Summit cross
Encyclopedia
A summit cross is a cross
on the summit
of a mountain
or hill
that marks the top. Often there will be a "summit register" (Gipfelbuch) at the cross, either in a container or at least a weatherproof case.
Various forms of other marking or symbol such as cairn
s, prayer flags or ovoo
s may be found around the world on passes and hills, in particular on sacred mountains
. In the Italian Alps a madonna
is sometimes placed at the summit instead of a cross.
Summit crosses are normally about two to four metres high and are usually made of wood or metal. In April 2010 the world's first glass summit cross was erected on the Schartwand (2,339 m) in Salzburg
's Tennengebirge
mountains. They are mainly found in Catholic regions of the Alps
, especially in Austria, Switzerland and Bavaria, but also in America. They usually stand on mountains, whose summit are above tree line, but they are also found
in the German Central Uplands
, for example in the Black Forest
on the Herzogenhorn
.
on the Mals Heath
, which also acted as a boundary marker, or crosses on the Arlberg
, the Gardena Pass or Birnlücke
. An early example of large crosses, visible from the valley floor, being set up on mountain tops, occurred during the first successful climb of Mont Aiguille
in 1492, when three crosses were put up at the corner of the summit plateau.
In the 16th century crosses were erected with increasingly frequency on mountain peaks, especially for the purpose of marking alpine pasture and municipal boundaries. In the 17th century, especially during the Thirty Years' War
, these religious symbols gained importance. The crosses of this period were mostly of simple, wooden crosses hewn from branches found near the site or house crucifixes
. During this time crosses were often made with two cross beams in the form of so-called patriarchal cross
es (or Scheyern crosses
). These "weather crosses" were intended to supersede the old pagan superstitions associated with thunder, storm and hail. Further layers of Christian imagery for the Romantic generation
made summit crosses a motif favoured by Caspar David Friedrich
more than one mystic landscape.
In the 19th century the summits of many mountains were adorned usually with simple, wooden crosses during the course of mountaineering
expeditions or survey
work, both of which were on the increase. Large summit crosses in the modern sense designed specifically for mountain tops by expert craftsmen were not really introduced until the end of the 19th century. One known exception is the Kleinglockner
and Grossglockner, which were given large summit crosses in 1799 and 1800 as part of their first ascent. These crosses, in addition to their religious function were also used, for example, as lightning conductors and fitted with meteorological instruments such as barometer
s. During the 19th century there were several attempts to erect secular symbols such as pyramids, obelisks or flags instead of crosses, usually dedicated to secular rulers. One example was the construction of the so-called Emperor Obelisk on the Ortler
in 1888. The 20th century introduced modern materials and technology: A summit cross erected in 1977 on Carrauntoohil, the highest summit in Ireland, originally featured a windmill that powered light bulbs on the cross.
That summit crosses express can be exemplified by the crosses erected and re-erected on the comparatively insignificant Butte de Warlencourt, a pre-Christian tumulus
on the Somme
, only some 20m above the surrounding terrain but a scene of intense fighting during World War I, when it was the objective of costly and fruitless British attacks during the battle of the Somme: "this pagan memorial was Christianized
by bombardment and large numbers of dead," claimed by a British cross (1917), then a German one (1918), which was removed during the interwar period and replaced by soldiers of the Wehrmacht, in "a symbolic conflict of ownership fought with cruciform images."
The erection of summit crosses experienced a boom in the early 20th century. Even after the Second World War, many new crosses were erected. Communities often organized this sometimes very expensive and logistically difficult task on very high mountain peaks in the memory of the fallen, and war veterans in particular were often involved in their installation. A famous example from this period is the cross at the Zuckerhütl
, whose construction was filmed in 1947, a year later. Today summit crosses are often put up by the local tourist association or the branch of the Alpine Club
.
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
on the summit
Summit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
of a mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
or hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
that marks the top. Often there will be a "summit register" (Gipfelbuch) at the cross, either in a container or at least a weatherproof case.
