Eschfeld Between the Stations of the Cross and Church Art
Accommodation in Eschfeld
The Bunker Wall Stations of the Cross and St. Lucia Parish Church bring Eschfeld’s sacred art and local history to life. A former Westwall bunker was turned into a Stations of the Cross with 15 stations; the church brings together paintings, liturgical art and keepsakes from various centuries. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for a stay in Eschfeld, consider whether you are most interested in the Stations of the Cross, the church or the history of the painter-priest.
From Bunker to Stations of the Cross
The Bunker Wall Stations of the Cross were created in a former Westwall bunker. They were inaugurated on Palm Sunday, 12 April 1992. The combination of a military past and religious use gives the site a distinctive historical character: prayer services for parishioners of the pastoral unit are held there regularly. Many visitors from near and far spend some time at the Stations of the Cross.
St. Lucia and Its Art
St. Lucia Parish Church is listed in the Informative Register of Cultural Monuments in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm; the cited edition dates from June 2022. Around 15 19th-century slate grave crosses stand in the churchyard. An allegedly early Romanesque baptismal font is also located there.
More than 1,000 people and animals are depicted inside the church. The paintings were created by painter-priest Christoph März between 1906 and 1921. The furnishings also include an 18th-century monstrance containing relics of the other patron saints, Margaret, Stephen, Ulrich and Rochus. Church tours are available by prior arrangement. If you would like to see the paintings and furnishings in person, arrange a tour before your trip.
A Monument to the Painter-Priest
The Pfarrer-März monument in the church square commemorates the painter-pastor. The sandstone sculpture was made by Peter Weiland, a sculptor and artist from Irrhausen, and depicts the painter-pastor with a brush and palette. The plinth bears elaborately designed inscriptions. The monument was inaugurated on 9 June 2019. In Eschfeld, Christoph März is commemorated both through the church paintings created between 1906 and 1921 and through a monument inaugurated later.
More Places to Explore in Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm
The wider travel destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm offers additional cultural and scientific attractions. The Mühlenberger Stollen Bleialf Visitor Mine includes a mining trail with numerous information boards about the area’s mining history. One-hour tours of the tunnels explain ore mining in Bleialf, from geology to applied technology. Opening times vary by season; check tour dates in advance.
The Devonium in Waxweiler introduces complex concepts in palaeontology and the science of fossil life in a playful way. The Westwall Museum is housed on three accessible levels of a bunker and features a military history exhibition in underground corridors and rooms. The approximately 700-year-old Rittersdorf moated castle offers an impressive picture of late medieval and modern Renaissance residential culture; the castle has remained almost unchanged since it was built. It also houses a privately run restaurant serving refined regional cuisine. Check whether the restaurant is open before your visit.
When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to decide what you would most like to focus on: here, Eschfeld offers Stations of the Cross, church art and a tribute to the painter-priest; the examples elsewhere in Eifelkreis broaden the range of themes to include mining, palaeontology, military history and castle culture. Let your search reflect which of these interests you would like to shape your stay.
Discover more destinations: Lützkampen, Hargarten, Olmscheid, Lauperath, Herzfeld, Leidenborn, Großkampenberg, Plütscheid
Back to the main travel overview: Arzfeld.
