Routes

Route planner

Features

Product updates

Get the App

Login or Signup

Get the App

Login or Signup

Discover
Places to see

Canyons

Germany

Saxony

Saxon Switzerland-East Ore Mountains

Saxon Switzerland

Schwedenlöcher Gorge

Discover
Places to see

Canyons

Germany

Saxony

Saxon Switzerland-East Ore Mountains

Saxon Switzerland

Schwedenlöcher Gorge

Schwedenlöcher Gorge

Recommended by 74 people

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Nationalpark-Kernzone

Save

Share

  • More

  • Save

    Share

  • More

  • Take Me There

    Routes here

    Best routes to Schwedenlöcher Gorge

    4.6

    (20)

    84

    hikers

    1. Schwedenlöcher Gorge – Amselsee loop from Oberrathen

    6.30km

    01:59

    240m

    Easy mountaineering route. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Navigate

    Send to Phone

    Easy

    Intermediate mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

    Intermediate

    Expert mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

    Expert

    Tips

    March 24, 2024

    The deeply cut, almost one kilometer long gorge was created by the erosion of the softer sandstone. It follows the main direction of the fissure in the Elbe sandstone.

    Originally it was an undeveloped and difficult to access gorge that was called Blanker Grund. When the northern village of Rathewalde was destroyed by Swedish soldiers in August 1639 during the Thirty Years' War, the farmers in the area fled into the wild ravine and brought themselves and their belongings to safety there. The gorge also served as a refuge in later times of war, for example in 1706 during the Great Northern War, in 1813 during the Wars of Liberation and in 1945 in the final days of the Second World War.

    In the 1780s, the first paths for wood extraction were laid in the Schwedenlochen. This is commemorated by several dates carved into the sandstone (1782, 1784, 1787).

    The actual development of the gorge for tourism came comparatively late. On the initiative of the Mountain Association for Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland, the Schwedenhöhlen were provided with a climbing system in 1886. In order to install the stairs and bridges, the gorge had to be partially widened artificially. The new hiking trail, which connected the famous Bastei rock massif with the Amselgrund, was inaugurated on May 1, 1886 on the occasion of the 6th German Geographers' Day.

    Translated by Google •

      June 3, 2020

      A real highlight in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.

      Translated by Google •

        September 8, 2020

        The Schwedenlöcher lead into a gorge-like gorge in the Amselgrund near Rathen and the Bastei.

        They got their name in memory of the Thirty Years' War, when the inhabitants of the neighboring towns took their belongings to safety from the Swedes.

        Translated by Google •

          Sign up for a free komoot account to get 3 more insider tips and takes.

          Sign up for free

          Details

          Informations

          Elevation 230 m

          Weather

          Powered by AerisWeather

          Today

          Saturday 20 September

          27°C

          18°C

          0 %

          If you start your activity now...

          Max wind speed: 20.0 km/h

          Most visited during

          January

          February

          March

          April

          May

          June

          July

          August

          September

          October

          November

          December

          Loading

          Location: Saxon Switzerland, Saxon Switzerland-East Ore Mountains, Saxony, Germany

          Other Popular Places to Check Out

          Explore
          RoutesRoute plannerFeaturesHikesMTB TrailsRoad cycling routesBikepacking
          Download the app
          Follow Us on Socials

          © komoot GmbH

          Privacy Policy