Various forms of other marking or symbol such as cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
s, prayer flags or ovoo
Ovoo
An ovoo is a type of shamanistic cairn found in Mongolia, usually made from rocks or from wood. Ovoos are often found at the top of mountains and in high places, like mountain passes...
s may be found around the world on passes and hills, in particular on sacred mountains
Sacred mountains
Sacred mountains are central to certain religions and are the subjects of many legends. For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to heaven or other celestial bodies...
. In the Italian Alps a madonna
Madonna (art)
Images of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child or Virgin and Child are pictorial or sculptured representations of Mary, Mother of Jesus, either alone, or more frequently, with the infant Jesus. These images are central icons of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity where Mary remains...
is sometimes placed at the summit instead of a cross.
Summit crosses are normally about two to four metres high and are usually made of wood or metal. In April 2010 the world's first glass summit cross was erected on the Schartwand (2,339 m) in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
's Tennengebirge
Tennengebirge
The Tennengebirge is a small, but rugged, mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps, which lies in front of the Eastern Alps for its entire length. It is a very heavily karstified high plateau, about 60 km² in area, with many caves...
mountains. They are mainly found in Catholic regions of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, especially in Austria, Switzerland and Bavaria, but also in America. They usually stand on mountains, whose summit are above tree line, but they are also found
in the German Central Uplands
Central Uplands
The Central Uplands is one of the three major natural regions of Germany and covers most of the land area of the country. To the north lies the North German Plain or Northern Lowland; to the south, the Alps and the Alpine Foreland.- Formation :...
, for example in the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
on the Herzogenhorn
Herzogenhorn
Herzogenhorn is a mountain of Baden-Württemberg, Germany....
.
History
By the end of the 13th century a few large crosses had been erected in passes and on hills. Examples from this period include the Confin Cross in St. ValentinSt. Valentin auf der Haide
St. Valentin auf der Haide is a village in South Tyrol in the parish of Graun im Vinschgau. The village on the Reschen Pass lies at a height of 1,472 metres between the Haidersee and Reschensee on the scree slope of the Mals Heath. St. Valentin auf der Haide has about 800 inhabitants who...
on the Mals Heath
Mals Heath
Mals Heath is a scree slope in the South Tyrolean Alps. This geological pile of rubble is covered today by blooming meadows and fields and extends from Glurns via Laatsch, Schleis, Burgeis and St. Valentin auf der Haide to Plawenn. On the southern part of the scree slope is the village of Mals....
, which also acted as a boundary marker, or crosses on the Arlberg
Arlberg
Arlberg is a mountain range or massif between Vorarlberg and Tyrol in Austria.The highest peak is the "Valluga" at . The name Arlberg derives from the tradition of the "Arlenburg," who are said to have once established themselves on the Tyrolean side of the Arlberg passes . Another story derives...
, the Gardena Pass or Birnlücke
Birnlücke
The Birnlücke is the border pass at the western end of the Hohe Tauern mountains in Austria, between the Venediger Group and the adjoining Zillertal Alps. The border between Austria and Italy has run over the pass since 1919...
. An early example of large crosses, visible from the valley floor, being set up on mountain tops, occurred during the first successful climb of Mont Aiguille
Mont Aiguille
Mont Aiguille is a mountain in the Vercors Plateau of the French Prealps, located south of Grenoble. It has a flat top, on which a small plane once landed, but is surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides. The mountain is most noted for its first ascent in 1492...
in 1492, when three crosses were put up at the corner of the summit plateau.
In the 16th century crosses were erected with increasingly frequency on mountain peaks, especially for the purpose of marking alpine pasture and municipal boundaries. In the 17th century, especially during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, these religious symbols gained importance. The crosses of this period were mostly of simple, wooden crosses hewn from branches found near the site or house crucifixes
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
. During this time crosses were often made with two cross beams in the form of so-called patriarchal cross
Patriarchal cross
The Patriarchal cross is a variant of the Christian cross, the religious symbol of Christianity. Similar to the familiar Latin cross, the Patriarchal cross possesses a smaller crossbar placed above the main one, so that both crossbars are near the top. Sometimes the patriarchal cross has a short,...
es (or Scheyern crosses
Scheyern Abbey
Scheyern Abbey, formerly also Scheyern Priory is a house of the Benedictine Order in Scheyern in Bavaria.-First foundation:...
