Top 20 Natural Monuments around Speinsharter Forst

Burgstall Rauhenkulm There are no reliable sources regarding the origin of the high medieval castle. Although the deed of foundation of the Benedictine monastery Michelfeld from 1119 states that Bucco de Culmen of Leuchtenberg had a residence on one of the two Kulms. He would thus be the first scientifically documented lord of the castle. However, it is unclear whether Rauhe Kulm or Kleine Kulm is meant. It is conceivable, but unlikely, that it was a building in the village of Kulmain. Excavations have brought shards, arrowheads, crosses, and coins from this period to light. According to Losert, the construction of the Rauher Kulm rampart was part of Emperor Otto I the Great's strategy to contain the impending danger from the Hungarians. Sandstone, timber framing, and bricks were used in the construction of the castle around 950. In addition to military use, the castle was also inhabited by women and children, as evidenced by various finds, including several spindle whorls, a weaving sword, and a large iron knife. Burgrave Friedrich III of Nuremberg acquired the castle, including the associated places, from the Landgraves of Leuchtenberg in 1281. The former tower was part of the margravial signaling system. During the Second Margravial War under Margrave Albrecht Alcibiades, the castle, as well as the Schlechtenkulm castle on Kleine Kulm, was destroyed in 1554. Before the destruction, both castles were besieged for about a year by troops from the imperial cities of Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, and Bavaria under the command of the electoral district administrator Hans Umseher von Waldeck, and the inhabitants were starved. The fortress commander von Heydenab surrendered the fortress on Rauhen Kulm on June 28, 1554. Afterwards, it was blown up with screws, the triple walls were razed and destroyed. Stones from the medieval ramparts of both castle sites were later used in part to reinforce the city walls of Neustadt. Today, only traces of the terrain are visible of the Burgstall Rauhenkulm. Remains of the surrounding rampart and the location of the tower in close proximity to the current observation tower are recognizable. The cartographer Johann Christoph Stierlein created the first very accurate topographical map of the mountain with the ruin. Source: www.wikipedia.de

directly on the dam between the two ponds

Dam that separates the large and small Rußweiher - beautiful view of both ponds

The rampart on the Rauher Kulm is a fortification at the foot of the Rauher Kulm. Gate area of the rampart Area disturbed by quarrying The Rauher Kulm, as a basalt mountain in the otherwise flat surroundings, was already visited by people in prehistoric times. The rampart made of basalt blocks runs around the foot of the mountain. Finds point to the Bronze Age, the Celts, the time of the Carolingians and the Slavic settlement chambers. Fighting took place during the time of the Hungarian invasions. Even if the rampart has been disturbed by later interventions, including the creation of an English garden across the entire mountain or the mining of the basalt in quarries, the course can be recognized from the basalt boulders. There is a lower main rampart with at least two gate areas and another fortified area at medium height. The hilltop castle is, however, classified as largely late medieval. Several burial mounds are also known. It is assumed that the settlement was located within the protective wall, so that it was not just a refuge. The predominantly stone remains were reinforced by wooden structures, among other things. There is evidence of post-and-slot walls, kennel-shaped walls and additionally secured gate areas. The cartographer Johann Christoph Stierlein made a drawing of the Rauher Kulm and recorded both the rampart and the hilltop castle.[1] The rampart was researched at the beginning of the 20th century by Adalbert Neischl on behalf of the Nuremberg Natural History Society and Hugo Obermaier, who completed Neischl's work. Hans Losert has been carrying out excavations for over ten years and is responsible for the scientific analysis.

The ring wall itself dates back to the time of the Celts and probably served as a refuge or place of worship. The remains of the ramparts are still clearly visible and make for an exciting exploration tour. The climb to the summit is a bit strenuous, but the view and the historic atmosphere definitely make the effort worthwhile.

Around the cone, hikers will find a well-developed network of paths through varied mixed forest and old beech forest stands. The newly marked paths mostly lead along well-paved forest paths, but also along natural hiking trails. The exposed basalt slopes are a valuable habitat for numerous animals and rare plants. Around 90 different lichens and mosses grow and thrive on the heat-storing basalt boulders. The Rauhe Kulm has been protected as a natural monument since 1909 and has been a nature reserve in accordance with European standards (FFH) for several years. In 2013, the Rauhe Kulm was voted Germany's most beautiful natural wonder.

Around the cone, hikers will find a well-developed network of paths through varied mixed forest and old beech forest stands. The newly marked paths mostly lead along well-paved forest paths, but also along natural hiking trails. The exposed basalt slopes are a valuable habitat for numerous animals and rare plants. Around 90 different lichens and mosses grow and thrive on the heat-storing basalt boulders. The Rauhe Kulm has been protected as a natural monument since 1909 and has been a nature reserve in accordance with European standards (FFH) for several years. In 2013, the Rauhe Kulm was voted Germany's most beautiful natural wonder.

The Rauhe Kulm rises 682 metres high from the middle of the landscape and is visible from all directions. It is surrounded by the Fichtel Mountains to the north, the Steinwald to the east, the heights of the Franconian Jura to the south and the Franconian Switzerland to the west. It owes its distinctive shape to its volcanic origins around 20 million years ago. The exposed basalt slopes are a valuable habitat for numerous animals and rare plants. Around 90 different lichens and mosses grow and thrive on the heat-storing basalt boulders. The Rauhe Kulm has been protected as a natural monument since 1909 and has been a nature reserve in accordance with European standards (FFH) for several years. In 2013, the Rauhe Kulm was voted Germany's most beautiful natural wonder. The climb over the basalt block slope leads to the observation tower on the Rauhe Kulm. From the platform of the tower there is a unique panoramic view of the landscape around the Rauhe Kulm to the mountain ranges on the horizon.