Five Wounds Cross in Naturpark Bergisches Land

"Each of these crosses can tell its own story and what motivated people to erect "their" cross at this spot. (...) These wayside crosses were erected as visible signs and attract the attention of many people. The cross is a symbol of life. It stands as a sign of our Christian hope and aims to direct our gaze to Jesus Christ, who has overcome death (...). The cross is a part of our lives, just as it was a part of the life of Jesus. Therefore, I hope that many people... will seek out the wayside crosses, whether as places of silence and respite before God, or as places of community gathering, prayer, and praise."(Text source: Dean Rainald M. Ollig
in: "Wayside Crosses... Small Sacred Monuments as Signs of Popular Piety")

Probably photographed 1000 times. It looks really bizarre!

People from past generations (the inscription at the base of the longitudinal beam refers to the year 1788) were even better able to decipher the imagery of such a small sacred monument than we are today. This wayside cross belongs to the "five-wound cross" type. It does not show the viewer the complete body of the crucified Christ, but rather limits itself to depicting the wounds: hands, head (crown of thorns), heart, and feet. These symbols of the Passion of Jesus are intended to remind the viewer of the suffering and pain of the Son of God, which he endured out of love for humanity.