Im Jahre 1919 erschien ein Reiseführer für die Amerikanischen Besatzungssoldaten. Selbstverständlich wurden dort auch die sehenswerten Orte des Waldeifeldreiecks Kyllburg, Malberg und St. Thomas erwähnt. Der Text ist hier im Original wiedergegeben und erstaunlich ist, dass er bis heute nicht seine Gültigkeit verloren hat.
Originaltext
Kyllburg, a small town of 1139 inhabitants, is one of the most visited summer resorts of the Eifel.
The position of the town, almost encircled by the river Kyll, is very picturesque. It is built on the slopes of a steep ridge of land, crowned by the “Stiftskirche”. This church, together with the ruins of the old castle, just beyond, form a fine picture.
Kyllburg had a castle as early as 800. A church had been built here already in 893. In 1229 a strong castle was erected on the site of the old one by Archbishop Theodoric II., Count of Wied, for keeping in check the robber-knight Rudolf of Malberg, who plundered wherever he could in the territory of the Archbishop of Treves.
The Stiftskirche was founded by Theodoric’s successor, Archbishop Henry of Vinstingen (1276).
It is a fine structure in Gothic style without aisles, containing stained-glass windows from 1533-35. The cloisters adjacent the church date from the 14th century.
The “Mariensäule” on the height, a modern stonetower about forty feet high, surmounted by a figure of the Blessed Virgin, commands a fine view.
Places of interest in the neighbourhood or Kyllburg are:
The châtau of Malberg, on the height above the villagc of Malberg, dating from the 18th century. Incorporated with this château is the old castle.
Malberg is mentioned as early as the 11th century.
St. Thomas contains a suppressed Cistercian mumery, founded in 1171. The church – built in the first half of the 13th century – is a remarkable specimen or the Transitional style. A number of mediaeval tombstones are extant.
