Krahnberg
| Krahnberg | ||
|---|---|---|
| Highest peak | Krahnberg ( 431.3 m above sea level ) | |
| location | Gotha , Thuringia ( Germany ) | |
| Part of the | Eichenberg – Gotha – Saalfelder fault zone / West Thuringian mountain and hill country | |
| Classification according to | Geology / Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany | |
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| Coordinates | 50 ° 58 '2 " N , 10 ° 39' 0" E | |
| Type | Mussel limestone folds | |
| rock | Muschelkalk and Keuper | |
The Krahnberg is a mountain range in the northwest of Gotha in Thuringia consisting of practically only one independent, 431.3 m high mountain . The area of its main peak is compact, but in the Galberg , a ridge that slopes down to Gotha in the southeast, and in the Goldberg (approx. 342 m ) in the north, west of Goldbach , it has striking ridge lines pointing to the southeast.
For around 100 years, with a changing history, the Krahnberg has been a historical recreational area and excursion destination for Gotha residents. It is also part of the FFH area Krahnberg-Kriegberg u. TF VSG 16 with the number 053.
Location, landscape and geology
The Wiegwasser rises on the eastern southern flank of the Krahnberg , which flows around the Galberg on its way to the east and finally flows together with the Leinakanal into the Wilder Graben , which flanks the northeast flank of the ridge in a north-westerly direction up to its confluence with the Nesse . The Arzbach , which flows towards the north-north-west of the Nesse, rises on the western flank, and the Asse, which flows directly to the west of the Hörsel , on the western southern flank .
The seamounts (up to 409.2 m ) tower south-east of the Wilder Graben , and further south-east and beyond the Apfelstädt are the ridges of the Drei Gleichen (up to 420.8 m ).
All of said ridges are in the range of from km northwest about 12 remote Hainich from southeast, parallel to the Thuringian Forest , extending Eichenberg-Gotha room fields fault zone . Together they form the eastern edge of the natural spatial main unit of West Thuringian mountain and hill country and frame a south-western side basin of the popular Thuringian basin , whose core basin is immediately northeast.
The northeast flank of the ridge is relatively steep, while to the south the ridge slopes very gently at a higher foot height. The central Krahnberg is a typical broad saddle with flat slopes, from which the Goldberg emerges to the northwest and the Galberg to the southeast.
Emergence
The Krahnberg was created in the course of the “Eichenberg – Gotha – Arnstadt – Saalfelder fault line” as an unfolding of the shell limestone . Different ribs of the trochitic limestone are lifted out of the clayey, weathered Ceratite limestone . On the Galberg and in the area of the Hundsrücken there is also medium shell limestone on the surface.
“ The splendid double fold of the fold axis directed transversely to the north-west-south-east shows the trochitic limestone from the oolite down to the lower nodose layers. The former is sharply curved, roof-shaped, the lowest clay slabs next to it still nicely corrugated. The outermost wings appear as steeply upright layers due to the breaking open of the two saddles. The thickness of the whole folded layer complex is about 20 meters. "
These structures are still clearly visible today. The disintegration of small salt deposits in the Middle Muschelkalk resulted in sinkholes in several places. This created trough-shaped depressions to the northwest of the Krahnberg - the “Violeteiche” ( area natural monument ) and the “Saulache”. To the west of the Krahnberg, shallow loess veils cover the rock. Several erosion valleys structure the terrain. The stone grave deserves special mention - also known as the Schorn valley.
History of the Krahnberg
Today's Krahnberg was first mentioned in 1409 as “Brandenburger Holz am Kraynberge” and subsequently referred to as “Kromberg”, “Krompergk” and “Krambergk”. In the Middle Ages , a road ran over the Krahnberg from Eisenach to Gotha. The area around the Krahnberg was unsuitable for settlement due to the poor soil quality (shell limestone and Keuper soils ).
As a preferred area in 1567 it served as an army camp for the imperial / ducal troops during the Gotha siege and later for the Swedes and French. Imperial and later Wehrmacht troops used the area as a training area.
After the Second World War, the entire Krahnberg and its training area became a restricted area by the Red Army . Traces of this past can still be found today.
Today the Krahnberg is a local recreation area for the city of Gotha and its neighboring communities.
