Großer Winterberg
Schrammsteine with the Great Winterberg in the background
The Great Winterberg ( 556 m above sea level. HN ) is the second highest peak in the Saxon Switzerland in the Free State of Saxony. The mountain is in the upper part of basalt, the base is made of ashlar sandstone. About the south side of the state line passes to the Czech Republic.
Origin of the name
In the Middle Ages, it was called Winterberg. Because of its relatively large amount borne by the mountain, in contrast to its surroundings longer and more frequent solid snow.
Location
The Great Winterberg is located in the rear Saxon Switzerland; the flanks of the mountain reach over into the neighboring Bohemian Switzerland. At the foot of the mountain - Located on the Elbe - are the small towns and Schmilka Hřensko ( Herrnskretschen ). The Great Winterberg is part of a larger, contiguous mountain range, which includes computer northerly little Winterberg also includes the rocky areas of the Apes stones and Schrammsteine . In the southeast side of Winterberg massif is the Prebischtor ( tschech.: Pravčická brána ), the largest natural sandstone rock bridge in Europe.
History
The Great Winterberg belonged to the rule Wildenstein, later the Lords of Wartenberg. This gave him in 1492 against payment of 1200 Rhenish gulden, but kept the whole southern slope to Kamnitz. This limit - today's border with the Czech Republic - has now existed for 1492 unchanged to this day.
Already in 1819 the first guest house was built on the south summit through the forest Treasury. First tenant was a Mr. Peschke of light grove. August von Goethe stayed here in June 1819 and wrote. " There is here a small Haeusgen where you will be well entertained, beer, rum, etc. are good too, we met here two Czech musicians with harps which quite like singing and played and were surprising for the whole society. "
But the house burned down in 1821, but was rebuilt. 1827 was operated by Friedrich Buettner. The first view framework was built on the summit in 1835. In the years 1840-1846 the still existing mountain hotel built in the Swiss style house with a lookout tower on the north summit. The building is now a protected monument.
1854 took over the son Mr. Hangman Gasthaus and managed at the same time, the inn at Lichtenhainer waterfall. 1880 took over Hugo lashing the economy on the Great Winterberg. 1898 Charles Praetorius went on the Great Winterberg, he came from the Hotel Anker in Schandau. In 1918, his son Charles Praetorius operation. After the death of Charles Praetorius in 1929, the widow managed the operation on.
Since 1945, the Great Winterberg was no longer under the forest tax authorities, but the trade association Bad Schandau and Pirna district. Mrs Olly Praetorius was until 1 July 1964 the mountain, supported by the managing director Robert Uhlig. From 1 July 1964 to 1966, the restaurant HO- operation was headed by Heinz Hartig. From 1966 to 1968 Mr. Weibert was managing director. During the suppression of the Prague Spring, from August 1968 to May / June 1969, the Great Winterberg was occupied by the Red Army. He then served as a dormitory for the customs administration. Pentecost in 1973 took over the VEB transport and civil engineering Dresden the complex as company holidays home. Between 1990 and 1994, the building stood empty since May 1994 farming Marc Henkenjohann and Marcus Ziegler from Dresden on a long lease.
In the 1990s, an information center of the National Park Saxon Switzerland was in a vacant building, the ice house, furnished.
View
From the tower a more panoramic view of the lonely forest and rocky landscapes of the Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland is possible. In the east, the view of the distinctive conical shapes of the mountains sweeps in the Lusatian mountains to the more than 90 km away silhouette of Jizera and Giant Mountains. To the southwest, the gently undulating plateau of the Ore Mountains spreads, in the south, the mountains of the Bohemian Uplands shows the rugged Milešovka ( Milleschauer ). To the north- west, the view over the Elbe valley across to Collmberg Oschatz.
Way to the summit
Good starting point is the small town Schmilka, from there run several different routes to the summit. About the Great Winterberg also runs the European long-distance hiking trail E3, the International Mountain trail Eisenach -Budapest and the blue- marked long distance footpath Zittau - Wernigerode. More recently, the Malerweg was recreated on the historic route of the former strangers path; this leads to its course of Pirna- Liebenthal coming over the Neumannmühle and the Great Zschand over the Great Winterberg. Another route from the Great Zschand are the Richterschlüchte that come at the top of the Krinitzgrab on the Fremdenweg.
Gallery
Mountain hotel and view
Berghotel before 1921
Mountain hotel in 2005
Berghotel 2009