The best dog-friendly hikes and walks around Mendig

The Thürer meadows are beautiful in every season; with a bit of luck you might see egrets and other wildlife. It's always worth hiking there.

There are a variety of birds to observe at the lake

The water buffalo are impressive animals and ideally suited to the meadows of the NSG

The Votive Chapel is located near the Fraukirch Church. It was built in 1605 and is situated in the open countryside, where, together with the main church and the neighboring manor house, it forms a remarkable ensemble. The purpose of the chapel, as the name suggests, is a votive offering, a form of thanksgiving or vow to the Mother of God, thus underscoring the Fraukirch Church's role as an important Marian pilgrimage site. Inside the Votive Chapel is an important work of art, the so-called Chalice Angel Relief, sometimes also called the Chalice Angel Cross. This relief is also made of dark basalt lava and depicts a praying angel holding a chalice. Such depictions are often found on crosses or wayside shrines in the Eifel region, and the relief is considered particularly charming and a testament to the region's deep-rooted popular piety. The basalt cross near the chapel you mentioned could either be the chalice-angel relief itself, as it is often classified in this category, or another simple basalt cross (wayside cross) from the period. Basalt is a very commonly used and weather-resistant material for field monuments in the Eifel region. In summary, the votive chapel from 1605, with its basalt chalice-angel relief, represents an important element of the Fraukirch pilgrimage site, highlighting the tradition of Marian veneration and reflecting the local architectural culture with its basalt lava.

The Fraukirch is a very old pilgrimage church in the Eifel region. Strictly speaking, it belongs to the municipality of Thür in der Pellenz, but due to its location in the open fields and its regional significance, it is also often mentioned in connection with surrounding villages such as Trimbs. The origins of the Fraukirch, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, date back to the early Middle Ages. Excavations suggest that the current building was built on the foundations of a Franconian hall church from the 8th century, making it one of the oldest churches in the Eifel. The church building that survives today dates primarily from the early 13th century and was built in the Rhenish Transitional style. The nave still displays late Romanesque elements, while the choir is already characterized by early Gothic pointed arches. A special feature and a great distinction of the Fraukirch is its close connection to the Genoev saga. According to legend, Count Palatine Siegfried is said to have founded the church in thanksgiving for the miraculous rescue of his innocently slandered wife, Genevieve of Brabant, by the Virgin Mary. Inside the church is a remarkable, richly decorated high altar made of tuff stone from 1664, which, in addition to the Annunciation, also depicts the main scenes from the Genevieve Saga with impressive craftsmanship. The church also contains a tombstone, which is believed to be the gravestone of Count Palatine Siegfried and his wife, Genevieve. Fraukirch was a popular pilgrimage site for centuries. Another special feature near the church is the so-called "Golo Cross," the original parts of which are now housed in the church. It is an impressive stone cross made of basalt lava with an inscription of the "Salve Regina" from 1472. The name "Golo Cross" also refers to the Genevieve Saga and the treacherous court marshal, Golo. Until 1764, the church was the private church of the Bishop of Trier, then passed to the Maria Laach Abbey, and after secularization, it was auctioned off around 1804. Today, the complex consists of the church and a neighboring farmstead, with the church having belonged to the Catholic parish of Thür since a donation in 1906. It is idyllically situated amidst open fields and remains a destination for pilgrims from the region.

They are always friendly ;) nice place to take a break

The Golo Cross stands near Lake Thür. This is a replica from 2016. The original cross had to be evacuated because antiquities thieves destroyed it in an attempt to steal it. It now stands in the Fraukirch Church.

The chapel is a votive chapel with a canopy dating from 1605. It was located on the processional route that led from Mendig to Thür to the pilgrimage church of Fraukirch.