The Hoher Stein is a

rock formation A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock formation'' can also refer to specific sediment ...

at the northeastern foot of the

Bergkopf The Bergkopf is an 857 metre high, thickly forested mountain in the Sparneck Forest in Germany's Fichtel Mountains. It lies in the northern chain of the Fichtel Mountain Horseshoe, near the crest of the Großer Waldstein. On its northern slopes ...

mountain, part of the Waldstein ridge in Germany's

Fichtel Mountains The Fichtel MountainsRandlesome, C. et al. (2011). ''Business Cultures in Europe'', 2nd ed., Routledge, Abingdon and New York, p. 52. . (german: Fichtelgebirge, cs, Smrčiny), form a small horseshoe-shaped mountain range in northeastern Bavaria ...

Appearance and location

The Hoher Stein rocks are about 25 metres high, their highest point having an elevation of . They are

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) 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 cools and solidifies undergro ...

rocks exhibiting spheroidal weathering. Iron ladders climb the rocks to a viewing point. The rocks are officially designated as

climbing rock A climbing rock (german: Kletterfelsen; regionally also ''Kletterfels'' or '' Klettergipfel'') is a term used especially in Germany for an individual rock formation, rock face or rock group on which climbing is permitted. Designated climbing rocks ...

s. The Hoher Stein lies west of the town of Kirchenlamitz and northeast of the

Großer Waldstein The Großer Waldstein is part of the Waldstein range in the Fichtel Mountains of Germany. It is known primarily for its rock formations caused by spheroidal weathering, its ruined castles and the only remaining bear trap (''Bärenfang' ...

mountain in the forest district of '' Hallersteiner Forst Süd''. Although the Hoher Stein is not far from another rock formation, the Kleiner Waldstein, they are only linked by circuitous routes. Sights in the vicinity are the source of the Lamitz and the

Epprechtstein The Epprechtstein is a mountain in the northern Fichtel Mountains in northeast Bavaria, Germany, . It is mineralogically the most interesting mountain in the entire Fichtel range. Around the summit there are about 20 quarries, in three of which Ep ...

History as a boundary stone

Today the rocks lie on the border between the Upper Franconian counties of Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge and Hof. In former times the political boundary between the districts of Sechsämterland and ''Landsmannschaft Hof'' ran here, something that goes back to the ''Landbuch der Sechsämter'' document of 1499 (see also Brandenburg-Kulmbach). The ecclesiastical boundary between the bishoprics of

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...

and

Regensburg Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...

also ran along the crest of the ridge. The

Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, also , german: Haus Hohenzollern, , ro, Casa de Hohenzollern) is a German royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenb ...

coat of arms (32 cm wide, 38 cm high) and two crosses (20 cm x 20 cm) have been carved into the rocks on their western side. On their eastern side there is another cross and an upward pointing arrow.

External links

Hoher Stein and Lamitzbrunnen
at the

Fichtelgebirge Club The Fichtelgebirge Club (german: Fichtelgebirgsverein or ''FGV'') is a large walking club and local heritage society in Bavaria and recognised conservation group with 20,000 members in 55 local groups. As the name says, its main sphere of activit ...

{{Coord, 50.1507, N, 11.8918, E, type:mountain_region:DE-BY, display=title Rock formations of Bavaria Fichtel Mountains

Appearance and location

History as a boundary stone

Further reading

External links