The ''Roßtrappe'' is a

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

crag Crag may refer to: * Crag (climbing), a cliff or group of cliffs, in any location, which is or may be suitable for climbing * Crag (dice game), a dice game played with three dice * Crag, Arizona, US * Crag, West Virginia, US * Crag and tail, a ...

in the

Harz mountains The Harz (), also called the Harz Mountains, is a Mittelgebirge, 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 nam ...

of central Germany. The ''Roßtrappe'' rises over the

Bode Gorge The Bode Gorge () is a long ravine that forms part of the Bode (river), Bode valley between Treseburg and Thale in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. The German term, ''Bodetal'' (literally "Bode Valley"), is also used in a wider sense to r ...

in the Harz. It may be reached from

Thale Thale () is a town in the Harz (district), Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany. Located at the steep northeastern rim of the Harz mountain range, it is known for the scenic Bode Gorge stretching above the town centre. Geography The ...

by road, on foot or on via the

Rosstrappe Chair Lift The Rosstrappe Chair Lift () is a 559-metre-long single-seater chairlift built in 1980 by the firm of Chrudrim. It runs from Thale in the Bode Gorge taking eight minutes to reach the rock massif of the Roßtrappe. The Rosstrappe Chair Lift climbs ...

. On the rocks is a mountain hotel with an observation terrace as well as the upper station for the chair lift. Nearby is the ''Winzenburg'', a

refuge castle A refuge castleCreighton, Oliver (2015). ''Early European Castles''. Bloomsbury. or refuge fort (, also ''Fluchtburg'', ''Volksburg'', ''Bauernburg'' or ''Vryburg'') is a castle-like defensive location, usually surrounded by Rampart (fortification ...

in area with a

rampart Rampart may refer to: * Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement Rampart may also refer to: * LAPD Rampart Division, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department ** Rampart scandal, a blanket ter ...

made of stone blocks and earth, which has been used since the

New Stone Age The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide- ...

as a refuge for up to 100 people. In 1860 the Winzenburg Tower was built there; an

observation tower An observation tower is a tower used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision to conduct long distance observations. Observation towers are usually at least tall and are made from stone, iron, and woo ...

which is now closed. Rosstrappe 3

From the Rosstrappe there is a view of the rocks on the '' Hexentanzplatz'', ("Witches Dance Floor") the ''Steinerne Kirche'' ("Stone Church"), the Bode Gorge, the Harz Foreland, the town of Thale and the highest peak in the Harz, the

Brocken The Brocken, also sometimes referred to as the Blocksberg, is a mountain near Schierke in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, between the rivers Weser River, Weser and Elbe. The highest peak in the Harz mountain range, and in Northern Germany, ...

. According to legend, a giant by the name of ''Bodo'' once followed the king’s beautiful daughter, ''Brunhilde'', whom he wanted to marry against her will. ''Brunhilde'' escaped on a white stallion (), but was suddenly confronted by a deep ravine. Her horse leapt in one bound to the rocks on the other side, but her pursuer fell into the depths below. The impression of the horse’s hoof may still be seen today. The giant ''Bodo'' gave his name to the small river, the Bode. Scientists suspect that this imprint in the rock is the weathered remains of a Germanic altar basin. From the ''Roßtrappe'' visitors can climb down into the Bode Gorge on the Schurre, a path laid in zigzags. The President’s Way (''Präsidentenweg''), about 4 km, is the recommended path to climb from the gorge to the rock outcrop. The Roßtrappe is no. 71 in the system of check points on the ''

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

'' walking trail network. Since the middle of the 19th century there has been a mountain hotel with the same name at the entrance to the ''Roßtrappe''.

Photographs

File:Rosstrappe Bodetal 1900.jpg, Hotel ''Roßtrappe'' around 1900 File:Rosstrappe.jpg, Hoofmark on the ''Roßtrappe'' File:Rosstrappe(1).jpg, ''Roßtrappe'' wishing well File:Bodetal2.jpg, View of the ''Roßtrappe'' from the ''Hexentanzplatz'' File:Sessellift Rosstrappe.jpg, Chair lift to the ''Roßtrappe'' File:Rosstrappemasiv.jpg, The ''Roßtrappe'' massif

External links

Legend of the ''Roßtrappe'' (German)

The legend of the ''Roßtrappe''. Text and illustrations (German)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosstrappe Rock formations of Saxony-Anhalt Rock formations of the Harz Thale Natural monuments in Saxony-Anhalt

Photographs

See also

External links