Joseph Cross (tower)

The Joseph Cross in resin is a lookout tower on the height of the Great Joseph Auer Berg at Stolberg in the municipality of South Harz in the district of Mansfeld- South Harz in Saxony- Anhalt. It was built in the form of an upright fourfold rotationally symmetrical Latin cross ( double dagger ) of steel truss, is about 38 meters high and weighs 125 tons. The construction is held together by rivets 100,000.

Geographical location

The Joseph Cross is located in the Lower Harz Harz nature park / Saxony- Anhalt. It stands on the between Stolberg in the southwest ( to the municipality of South Harz ) and Strassberg in the north- east ( to the city Harzgerode ) located Joseph height ( 580.3 m above sea level. NN ), the Südkuppe the wooded Great Auer Berg ( 580.4 m above sea level. NN ).

History

Already in the 17th century stood on the Auersberg a wooden truss lookout, which was demolished due to disrepair and weather damages in 1768.

1832 commissioned Count Joseph of Stolberg- Stolberg the Berlin architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel to design a new tower, the one Stolberg Zimmermann executed. The topping out ceremony of Schinkel wooden tower in the form of a double cross was celebrated on 24 September 1833. On June 21, 1834, the tower was inaugurated and named after his client " Joseph Cross". The tower had no stairs and could only be climbed with ladders. In 1850, the arms of the cross had to be replaced, in June 1880, the building was destroyed by a lightning strike during a thunderstorm.

With the construction of a new Joseph Cross after a design by Otto Beißwänger was begun on 20 April 1896. The tower took in the double cross shape with respect to Schinkel, however, was carried out according to the model of the Eiffel Tower in Paris as a steel truss structure, with its ingredients were as the arch between the legs even rebuilt. The cost of 50,000 marks wore the Princely House of Stolberg and the Harz Club. On 9 August 1896, the new Joseph Cross was inaugurated.

In the 20th century the cross fell into disrepair until it was closed in 1987 due to disrepair to visitors. As of 1989, it was renovated and re-opened on 28 August 1990.

Viewing and hiking

From the observation deck, a spiral staircase leads to the 200 steps, falls the view of the landscape of the Lower Harz, the Brocken in the Harz, the Big Island mountain and to Magdeburg, where the cathedral towers can be seen. The Joseph Joseph Cross and the amount is included as No. 215 in the system of stamp locations of the Harz hiking pin; the stamp box is located next to the observation tower standing at the kiosk. Next door is also the Ausflugsgaststätte Bergstüb'l on Joseph Cross.

Gallery

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Head of Joseph Cross

Rise to the Joseph Cross