Hans Heiling rock

The Hans Heiling Rock ( Jan Svatoš in Czech , Svatošské skály ) is a legendary natural monument on the Eger near Hory and Doubí (Aich) west of Karlovy Vary .

location

Between Loket (Elbogen) and Karlsbad the Eger flows through the deeply cut Hans Heiling valley. Over the millennia, the river has exposed several granite rock groups, mostly hidden by bushes and high forest. The most famous rock formation is the Hans Heiling rock on the northern bank of the river just before Aich. These rocks became a popular destination for visitors to Karlovy Vary in the 19th century. Before 1900, a restaurant was built on the opposite bank of the river, which today bears the name Lesní . From here boat trips to the rock group used to be possible. Today a wooden suspension bridge leads to the opposite bank of the river, over which the hiking and cycling path between Loket and Karlovy Vary leads.

The legend of Hans Heiling and the petrified wedding procession is connected with the Hans Heiling rock , which was already poetically processed by Theodor Körner in 1811 and later taken up by the Brothers Grimm . Heinrich Marschner stayed in Karlsbad for a cure in 1823 and processed this Bohemian legend in his opera Hans Heiling .

In 1933 the rock massif and its immediate surroundings (1.95 hectares in total) were placed under nature protection. Since 1978 there has been a nature trail from Aich to the Hans-Heiling-Felsen, which is 12 km long and has 12 information boards.

Quote

Hans-Heiling-Felsen on the Eger near Aich (before 1900)

Today's appearance of the Hans Heiling rocks

Hans Heiling was walking on the Eger beach,
there it hisses, the waves roar.
The mermaid climbs up and extends her hand
to Hans, the handsome fellow.
Delighted, the loyalty swore to the beautiful woman,
But hardly a year
had passed. Then, to pass the time, he had shot himself
in a grete,
He wanted to lead her to the altar.
This enraged the mermaid.
She cursed the couple in a thunderous voice
And dived down into the tide. -
The mermaid surrounded you with splendor and splendor,
she had refined you completely.
Hans, Hans, you did something stupid!
Stand there petrified as a punishment.
So now Hans Heiling, full of bitter remorse, must
adorn the bank as a stone image.
Better: you stay true to your old people, that
can't happen.