Roßtrappe
Encyclopedia
The Roßtrappe is a 403 m high granite
crag
in the Harz mountains of central Germany
.
The Roßtrappe rises high over the Bode Gorge
in the Harz. It may be reached from Thale
by road, on foot or on a chair lift. On the rocks is a mountain hotel with an observation terrace as well as the upper station for the chair lift.
Nearby is the Winzenburg, a refuge castle
25 hectares (61.8 acre) in area with a 500 m long rampart
made of stone blocks and earth, which has been used since the New Stone Age as a refuge for up to 100 people. In 1860 the Winzenburg Tower was built there; an observation tower
which is now closed.
From the Rosstrappe there is a view of the rocks on the Hexentanzplatz
, ("Witches Dance Floor") the Steinerne Kirche ("Stone Church"), the Bode Gorge, the Harz Foreland, the town of Thale and the highest peak in the Harz, the Brocken.
According to legend, a giant by the name of Bodo once followed the king’s beautiful daughter, Brunhilde, whom he wanted to marry against her will. Brunhilde escaped on a white stallion , but was suddenly confronted by a deep ravine. Her horse leapt in one bound to the rocks on the other side, but her pursuer fell into the depths below. The impression of the horse’s hoof may still be seen today. The giant Bodo gave his name to the small river, the Bode
.
Scientists suspect that this imprint in the rock is the weathered remains of a Germanic
altar basin.
From the Roßtrappe visitors can climb down into the Bode Gorge on the Schurre
, a path laid in zigzags. The President’s Way (Präsidentenweg), about 4 km, is the recommended path to climb from the gorge to the rock outcrop.
The Roßtrappe is no. 71 in the system of check points on the Harzer Wandernadel
walking trail network.
Since the middle of the 19th century there has been a mountain hotel with the same name at the entrance to the Roßtrappe.
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
crag
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
in the Harz mountains of central Germany
Central Germany (geography)
In geography, central Germany describes the areas surrounding the central point of modern-day Germany.The town of Niederdorla, in the state of Thuringia, claims to be the most central town in Germany...
.
The Roßtrappe rises high over the Bode Gorge
Bode Gorge
The Bode Gorge is a long, ravine that forms part of the Bode valley between Treseburg and Thale in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. The German term, Bodetal , is also used in a wider sense to refer to the valleys of the Warme and Kalte Bode rivers that feed the River Bode.At the Bode Gorge,...
in the Harz. It may be reached from Thale
Thale
Thale is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the river Bode, approximately 8 km west of Quedlinburg. It is the terminus of the Magdeburg–Thale railway.- History :...
by road, on foot or on a chair lift. On the rocks is a mountain hotel with an observation terrace as well as the upper station for the chair lift.
Nearby is the Winzenburg, a refuge castle
Refuge castle
A refuge castle is a castle-like defensive location, usually surrounded by ramparts, that is not permanently occupied but acts as a temporary retreat for the local population when threatened by war or attack...
25 hectares (61.8 acre) in area with a 500 m long rampart
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
made of stone blocks and earth, which has been used since the New Stone Age as a refuge for up to 100 people. In 1860 the Winzenburg Tower was built there; an observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
which is now closed.
From the Rosstrappe there is a view of the rocks on the Hexentanzplatz
Hexentanzplatz (Harz)
The Hexentanzplatz in the Harz mountains is a plateau , which lies high above the Bode Gorge, opposite the Rosstrappe in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.- History :...
, ("Witches Dance Floor") the Steinerne Kirche ("Stone Church"), the Bode Gorge, the Harz Foreland, the town of Thale and the highest peak in the Harz, the Brocken.
According to legend, a giant by the name of Bodo once followed the king’s beautiful daughter, Brunhilde, whom he wanted to marry against her will. Brunhilde escaped on a white stallion , but was suddenly confronted by a deep ravine. Her horse leapt in one bound to the rocks on the other side, but her pursuer fell into the depths below. The impression of the horse’s hoof may still be seen today. The giant Bodo gave his name to the small river, the Bode
Bode
Bode may refer to:in people by surname:*Boyd Henry Bode , American academic and philosopher*Bruce Bode, MD, FACE, American diabetes specialist*Denise Bode , American politician*Erin Bode, American singer...
.
Scientists suspect that this imprint in the rock is the weathered remains of a Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
altar basin.
From the Roßtrappe visitors can climb down into the Bode Gorge on the Schurre
Schurre
The Schurre is a stone run in the Bode Gorge in the Lower Harz near Thale in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The stone run is slowly slipping downhill, the sliding of its boulders being audible especially during periods of heavy rain....
, a path laid in zigzags. The President’s Way (Präsidentenweg), about 4 km, is the recommended path to climb from the gorge to the rock outcrop.
The Roßtrappe is no. 71 in the system of check points on the Harzer Wandernadel
Harzer Wandernadel
The Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
walking trail network.
Since the middle of the 19th century there has been a mountain hotel with the same name at the entrance to the Roßtrappe.