Eifel facts for kids
The Eifel is a mountain range mostly in Germany. The northern part is in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The southern part is in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
The very eastern part of Belgium (the High Fens and most of the German-speaking Community of Belgium) and the northern part of Luxembourg (the Oesling) are considered to be both parts of the Ardennes and parts of the Eifel.
The western border of the Eifel is at the Belgian and Luxembourgian Ardennes. The eastern border is at the Westerwald across the Rhine River. The southern border is at the Hunsrück across the Moselle River. The northern border is at the lower regions of the Rhineland.
Characteristics
The Eifel has hills up to about 700 metres (2,300 feet). They are made of slate and other stones. The highest hill is the Hohe Acht with an altitude of 747 metres (2,451 feet).
Few people live in the mountain range. It has many trees, reservoirs and rivers.
The biggest settlement is the city of Aachen at the northern edge.
Because of its elevation, temperatures are low.
Division
The Eifel is divided into:
- West Eifel (Westeifel): western part, partly in Belgium and Luxembourg
- East Eifel (Osteifel): central and eastern part
- Venn Foreland (Vennvorland): in the very northwest (around Aachen)
Language
Languages spoken in the Eifel are German, and in the Belgian and Luxembourgian parts besides German also French.
Three Central Franconian dialects of German are spoken in the Eifel:
- Ripuarian in the North Rhine-Westphalia part and bordering Belgium
- Moselle Franconian dialects in the Rhineland-Palatinate part and bordering Belgium
- Luxembourgish in Luxembourg and bordering Belgium
Images for kids
-
Eifel scenery
-
View of the Laacher See, one of the lakes in the Volcanic Eifel
-
View from the Raßberg of the striking dome of the Hohe Acht
-
Castle hill of the Nürburg from the air
-
The Aremberg and the village of Aremberg seen from the SSE
-
The Hochsimmer from the ENE
-
View from Houverath looking S to the Hochthürmerberg
-
The Prüm
-
Upper basin of the Rur Reservoir between Einruhr and Rurberg
-
Reservoirs of the Eifel that drain into the Rur
-
Dark argillaceous slate of the Siegen stage (deep Lower Devonian, between 410 and 405 million years old), near Monschau in the northern Eifel
-
The Richelsley, an erosion remnant of conglomerates of the Gedinne stage (deepest Lower Devonian, ca. 415 million years old), west of Monschau in the Belgian Eifel
-
The Laacher See in winter seen from the southwestern shore
-
The Weinfelder Maar
-
Map of the Eifel (Eyfalia) and adjacent lands in the year 1628; north is downwards
-
Ivory artifacts from the Magdalena Cave
-
Siegfried Line anti-tank barriers in the Eifel
-
The Eifel village of Bruch in the South Eifel
-
Lissingen Castle
-
Eltz Castle
-
Manderscheid castles
-
The Eifel Line (near the station of Speicher)
.JPG)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Eifel para niños
