Even the famous poet Jean Paul had his novel hero, Siebenkäs, rave about the wonderful view of Hof from this very spot in 1797—and that's saying something: He had ambivalent feelings about his hometown. "Strolling up" was a tricky thing back then, on the pathless slope. This was the birth of the Theresienstein Public Park! Paths, benches, and viewing platforms were created. The people of Hof thank the builders: To this day, they still enjoy the fabulous panoramic view and the sunshine...
By the way: The very spot where the Sun Temple was built was called "Stein" (stone) "because of a striking twin rock that stands on the slope of this hill." According to Master Johann Andreas Planer, the rock owes its special name "Fröhlichenstein" (Fröhlichenstein) in 1700 to the fact "because from this spot one can survey the entire town, not only the new, but also the old, with the greatest pleasure." And the stones here at the Sun Temple stand out because they are made of hard diabase rock and therefore weathered less than the surrounding slate.
As early as 1819, the chronicle of the city of Hof reports the construction of a wooden sun temple. A plan has been preserved to this day that depicts the appearance of this building, which was demolished in 1848. Johann Winterling designed the temple in 1839 because the damaged roof needed repair. A stroke of luck—the current sun temple could thus be reconstructed and rebuilt for the 1994 State Garden Show.