The Joseph Cross (German: ''Josephskreuz'') is an

observation Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The ...

tower in form of a double cross on the 580-metre-high

Großer Auerberg The Große Auerberg is a hill, high, in the eastern Harz in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is a so-called double peak with summits that are 580.4 metres high (''Großer Auerberg'') and 580.3 m ...

near Stolberg (

Harz 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 ...

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 ...

. The Joseph Cross is a steel framework construction with a height of 38 metres and a weight of 125 tons, which was built between 20 April 1896 and 9 August 1896. The Joseph Cross was closed for visitors from 1987 to 1990, before being refurbished and reopened.

History

In the 17th century there was a timber-framed observation tower on the Auerberg that was demolished in 1768 due to disrepair and weather damage. In 1832, Count Joseph of Stolberg-Stolberg commissioned the Berlin architect,

Karl Friedrich Schinkel Karl Friedrich Schinkel (13 March 1781 – 9 October 1841) was a Prussian architect, city planner and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed both neoclassica ...

, to design a new tower, which a carpenter from Stolberg carried out. The topping out ceremony of Schinkel's wooden tower, built in the form of a double cross, was celebrated on 24 September 1833. On 21 June 1834, the tower was officially opened and named the "Joseph Cross" after its client.The "s" in the German name "Josephskreuz" is a link letter, not a possessive. Hence the translation "Joseph Cross", not "Joseph's Cross". The tower had no steps and could only be climbed by a ladder. In 1850 the cross-arms had to be renewed. In June 1880, the building was destroyed by

lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...

during a thunderstorm. Construction of a new Joseph Cross, designed by Otto Beißwänger, began on 20 April 1896. The tower took its shape of a double-cross from the original by Schinkel, but was, however, designed along the lines of Paris'

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed "'' ...

as a steel-framed structure, even components such as the arches between the legs being copied. The cost of 50,000 marks was born by the

House of Stolberg The House of Stolberg is the name of an old and large German dynasty of the former Holy Roman Empire's high aristocracy ('' Hoher Adel''). Members of the family held the title of ''Fürst'' and ''Graf''. They played a significant role in feudal ...

and the

Harz Club The Harz Club (german: Harzklub) is club dedicated to maintaining the traditions of the Harz mountains in Germany and looking after the walking trails in the Harz. It was founded in 1886 in Seesen and, today, has about 16,000 members in some 90 ...

. On 9 August 1896 the new Joseph Cross was inaugurated. In the 20th Century, the cross rapidly fell into ruin until it was closed to visitors in 1987 due its state of disrepair. In 1989 renovation was started and it was reopened on 28 August 1990.

Gallery

File:2007-04_Josephskreuz_01.jpg File:The Joseph Cross - P9220508.jpg File:Josephskreuz P9220524.jpg, Top of the cross File:The Joseph Cross - P9220481.jpg, Steps to the observation platform

Notes

External links

*
Joseph's Cross
a
Skyscraperpage.com
{{coord, 51, 34, 50, N, 11, 00, 20, E, type:landmark_region:DE-ST, display=title Buildings and structures in the Harz Observation towers in Saxony-Anhalt Buildings and structures completed in 1960 Towers completed in 1896 Karl Friedrich Schinkel buildings

History

Gallery

Notes

See also

External links