). These "weather crosses" were intended to supersede the old pagan superstitions associated with thunder, storm and hail. Further layers of Christian imagery for the Romantic generation
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
made summit crosses a motif favoured by Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
more than one mystic landscape.
In the 19th century the summits of many mountains were adorned usually with simple, wooden crosses during the course of mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
expeditions or survey
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
work, both of which were on the increase. Large summit crosses in the modern sense designed specifically for mountain tops by expert craftsmen were not really introduced until the end of the 19th century. One known exception is the Kleinglockner
Kleinglockner
At the Kleinglockner is the third highest mountain in Austria. However, with a prominence of only 17 metres it is arguable whether it can be counted as an independent mountain, or just as a subpeak of the Großglockner. It lies in the Glockner Group of Austria's Central Alps, the middle section of...
and Grossglockner, which were given large summit crosses in 1799 and 1800 as part of their first ascent. These crosses, in addition to their religious function were also used, for example, as lightning conductors and fitted with meteorological instruments such as barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
s. During the 19th century there were several attempts to erect secular symbols such as pyramids, obelisks or flags instead of crosses, usually dedicated to secular rulers. One example was the construction of the so-called Emperor Obelisk on the Ortler
Ortler
Ortler is, at above sea level, the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps outside the Bernina Range. It is the main peak of the Ortler Range. It is the highest point of the Southern Limestone Alps, of the Italian province of South Tyrol, of Tyrol overall, and, until 1919, of the Austrian-Hungarian...
in 1888. The 20th century introduced modern materials and technology: A summit cross erected in 1977 on Carrauntoohil, the highest summit in Ireland, originally featured a windmill that powered light bulbs on the cross.
That summit crosses express can be exemplified by the crosses erected and re-erected on the comparatively insignificant Butte de Warlencourt, a pre-Christian tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
on the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
, only some 20m above the surrounding terrain but a scene of intense fighting during World War I, when it was the objective of costly and fruitless British attacks during the battle of the Somme: "this pagan memorial was Christianized
Christianised sites
One aspect of Christianisation was the Christianisation of sites that had been pagan. In the 1st centuries of Christianity churches were either house churches in whatever houses were offered for use by their owners, or were shrines on the burial-sites of martyrs or saints, which following the usual...
by bombardment and large numbers of dead," claimed by a British cross (1917), then a German one (1918), which was removed during the interwar period and replaced by soldiers of the Wehrmacht, in "a symbolic conflict of ownership fought with cruciform images."
The erection of summit crosses experienced a boom in the early 20th century. Even after the Second World War, many new crosses were erected. Communities often organized this sometimes very expensive and logistically difficult task on very high mountain peaks in the memory of the fallen, and war veterans in particular were often involved in their installation. A famous example from this period is the cross at the Zuckerhütl
Zuckerhütl
The Zuckerhütl is a mountain in Tyrol, Austria. At 3,505 metres , it is the highest peak of the Stubai Alps and at the southern end of the Stubaital....
, whose construction was filmed in 1947, a year later. Today summit crosses are often put up by the local tourist association or the branch of the Alpine Club
Alpine Club
The first Alpine Club, founded in London in 1857, was once described as:Today, Alpine clubs stage climbing competitions, operate alpine huts and paths, and are active in protecting the Alpine environment...
.
Sources
- Werner, Paul (1991). „Zum Beweise, daß wir dagewesen …“ Zur Geschichte unserer Gipfelkreuze. In: Ars Bavarica. 63/64, p. 112–143.
- Werner, Paul and Werner, Richhilde (1991). Vom Marterl bis zum Gipfelkreuz. Flurdenkmale in Oberbayern. Plenk, Berchtesgaden, ISBN 3-922590-62-4.
- Mathis, Claudia (Paganini, Claudia) (2007). Dem Himmel nah … Von Gipfelkreuzen und Gipfelsprüchen. 2. Auflage. Berenkamp, Innsbruck, ISBN 978-3-85093-149-6.