Flora and fauna
The diverse nature, from large mixed deciduous forests to open land areas with ponds, is a retreat for amphibians and plants.
flora
The Krahnberg offers suitable locations for thermophilic plants - such as the protected silver thistle on semi-arid grass. Moist biotopes developed in the depressions and hollows and in the boilers with high proportions of fine soil and humus one can find protected herbaceous plants such as March beaker and yellow monkshood . In the erosion valley of the Steingraben, wild garlic, spotted arum and hollow lark spur are common. Mostly you will find the specially protected liverworts , Seidelbaststräucher and Türkenbund Lilies. The common spruce stands on the summit, mainly through afforestation, and on the north and west slopes near-natural mixed deciduous forests consisting of red beech, summer lime, winter lime, sycamore maple, common ash, English oak, hornbeam, sessile oak and mountain Elm.
fauna
There are valuable spawning biotopes on the Krahnberg. The tree frog, pond newt, crested newt, common frog, natterjack toad and common toad are widespread here. The Krahnberg is a retreat for foxes, badgers, rabbits, hares and deer.
Attractions
The Krahnberg can be explored via these main routes: Berggartenweg, Herrenweg, Mittelleitenweg, Wolfsgrund, Zietzmannweg, Freundweg, Kniebrechsweg, Schießmauer, Steingraben, Mehliser Stieg and Krahnbergweg.
- Alschleben : Alschleben was first mentioned in 1109 and perished in the Thirty Years War. The "Alschleber Brunnen" fountain ( location → ) is still visible today. Where the church used to stand, a memorial stone was erected in 1830 by the then Flurschütz Meyer. This memorial stone is now in the Museum of Regional History and Folklore Gotha .
- Arnolditurm : With a height of 25 meters, the Arnolditurm was a landmark of the city of Gotha. It was built in the Biedermeier style in 1829/30. After the handover to the city of Gotha, the tower could be used as a public observation tower from 1874. After 1945 the tower fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1972. You can still see the remains of the foundation today. In 1872 the city of Gotha entered into the obligation to maintain the tower and part of the mountain garden, which it did not adhere to. In 1998, a private initiative by citizens of Gotha founded an association with the aim of building a new observation tower. With numerous donations, the construction of a 30-meter-high steel frame tower , called Citizens' Tower ( location → ), at the location above the Berggarten was completed in 2009.
- Berggarten : On the "Galgenberg", today's "Galberg", Ernst Friedrich Arnoldi acquired a large garden in 1794 , which was intended for his relaxation. This garden was planted like a park with various trees. In the following years various structures such as the stone garden house, the Arnolditurm and the sandstone monument were built on behalf of Ernst Friedrich Arnoldi. The Arnoldi family handed over the Berggarten to the city of Gotha in 1872. As a result, the "Beautification Association of the City of Gotha" redesigned the mountain garden and built an inn. From May 10, 1874, the mountain garden was also open to the public, and a music hall was built. The "Berggarten" restaurant with a garden is now a popular destination for nature and hiking enthusiasts.
- Fahner-Blick-Hütte : The Fahner-Blick-Hütte, built in 1992, is located on Herrenweg and is a refuge with a view of the Fahner Höhe.
- Frank Temple : The Frank Temple was inaugurated in 1911 in honor of the Gotha Senator Bernhard Frank and is located on the "Kahlen Beule", a wooded area around 1500 m northwest of the Berggarten. Today only the side walls and the stairs are left.
- Freunds Ruhe : Freunds Ruhe is an artificially created hill and the highest point on the dog's back. Today there is still a semicircular tuff wall and a linden tree at this point.
- Freundwarte : The Freundwarte is located directly on Eisenacher Strasse ( location → ). In honor of Gotha Senator Johann Ehrenfried Freund , the 16 m high observation tower was built on the model of a Roman border watchtower in 1913/14. The tower and the adjoining restaurant with a garden were a popular excursion destination for Gotha residents back then. During the GDR era, the object was used by the service dog handlers of the Gotha police. Gradually an extensive complete renovation of the service rooms and the construction of a new kennel became necessary. The office was handed over to the Gotha Police Department on August 19, 2009 as the most modern office building to date for a service dog unit in Thuringia.
- Galgenplatz : The execution of the city of Gotha by the gallows took place here. The gallows site was completely removed in 1829, and today five lime trees and a chestnut tree remind of the terrible history of this place ( location → ). Quotation from Peter Mylius from the year 1402: "There is a hill near the city, on which large hop gardens have been planted and also several vineyards. On this hill, which is called the Galberg, there is the gallows, and the ravens often stop there a hideous meal. "
- Goldfish pond : The goldfish pond is located below the Lüderitz fountain and is a pond. Most of the water comes from the Lüderitzbrunnen. After compaction work had been carried out, fish were bred in the pond. Today it is a resting place next to the Berggartenweg to the restaurant "Berggarten".
