Glass monk
The Glass Monk (previously called Thorstein ) is about 180 m above sea level. NN high cliff of sandstone in the nearby Halberstadt located counter mountains in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt .
The rock formation emerged from the bar mountains in the Upper Cretaceous . It clearly towers above the surrounding forest and is therefore visible from afar.
Geographical location
The Glass Monk is in the northern Harz foreland in the Harz / Saxony-Anhalt Nature Park on the Nordwestabdachung the counter mountains . It rises around 5 km south-southwest of the old town of Halberstadt and around 1.5 km east of Langenstein . The landscape slopes to the west and north to the Goldbach flowing through both villages .
Origin of name
The name is derived from its external appearance, as one of the rock formations with a little imagination resembles a monk with a hood. The vernacular derived the addition "glass" from the word glaren (glow, shine, glimmer), since the rock seems to glow when exposed to the sun. According to legend, a monk and a nun are said to have broken their law of chastity at this point , whereupon they were turned to stone as a punishment.
Historical background
The striking rock formation acquired special importance for the people early on as a place of worship and vantage point for monitoring the surrounding area, which is proven by numerous archaeological finds. For example, a stool grave and a riveted dagger from the Bronze Age around 4000 years ago. It is believed that the Germanic peoples called this rock Thorstein , because it resembles the Mjölnir , the magic weapon of their god Thor .
tourism
The Transparent Monk is a popular destination for hikers and cyclists. The rock can only be reached via hiking trails or dirt roads that are not permitted for through traffic. For example, you have the option of getting from Halberstadt on various hiking routes through the mountains of mirrors and bars directly to the rock or to the ruins of the former excursion restaurant "Landhaus"; From the "Landhaus" a steep staircase with 169 steps leads up to the rock, which can then be climbed using additional stairs. The rock can also be reached from the village of Langenstein , about 2 km to the west , or from the parking lot of the memorial site of the former Langenstein-Zwieberge concentration camp, 2 km to the south-east .
From the vantage point on the rock summit you have a good all-round view in favorable weather conditions: In the north you can see parts of Halberstadt, with the cathedral and the Martinikirche , the northern Harz foreland and the mountain range of the Huy . To the east and southeast the view falls over the bar mountains and to the south to the Hoppelberg . In the west you can see Langenstein and behind it the mountains of the Harz , with good visibility even the Brocken .
A marked high path leads to the Fuchsklippe among other things .
Sporting importance
The Gläserne Mönch is the namesake for a running event that has been held annually on the second weekend in September since 1993. The "Run over the Transparent Monk" is organized by the MSV Eintracht Halberstadt running group and in 2012 had around 350 participants. The start and finish is the Halberstadt Peace Stadium . Over different distances, most recently 1.5, 6 and 13 kilometers, it goes through the extensive forest area of the Spiegelberg and Barberg mountains. However, only the longest run actually leads over the rock. As a special challenge for the runners, the stairs also have to be overcome. The rock is also used for free climbing .
Newspaper articles
- "Roof of the bar mountains" - from "Halberstädter Volksstimme" from December 19, 2009
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c The Glass Monk (Thorstein) on harzlife.de
Web links
- Active outdoor - picture gallery of free climbing on the Gläserne Mönch
Coordinates: 51 ° 51 ′ 18.3 " N , 11 ° 1 ′ 6.4" E