포그틀랜드‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪20‬개의 산 정상

Great viewpoint overlooking the castle, directly on the Elsterperlenweg trail.

The Frankenwarte (Frankenwarte) stands atop the 679-meter-high Hirschhügel (Hirschhügel). The eight-and-a-half-meter-high, round stone tower offers a panoramic view to the northeast, to the edge of the Höllental valley, to Lichtenberg and Bad Steben, and to the west to the hills near Nordhalben. To the south, Geroldsgrün, the 729-meter-high Spitzberg, and the 758-meter-high Schneidberg can be seen, and hidden behind them, the highest peak in the Franconian Forest, the 794-meter-high Döbraberg. To the southeast, the view extends to the Fichtel Mountains. The Frankenwarte was built and is maintained by the Franconian Forest Association. Plans to build an observation tower on the hill existed as early as 1930. However, the Frankenwarte was not inaugurated until August 12, 1951. In 2020, panoramic panels were installed on the parapet of the viewing platform, illustrating the towns and landscape features visible from here.

The Wendelstein (734 m) is part of a long chain of rocky cliffs that jut sharply out of the earth. This striking rock formation begins at the "Hoher Stein" (Czech Republic), continues via the "Alter Söll" (Schöneck), the "Rehhübel," "Rinnelstein," "Großer Affenstein," "Kleiner Affenstein," "Genesenstein," "Wendelstein," and "Schwarzer Stein" (all Grünbach) to the "Bendelstein" near Auerbach. The Wendelstein, like all the others, is composed of greywacke quartzite. This is a dark gray, mostly highly consolidated sandstone composed of feldspar, chlorite, and mica, with a high proportion of slate and quartzite. About 500 million years ago, the Vogtland region was covered by a shallow sea. Sand and mud settled on the bottom, which subsequently solidified into sandstone and slate, the sedimentary rock, due to climate change and landslide. Forced upwards under enormous heat and pressure, phyllite and quartzite were formed. (https://www.gruenbach.de/freizeit_aktiv)

The first observation tower, designed by architect Gustav Zimmermann, was built in 1931. It was closed to the public in 1968 after the Prague Spring because the Soviets installed a radar station there. From then on, it served solely as a military observation tower. On November 1, 1982, the tower, supposedly dilapidated, was blown up by demolition experts from the Oelsnitz hard stone works on behalf of the Oelsnitz civil defense. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, efforts were made to rebuild the tower. The new observation tower was designed according to the old plans, but has a larger floor plan and is slightly taller. The new tower was inaugurated on June 19, 1993. From its observation platform, one can see as far as the Kaiserwald, the Ore Mountains, the Upper Palatinate Forest, and the Fichtel Mountains.

The Kapellenberg was first mentioned in a document in 1261, when the bailiffs of Weida, Plauen, and Gera pledged to Count Palatine Ludwig the Bavarian not to build a castle here or anywhere else in the Egerland region. However, there must have been a fort here at the beginning of the 15th century, as it is reported that it was occupied by mercenaries of Elector Frederick of Saxony. The remains of this fortress, known as the Alter Wall, can still be seen today. At 759 meters, the Kapellenberg is the highest elevation in the Elster Mountains. Geologically speaking, however, it belongs to the Fichtel Mountains in Upper Franconia.

The Wendelstein has been protected as a geological natural monument since November 5, 1938. A triangulation column dated 1864 was erected on the highest part of the rock, representing a second-order survey point in the course of the historic Saxon national survey. The Wendelstein is 734 m above sea level and is part of a long chain of rocky cliffs that jut steeply out of the earth. This striking rock formation begins at the "Hoher Stein" (Czech Republic), continues via the "Alter Söll" (Schöneck), the "Rehhübel," "Rinnelstein," the "Großer Affenstein" and "Kleiner Affenstein," the "Genesenstein," "Wendelstein," and the "Schwarzer Stein" (all Grünbach) to the "Bendelstein" near Auerbach. (https://www.gruenbach.de/freizeit_aktiv/gehenswertes_rund_um_gruenbach-muldenberg/wendelstein/index.php)

There is a small hut and a few benches here. Ideal for a short rest.

Beautiful rock. It's worth a detour.