トイシュニッツの天然記念物・トップ20

This grave is located on the Thuringian-Bavarian border at the turnoff to Gräfenthal.

One of the 13 stations on the 5.7-kilometer-long Fairytale Trail features the cook's grave as its theme—albeit not particularly child-friendly. The alleged gravestones are presumably fragments of former boundary stones here on the historic border between Bavaria and Thuringia. The legend, however, is based on a true story: At the end of the 16th century, under the rule of the Knights of Thüna, a cook from Lauenstein Castle was buried alive and then impaled for infanticide. The harsh punishment corresponded to the then-current legal code, the "Sachsenspiegel" (Saxon Mirror) of 1235.

Near the castle, on the signposted Lauenstein fairy tale path, is the cook's grave. An information board informs hikers that, according to tradition, in the 16th century, under the rule of the Knights of Thüna, a cook from Lauenstein Castle was impaled and buried alive at this spot for infanticide. The conviction was made according to the laws of the Sachsenspiegel. Today, only a few small boulders remind us of this, the historical origin of which is not proven. Wikipedia article: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Lauenstein_(Frankenwald)

This is the former Lehesten roofing slate opencast mine. Its dimensions alone are impressive; along with the nearby Oertelsbruch, it was one of the largest slate quarries on the continent (approximately 800 m long, 300 m wide, and up to 80 m deep). Source: Wikipedia

A beautiful region 🤩 If you like, you can also take a detour to the Alvater Tower.

The various colors of the slate, from black to gray, black-blue, and to a lesser extent red and green, can be discovered here. Surface colors are the result of iron-rich water moving along layers where the iron is then deposited. The various structures of the rock are also easy to recognize. It is beautiful when the slate rock is reflected in the clear water.

In the "Land of Blue Gold," as the slate is called here because of its distinctive color, the tradition of Thuringian-Franconian slate mining can still be experienced today. This extraordinary industrial complex, located at what was once one of Europe's largest open-cast slate mines, provides a hands-on experience of the history and processing of slate. The entire Staatsbruch Slate Park area is a nature reserve. 170 Red List species have now been confirmed to have settled in this partially inaccessible area.

Be sure to visit and take enough time with you.