Stoppelberg

The Stoppelberg is an extinct volcano in Wetzlar, rising 401 metres above sea level in the northern Taunus range. Its basalt summit is the city’s highest point, standing among the wooded ridges of the eastern Hintertaunus. The Wetzbach stream flows past the western slopes, carrying water from the Lahn valley below. The hill’s volcanic core was exposed long ago by erosion, leaving a hard basalt plug that resisted wearing away. Archaeologists have found flint tools from the Middle Stone Age around its slopes, while Bronze Age burial mounds and Iron Age ramparts mark its past as a fortified settlement. A 1929 steel tower replaced an earlier wooden lookout, and a 48-metre radio mast now crowns the ridge, relaying programmes across central Hesse. Visitors follow forest tracks from nearby lanes to reach the summit, where the tower offers wide views over Wetzlar and the surrounding countryside. To the west lies the Kirschenwäldchen, a small settlement of weekend cottages with garden cafés, providing a quiet contrast to the open hilltop. The contrast between ancient stone, modern steel and quiet woodland paths makes the Stoppelberg a place where geology, history and everyday life meet.