Kuhstall (Saxon Switzerland)

The barn is the second largest after the Prebischtor rock arch in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is located on the New Wildenstein, a 337 m high, in the 15th century dominated by the Wildenstein Castle rock the back of Saxon Switzerland south of the Lichtenhainer waterfall and above the Kirnitzschtales in light grove. The rock window is 11 m high, 17 m wide and 24 m deep.

Name

The name cowshed is attributed to two possible causes. Firstly, the population of the surrounding villages hidden during the Thirty Years' War in the very wide rock arch their cattle from marauding Swedish troops. On the other is presumed that the inhabitants of the medieval castle, which had degenerated in the end to a robber barons, the cattle brought there under, which they captured in their raids.

The first catalogers of the Saxon Switzerland, Wilhelm Leberecht Götzinger, suggested to refer to the rock arch as Wildensteiner Rock Hall, opposite the popular cowshed this term could not prevail. From the time of the early tourist development comes also many old inscriptions on the walls and the ceiling of the cowshed with soot and paint or scratched into the rock.

Geology

The rock window is located on a clay interlayer. At the boundary walls is smoothly polished, silicified rock. This was due to the tectonic movements of about 900 m Lusatian fault; here the older granites were pushed over the younger sandstones in the Cretaceous period.

The massif has numerous caves and overhangs, carry the legendary name (eg Schneider hole and postpartum ).

Tourism

The cowshed was developed in the early 19th century to one of the main attractions of the Saxon Switzerland. He was an important station along the painter path. August von Goethe visited the rock in June 1819 and reported: " A friendly Bewirthung with beer, strawberries, lemonade and rum this Punct made ​​and a relaxing place for the hungry and tired body. "

Since 1824 is next to the rock arch a mountain inn that has since been rebuilt several times and expanded. With the opening of Kirnitzschtalbahn to Lichtenhainer waterfall in the cowshed is even more accessible since 1898.

1837 was Helmina of Chezy on a trip in the visitors' book at a cowshed, "Here, where the nature enchants us and thrilled to be plastered and bad jokes ." And reaped the comment: "Oh, Mrs. von Chezy, with their verses, as 'll go them. Ad. Thadden, July 27, 1837. "

Even today, the barn is a very popular family attraction. From the terrace south of the Felsentors the climbing rock the rear Saxon Switzerland are visible in a wide panorama. Above the cowshed are located across the narrow ladder to heaven to be achieved remains of the former castle.

Trivia

In view of Bohemian glass of the barn, along with other pictures of the Saxon Switzerland is one of the most common motifs.