Lasel: Nims, St. Helena’s Church and a Winter Tradition

Lasel can be explored through three themes: its location on both sides of the Nims, the Catholic Church of St. Helena, and a winter tradition involving a large wooden cross wrapped in straw. Each offers a different way to get to know the destination: the river setting describes the town’s geography, while the church’s architectural history and local customs offer historical and cultural perspectives.

Lasel and the Nims

The Nims flows through Lasel, and the town lies on both sides of the river. This makes the Nims a tangible geographical landmark for finding your way around. You can distinguish the town’s riverside location as a geographical feature of Lasel from the historical themes associated with the church and local tradition.

Church of St. Helena: Architectural History and Interior

The Catholic Church of St. Helena was built between 1885 and 1896 in the Neo-Gothic style, to plans by Gabriel Krekeler, an architect from Prüm. Neo-Gothic draws on Gothic design elements, placing the building within a clearly defined architectural movement. The church is also notable for the complete preservation of its original furnishings and painted decoration: St. Helena is one of the few sacred spaces from this period where both have been preserved. The painted decoration refers to the use of color in the church interior; together with the furnishings, it offers a distinctive perspective on the interior design.

An earlier historical reference dates back to 1346, when Pope Clement VI granted an indulgence for the Church of St. Helena in Lasel. This was more than five centuries before the church was built between 1885 and 1896. The dates mark different historical periods: the indulgence is a medieval reference to the church, while the construction period relates to the Neo-Gothic church building. This makes it possible to understand the two historical aspects without conflating them as a single building event.

A Tradition After Carnival

On the Sunday of the first weekend after Carnival, winter is symbolically burned in Lasel in the form of a straw figure. For the tradition, a large wooden cross wrapped in straw is erected and set alight at the exit from town toward Feuerscheid. The timing, actions and location give the tradition a clearly defined sequence. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the date in advance.

More to Explore in the Wider Destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm

The wider destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm offers other cultural and educational highlights, ranging from mining and paleontology to military history and castle culture.

The Mühlenberger Stollen Bleialf Visitor Mine includes a mining trail with numerous information boards about the area’s mining history. One-hour guided tours of the Mühlenberger Stollen explain ore mining in Bleialf, from geology to applied technology. If you plan to include a tour in your itinerary, check the current dates in advance.

The Devonium in Waxweiler presents complex concepts in paleontology and the science of fossil life in a playful way. The Westwall Museum offers a different focus: housed across three accessible floors of a bunker, it features a military history exhibition in underground corridors and rooms. The themes therefore offer different perspectives, from fossil life and mining to military history.

The water castle of Rittersdorf, around 700 years old, has remained virtually unchanged since it was built and offers an impressive picture of late medieval and modern Renaissance residential culture. The castle houses a privately run restaurant serving fine regional cuisine. If you would like to include the restaurant in your itinerary, please check whether it is open before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Obermehlen, Nimsreuland, Orlenbach, Willwerath, Pittenbach, Großlangenfeld, Brandscheid, Nimshuscheid.

To the wider travel overview: Prüm.