The 14 Most Amazing Peaks in Vogtlandkreis

It's hard to FIND...

The rock formation is visible from afar. And from the top, you also have a great view. It's a bit more difficult to climb the rock in cycling shoes, as it's quite smooth and drops steeply to one side. Once at the top, you'll find a station of the Royal Saxon Triangulation Survey. "The Royal Saxon Triangulation (here with its historical proper name) is a national survey carried out between 1862 and 1890 on the territory of the Kingdom of Saxony, with the simultaneous creation of a trigonometric network. The goal was to record the territory with scientific and geodetic precision and, by establishing permanently marked reference points, to create the basis for the production of accurate maps." - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6niglich-S%C3%A4chsische_Triangulirung The triangulation network created by August Nagel was considered one of the most precise surveying networks in the world at the time. The Nagel columns are now preserved as technical monuments. From station 152 Wendelstein, the stations Marienhöhe, Schönheide, Kiel, Schöneck, Lottengrün, and Wilhelmshöhe were sighted.

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)

Station 153 of the Royal Saxon Triangulation is located on the Kemmler hill. "The Royal Saxon Triangulation (here referred to by its historical name) is a land survey conducted between 1862 and 1890 in the territory of the Kingdom of Saxony, which also involved the creation of a trigonometric network. The aim was to map the territory with scientific and geodetic precision and, by establishing permanently marked control points, to create the basis for the production of accurate maps." - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6niglich-S%C3%A4chsische_Triangulirung The triangulation network created by August Nagel was considered one of the most accurate surveying networks in the world at the time. Nagel's columns are preserved today as technical monuments. This one stands behind the tower. ``` From the "Kemmlerberg" station, the stations targeted from north to south in a clockwise direction were Kuhberg, Wilhelmshöhe, Wendelstein, Lottengrün, Bergen, Platzerberg, Kandelstein, Stelzen and Syrau.

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.