- Graz quarry : The Graz quarry is a limestone quarry in the upper Wolfsgrund. Limestone from the Upper Muschelkalk was mined until 1914. Today's geological natural monument clearly shows the solid limestone slabs and softer clay marl stones on the quarry wall.
- Liebetrauhütte : The Liebetrauhütte was built as a Nordic log house in 1925 as a thank you from the city of Gotha to Otto Liebetrau for his plantings on the Galberg. In the immediate vicinity, a refuge for hikers was built in 1992, reminiscent of the original Liebetrauhütte.
- Lüderitzbrunnen : The Lüderitzbrunnen is located directly on the Berggartenweg. According to tradition, the fountain was once called the Kreuzbrunnen. Even today this place is a resting place for hikers.
- Millstone fountain: Located on Wolfsgrund, it is part of a spring that is bordered with millstones.
- Müller-Tempel : The Müller-Tempel was built in 1902 as an open, iron, octagonal pavilion with an onion-shaped dome and a weather vane. It is still in this condition today and is a popular vantage point on the way from Galberg to Krahnberg. An iron plaque with gold letters is dedicated to Ernst Adolf Müller for his charitable work.
- Russenbrunnen : The Russenbrunnen is located at the southwestern end of Wolfsgrund and was created by the Soviet armed forces of the time. Today you can visit a former maneuver sleeping area in the immediate vicinity.
- Schwedenschanze : The Schwedenschanze is located at the same height as the old shooting range and was used by the Gotha Duke as a signaling station between Schloss Friedenstein and Schloss Friedrichswerth between 1689 and 1691 .
- Wolfsgrund : The Wolfsgrund is located on the northeast slope of the Krahnberg and is an erosion valley. In the Middle Ages it was used as a shaft drift by the villages of Remstädt and Alschleben. The Herrenweg divides the Wolfsgrund Gorge, where there are fruit trees on semi-arid grass today.
References and comments
- ↑ Official topographic maps of Thuringia 1: 10,000. Wartburgkreis, district of Gotha, district-free city of Eisenach . In: Thuringian Land Survey Office (Hrsg.): CD-ROM series Top10 . CD 2. Erfurt 1999.
- ↑ Official Gazette of the district of Gotha from May 23, 2013
- ^ E. Meynen and J. Schmithüsen : Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany (6th delivery 1959) - Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Remagen / Bad Godesberg 1953–1962 (9 deliveries in 8 books, updated map 1: 1,000,000 with main units 1960)
- ↑ Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )
- ^ Quote from Karl Kohlstock from: " Journeys of discovery in the homeland" (Volume 12)
- ↑ Field names such as “Roda” and “Alschleben” indicate the attempts to settle.
- ↑ According to tradition, a six-piston deer was shot in 1923 and a capercaillie was shot during the war years.
- ↑ The name comes from the fact that the executions of the city of Gotha took place here. The last execution was on April 8, 1735.
- ^ District Office Gotha Department 6, Environment (Ed.): The Krahnberg in the course of time . 1st edition. Gotha Druck, Gotha 1994, p. 19 (Peter Mylius, the little traveling schoolboy, wrote 1402 ...).
- ↑ As a postcard from 1911, the goldfish pond with a view of Friedenstein Castle is called Gotha "Stadtpark West".
- ↑ According to tradition, the master locksmith Lüderitz expanded the fountain.
- ↑ The Müller Temple was named after Ernst Adolf Müller.
bibliography
Primary literature
- Karl Kohlstock: voyages of discovery at home; North-east side of the Galberg, Krahnberg . 2nd increased edition. Self-published by the author Karl Kohlstock, Gotha, Reyherstraße 9, Gotha 1926, p. 1–18 (printed by Stollbergschen Buchdruckerei Gotha, issue 12).
Secondary literature
- District Office Gotha Department 6, Environment (Ed.): The Krahnberg in the course of time . 1st edition. Gotha Druck, Gotha 1994, p. 1-48 .
- Dr. Wolfgang Klug: Forays through the native nature . Ed .: District Office Gotha Bildstelle / Medienzentrum. (Krahnberg and Galberg - unity of originality and successful landscaping).
Furthermore, information was taken from the following publication (leaflet):
- District Office Gotha (ed.): Green Oasis Krahnberg . (Hiking routes, natural beauties, historical hiking destinations, idyllic places).
