Idar-Oberstein

Agate and jasper were found in the volcanic rock of the Hunsrück and worked here from the Middle Ages on water-driven grinding wheels; when the local deposits ran out in the nineteenth century, emigrants to Brazil sent back agate and later other stones, and Idar-Oberstein reinvented itself as a cutting and trading centre for gems from around the world, a role it still holds. The Felsenkirche of 1482 is built into a recess in the cliff above the town, reached by a tunnel and steps. A historic water-powered cutting works operates at Weiherschleife, and an agate mine at Steinkaulenberg is open to visitors.

What you actually see

• The Felsenkirche - a church built into a recess in the cliff face.
• The water-driven cutting works - historic grinding wheels still turning.
• The agate mine - a visitable mine in the Steinkaulenberg.
• The gem museums - collections covering worldwide stones and the trade.

When to go

April to October; the mine and cutting works run seasonally. The church is reached by steps and a tunnel. Museums keep normal hours year-round.

Honest expectations

The mine and cutting works close in winter. The town is spread along a narrow valley and needs transport. Much stone sold is imported, as it has been for over a century.

Nearby

The Geierlay bridge lies north; the Nahe valley runs east.