Leichtweißhöhle
The Leichtweißhöhle is a cave in the Wiesbaden Nerotal . Its name can be traced back to the poacher Heinrich Anton Leichtweiß , who used the cave as a shelter from 1778 to 1791. Forest workers discovered the cave and light white due to rising smoke.
The Leichtweißhöhle is originally a small natural cave and not much more than a large rock overhang, a so-called abri . The local shale is not a rock suitable for karstification . There are no other caves.
The cave was forgotten until Wiesbaden gained international reputation as a spa and the cave became a popular excursion destination. It represented one of the new attractions that were to be offered to visitors to Wiesbaden. The Wiesbadener Beautification Association expanded the cave in 1856. A second entrance was created, a room on the side and a niche padded with moss, which was declared as a place to sleep. The cave was also decorated accordingly, including old weapons and pictures. A romanticization followed . The Schwarzbach coming from the Rabengrund and passing the cave received an artificial waterfall and a wooden bridge was built to cross the stream. A viewing pavilion was built above the cave, and the access paths to the cave were equipped with railings and the cave entrance with a wooden porch. These changes were so extensive that the original condition can hardly be recognized today.
In 1905 Kaiser Wilhelm II visited the cave with his wife.
In 1934 the Gestapo used the Leichtweißhöhle as a torture cellar .
With the decline of the Wiesbaden cure, especially after the end of the Second World War , the cave lost its importance and was closed. The outdoor facilities were seriously affected by vandalism and lack of maintenance. The cave was often used as a shelter. In 1983 the entrance was renewed in massive form. Since then, the cave has been regularly opened to visitors every six months.
literature
- Günter Horn, Thorsten Reiss: The Wiesbaden Nerotal . Thorsten Reiss Verlag, Wiesbaden 1998, ISBN 3-928085-18-2 .
- Walter Czysz: Heinrich Anton Leichtweiß A bourgeois life in the 18th century . In: Writings of the Heimat- und Verschönerungsverein Dotzheim eV No. 8. Wiesbaden 1983, ISBN 3-922604-16-1 .
Web links
- Information from the city of Wiesbaden
- The Leichtweißhöhle in Wiesbaden views
Coordinates: 50 ° 6 ′ 19.1 ″ N , 8 ° 13 ′ 18 ″ E