The Nonne (also ''Nonnenstein'') is a roughly 18-metre-high, isolated, standing sandstone rock and

climbing peak A climbing peak (german: Klettergipfel) may refer to a mountain or hill peak or a rock formation that has to be ascended by climbing. The term is common in Germany where it is specifically used of free-standing rock formations in the climbing region ...

in Saxon Switzerland in Germany. The rock is located southeast of Rathen, east of the rock chain of Rauenstein. In the Middle Ages the rock was used in the 15th century as a watchtower (''Burgwarte''), similar to that on the other side of the Elbe, Neurathen Castle. To that end the rock crevice below the summit plateau was widened into an artificial cave, used as a guardhouse. On the eastern side there are more traces of hammers. In addition, an artificial, earth embankment, about 35 m long, was built.

Archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

investigations ins 1963 brought to light pieces of ceramic, the

spindle whorl A spindle whorl is a disc or spherical object fitted onto the spindle to increase and maintain the speed of the spin. Historically, whorls have been made of materials like amber, antler, bone, ceramic, coral, glass, stone, metal (iron, lead, lead ...

of a

spindle Spindle may refer to: Textiles and manufacturing * Spindle (textiles), a straight spike to spin fibers into yarn * Spindle (tool), a rotating axis of a machine tool Biology * Common spindle and other species of shrubs and trees in genus ''Euony ...

, the site of a hearth and fragments of charcoal. In 1888 the Nonne was climbed for the first time for fun and without using ladders. Hitherto the rocks had always been climbed with the aid of ladders even after the watchtower had closed. The ''Alte Weg'' ("Old Way", grade II in the

Saxon climbing grade In rock climbing, mountaineering, and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a grade to a climbing route or boulder problem, intended to describe concisely the difficulty and danger of climbing it. Different types of climbing (such as spo ...

system) has since become a popular climbing route especially for beginners. This has however resulted in erosion damage on the surrounding areas of forest and hillsides.

Sources

*Peter Rölke (ed.): ''Wander- & Naturführer Sächsische Schweiz.'' Vol. 2, Verlag Rölke, Dresden, 2000,

External links

Rock formations of Saxon Switzerland Climbing areas of Germany Rathen {{SaxonSwitzerland-geo-stub