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 German ...

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 betwe ...

for a charcoal burner'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 ch ...

ore Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 April 2 ...

s. 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 between the ''Großer'' () and ''Kleiner Wiesenberg'' () at about on the Heidenstieg; as No. 124 in the system of checkpoints in the Harzer Wandernadel hiking network * ''Köte am Schindelkopf'' (), in the Osterode Municipal Forest east of Osterode am Harz 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 Wasserbehälter (Wasserwirtschaft)">Wasserbehälters ''(Wbh)''; ungefähre Höhenlage der Köte laut Höhenlinie/n in AK 5/2,5">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

[auf 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