is straightforward to walk through, with the hill offering a clear vantage point to survey the entire grounds. The space is open and exposed, so bring sun protection and consider wind conditions when planning your visit.

The central hill was constructed through an intensive building effort that required thousands of truck loads to move the necessary earth to the site. This earthwork was completed in a compressed timeframe to serve a singular massive gathering.