A ''Köte'' (also ''Köthe'') is the term used 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
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
for a
charcoal burner
A charcoal burner is someone whose occupation is to manufacture charcoal. Traditionally this is achieved by carbonising wood in a charcoal pile or kiln. Charcoal burning is one of the oldest human crafts.
History and technique
Medieval charc ...
'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 and a chemical reducing agent to an ore to extract a desired base metal product. It is a form of extractive metallurgy that is used to obtain many metals such as iron-making, iron, copper extraction, copper ...
of
ore
Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically including metals, concentrated above background levels, and that is economically viable to mine and process. The grade of ore refers to the concentration ...
s.
Today, ''Köten'' are used for
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
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
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 ...
hiking network
* ''Köte am Schindelkopf'' (), in the Osterode Municipal Forest east of
Osterode am Harz
Osterode am Harz (, ), often simply called Osterode (Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Ostroe''), is a town in south-eastern Lower Saxony in central Germany on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It was the seat of government of the ...
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