Mayen: Genovevaburg castle, slate mine and Lukasmarkt fair
Familie Hahn
Your hosts at Waldsee Rieden
4 min read
The town on your doorstep
If you are staying by the lake, you drive to Mayen for the weekly shop, a doctor’s appointment or a stroll through town. Around 13 kilometres, a good 15 minutes. That makes the town the practical port of call for guests — and a rewarding half-day out.
Mayen was first recorded in 1041 and was granted town rights in 1291. In early 1945, during the Second World War, the town was almost completely destroyed; much of what looks historic today is in fact rebuilt. That takes nothing away from its appeal, but it does explain why the old town feels different from, say, Monreal.
Slate is what shaped the place. It was quarried here for centuries and the town lived off it. That is exactly the story its two best museums tell.
The Deutsches Schieferbergwerk slate mine
The visitor entrance is below the Genovevaburg. From there you go 16 metres underground into a 340-metre labyrinth of galleries.
What makes the visit: this is no reconstruction in a museum hall, it is a real mine. Inside the rock it stays at a constant 8 °C all year round — take a jacket, even in August. For children it is the day out that sticks in the memory, and on a wet day it is the obvious first choice.
Opening hours 2026: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–17:00, closed on Mondays. Winter closure from 15 January to 15 February.
The Eifelmuseum
A common misunderstanding: “Eifelmuseum", “Schieferbergwerk" and “Erlebniswelten Grubenfeld" are not three separate museums but three sections under the roof of the Eifelmuseum:
| Section | What to expect |
|---|---|
| EifelTotal | The region from its volcanic beginnings to the present day |
| Deutsches Schieferbergwerk | The mine galleries beneath the castle |
| Erlebniswelten Grubenfeld | The historic quarrying site above ground |
Prices 2026: adults 6.00 €, concessions 3.50 €. Combined ticket for two sections 9.00 € (concessions 5.00 €), premium ticket for all three 12.00 € (concessions 6.50 €).
Opening hours, Erlebniswelten Grubenfeld: closed on Mondays and Fridays, winter closure from 2 November to 15 March.
The Genovevaburg: with one important caveat
The castle was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier. Its landmark is the Goloturm, 34 metres high.
What you need to know at the moment: the upper castle is being fully restored and is closed to visitors for the foreseeable future. In the meantime the Eifelmuseum exhibitions are all housed in the lower castle. Completion is currently scheduled for December 2027.
So if you are driving to Mayen to look round the castle, it is worth knowing this beforehand. The mine and the exhibitions are not affected.
Burgfestspiele: a new venue for 2026
The Burgfestspiele are Mayen’s cultural flagship. In 2026 and 2027, though, they are not staged in the castle courtyard but, because of the restoration work, on the square in front of the Herz-Jesu church in the town centre. The second venue remains the small stage at the Altes Arresthaus.
The 2026 season runs under the motto “HEIMAT! LOS!" and opened on 31 May with the family show “Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten". Six in-house productions in all. About Mario Adorf: the actor grew up in Mayen, was an honorary citizen of the town and for many years the patron of the Burgfestspiele. He died in Paris on 8 April 2026 at the age of 95.
The Lukasmarkt fair: the real highlight
In the Lukasmarkt, Mayen has the largest funfair in northern Rhineland-Palatinate. In 2026 the 621st Lukasmarkt runs from 10 to 18 October.
- around 250,000 visitors over nine days
- Free entry
- Horse market show programme on 13 October
- Sheep market on 14 October
If you are staying at the Waldsee in October, this is the date you plan your week around. And for us it is the reason an autumn booking is such good value — there is more on that in our article The Eifel in autumn.
More sights worth seeing
- Obertor — 34 metres high, built between 1299 and 1354, part of the old town fortifications
- St Clemens — the parish church with its distinctive twisted spire
- Altes Arresthaus — today a venue for the Burgfestspiele
- Herz-Jesu-Kirche — in 2026 and 2027 with the big festival stage on the square in front
Getting there and practical details
By car: via the A48 (Mayen exit) or the A61. Around 13 kilometres from Rieden.
By train: Mayen has two stations, Mayen Ost and Mayen West. They are served by the RB 38 (Andernach – Mayen – Kaisersesch) and the RB 23 (Limburg – Koblenz – Andernach – Mayen Ost), both mostly hourly.
Transport network: Mayen is part of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel (VRM).
Tourist information: in the Theodore-Dreiser-Haus by the Obertor, shared with the town library. Open Monday to Friday 9:00 to 14:00.
Your base for exploring
This destination is within easy reach of our holiday homes
Three holiday homes with their own outdoor sauna, whirlpool bath and wood-burning stove on the Sonnenterrasse by the Riedener Waldsee. This is where every day out in the Eifel begins.
Familie Hahn
Susanne, Carmen and David Hahn rent out the three holiday homes on the Sonnenterrasse in Rieden and have known the Eifel for more than ten years.
