Tomburg Round

CASTLE, BASALT, AND IRON ORE
High up on the volcanic cone of the Tomberg, around the year 900, Count Palatine Hermann built his manor. The mountain itself provided the basalt rock as building material. After a tumultuous history, in the 14th century, bandits lived on the Tomburg, raiding trade transports on the Aachen-Frankfurt military road. In 1473, the castle was besieged and largely destroyed by the Duke of Jülich. Afterwards, the mountain and remaining castle ruins served as a basalt quarry for a long time. The interest around the Tomberg focused on another treasure: The prominently visible 316-meter-high mountain marked the border between two mining fields for iron ore extraction around 1860.

THE TOMBURG CIRCUIT
The Tomburg Circuit is 9.8 km long and mostly runs through the diverse forests of the nature reserves "Rheinbacher Wald" and "Tomberg". Basalt and iron ore were once mined here. Along the circular path, rare warm-loving plants such as black horehound and service tree can be discovered due to the special microclimate. A few moderate ascents along the way are always rewarded with beautiful views. The highlight of the hike is the castle ruins with the summit view from Tomberg over the Drachenfels region and the Kottenforst forest to the distant Siebengebirge mountains. For more information on the route, visit the tour tip.