Römersteinbruch bei Andernach, Ancient stone quarry near Andernach, Germany.
Römersteinbruch bei Andernach is a basalt quarry in the Osteifel region with exposed rock formations and multiple extraction sites scattered across the volcanic landscape. The site displays different quarrying levels and stone walls that show the scale of historical stone removal.
Roman workers opened this quarry more than 2000 years ago, extracting basalt blocks for major building projects like the stone pier bridge at Trier. Work continued through medieval times, showing how long this stone source remained valuable.
The quarry walls show old tool marks and wedge holes that visitors can spot today, revealing how workers shaped stone differently across centuries. These marks tell the story of techniques that changed from the Roman period through the Middle Ages without needing written records.
The site is accessible via several marked hiking trails with information boards explaining historical extraction methods. These paths take visitors through different sections of the quarry, allowing views from various vantage points.
The quarry has become a nesting ground for eagle owls and peregrine falcons, which breed on the artificial cliff walls. These birds of prey have adapted to use the stone faces as ideal breeding sites despite the site's original purpose as a stone source.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
