Lichtberg

The Lichtberg is a 465-metre-high basalt cone in the Hessian Rhön range. It belongs to the Hessian Kegelspiel, a group of similar volcanic hills in the Mittelgebirge. The hill stands 1.8 kilometres south-east of Eiterfeld village in the Fulda district. Nearby are the hamlets of Leibolz, Leimbach, Malges and the higher Rückersberg.

The hill is worth visiting for its geological interest. It is the eroded core of an old volcano, not a real cone. A former quarry on the north-west side shows basalt columns formed as the lava cooled. The Landesamt has recognised this site as a protected geotope. The columns stand in a dome shape, suggesting a lava lake once solidified deep inside the crater.

Paths lead up the Lichtberg from local roads and forest tracks. The summit offers views over the surrounding Rhön countryside. A small grill area occupies the old quarry, making a convenient rest stop. The basalt rock contrasts with the softer sedimentary layers around it. Visitors can see how erosion shaped the hill into its present cone form.