A ''Köte'' (also ''Köthe'') is the term used in the

Harz Mountains The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High Germ ...

of central

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

for a

charcoal burner A charcoal burner is someone whose occupation is to manufacture charcoal. Traditionally this is achieved by carbonising wood in a charcoal pile or kiln. Charcoal burning is one of the oldest human crafts. The knowledge gained from this industr ...

's hut (''Köhlerhütte''). A ''Köte'' was occupied by a charcoal burner in order to look after a nearby wood pile (''Kohlenmeiler''). The charcoal burner prepared the necessary charcoal for the

smelting Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore, to extract a base metal. It is a form of extractive metallurgy. It is used to extract many metals from their ores, including silver, iron, copper, and other base metals. Smelting uses heat and a c ...

of ores. Today, ''Köten'' are used for

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

purposes as shelters and rest stops for hikers.

Examples

There are replicas of ''Köten'' in the Harz, for example at these places: * ''Köte am Heidenstieg'' (), in the Schulenberg Forest northwest of and above

Schulenberg im Oberharz Schulenberg im Oberharz () is a village and a former municipality in the district of Goslar in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has been part of the town Clausthal-Zellerfeld Clausthal-Zellerfeld is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located ...

between the ''Großer'' () and ''Kleiner Wiesenberg'' () at about on the Heidenstieg; as No. 124 in the system of checkpoints in the

Harzer Wandernadel The Harzer Wandernadel is a system of hiking awards in the Harz mountains in central Germany. The hiker (or mountain biker) can earn awards at different levels of challenge by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and stamping his or ...

hiking network * ''Köte am Schindelkopf'' (), in the Osterode Municipal Forest east of

Osterode am Harz Osterode am Harz, often simply called Osterode (; Eastphalian: ''Ostroe''), is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It was the seat of government of the district of Osterode. Osterode is locat ...

on the northwestern slopes of the Schindelkopf (ca. ) at about on the Nassen Weg; as No. 143 in the system of checkpoints of the Harzer Wandernadel

Gallery

Harzköte.jpg, Typical ''Köte'' in the Harz Meiler 11.JPG, Completed '' Meiler'' with wind break, charcoal hut and fireplace

References

Informationstafe
''Eine Köte…''
(Foto), auf jensunterwegs.de ''Köte am Heidenstieg'':
– Topographische Karte mi
Wegabzweig bei der Köte am Heidenstieg
Wasserbehälters_''(Wbh)'';_ungefähre_Höhenlage_der_Köte_laut_Höhenlinie.html" ;"title="Wasserbehälter (Wasserwirtschaft)">Wasserbehälters ''(Wbh)''; ungefähre Höhenlage der Köte laut Höhenlinie">Wasserbehälter (Wasserwirtschaft)">Wasserbehälters ''(Wbh)''; ungefähre Höhenlage der Köte laut Höhenlinie/n in AK 5/2,5], auf natur-erleben.niedersachsen.de
– Harzer Wandernadel
''Stempelstelle 124 / Köte am Heidenstieg''
auf harzer-wandernadel.de ''Köte am Schindelkopf'':
– Topographische Karte mi

uf dem Bergnordwesthang; ungefähre Höhenlage der Köte laut Höhenlinie/n in AK 5/2,5 auf natur-erleben.niedersachsen.de
– Harzer Wandernadel
''Stempelstelle 143 / Köte Schindelkopf''
auf harzer-wandernadel.de {{DEFAULTSORT:Kote Vernacular architecture Buildings and structures in the Harz Charcoal