Großer Zschirnstein
Encyclopedia
The Großer Zschirnstein (561.74 m) is the highest hill in the Saxon
and German
part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
.
that ends directly at the highest point on the hill. This climbing route is one of the three exceptions to Saxon climbing regulations
which state that climbing of massifs is generally forbidden.
On the south summit, near the viewing point, a Nagel Column (Nagelsche Säule) has stood since 1865. It recalls August Nagel, the head of survey in Saxony in the 19th century. The survey was carried out using triangulation
. Other trig points in the area are located inter alia on the Raumberg, the Lilienstein
, the Cottaer Spitzberg
and the Hoher Schneeberg
. The column on the Großer Zschirnstein was lost around 1900. In May 2011 a replica was erected in its place.
is made of sandstone. On the summit plateau is a Tertiary
basaltic extrusion
which was quarried in a small quarry in order to win gravel.
, Schrammsteine
, Tanečnice (Tanzplan), Großer Winterberg
, Zirkelstein
, Kottmar
, Prebischtor
, Mezní Louka (Rainwiese), Vlčí hora
(Wolfsberg), Jedlová (Tannenberg), Pěnkavčí vrch (Finkenkoppe), Studenec (Kaltenberg), Zlatý vrch (Goldberg), Růžovský vrch
(Rosenberg), Ještěd
(Jeschken), Klíč (Kleis), Bezděz
(Bösig), Buková hora (Zinkenstein) (with its prominent TV tower), Lovoš
(Lobosch), Kletečna (Kletschen), Milešovka
(Milleschauer), Děčínský Sněžník
(Hoher Schneeberg), Dresden
.
light aircraft crashed into the southern flank of the hill in a craggy area. The aircraft belonged to the Czech airline, Time Air
, and was under way from Prague
to Karlstad
in Sweden
. The two pilots were killed. According to an evaluation of the voice recorder
the cause of the crash was an aerobatic manoeuvre (aileron roll
) for which the aircraft is not authorised.
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...
.
Location and area
There are two climbing peaks on the Großer Zschirnstein - the Großer and Kleiner Zschirnsteinturm ("Great" and "Little Zschirnstein Tower"). There is also the Südwand (IV) climbing routeClimbing route
A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary dramatically in difficulty and, once committed to that ascent, can be difficult to stop or return. Choice of route can be critically important...
that ends directly at the highest point on the hill. This climbing route is one of the three exceptions to Saxon climbing regulations
Saxon Switzerland climbing region
Saxon Switzerland is one of the best-known climbing regions in Germany. The region is largely coterminous with the natural region of the same name, Saxon Switzerland, but extends well beyond the territory of the National Park within it. It includes the western part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains...
which state that climbing of massifs is generally forbidden.
On the south summit, near the viewing point, a Nagel Column (Nagelsche Säule) has stood since 1865. It recalls August Nagel, the head of survey in Saxony in the 19th century. The survey was carried out using triangulation
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
. Other trig points in the area are located inter alia on the Raumberg, the Lilienstein
Lilienstein
Lilienstein is a mountain of Saxony, southeastern Germany and site of a former Bohemian castle....
, the Cottaer Spitzberg
Cottaer Spitzberg
The Cottaer Spitzberg is a 390.8 m high basalt dome on the western edge of Saxon Switzerland. Since 1979 the hill has been a protected area due to its geological and botanical features.- Location and area :...
and the Hoher Schneeberg
Decínský Snežník
The Děčínský Sněžník is a mountain in the Czech Republic and, at above sea level, the highest peak in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. The Sněžník is located in the Jílové municipality, west of Děčín in the Ústí nad Labem Region, in the mountainous area of Bohemian Switzerland, close to the border...
. The column on the Großer Zschirnstein was lost around 1900. In May 2011 a replica was erected in its place.
Geology
This typical table mountainTable Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
is made of sandstone. On the summit plateau is a Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
basaltic extrusion
Extrusion
Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section...
which was quarried in a small quarry in order to win gravel.
View
The following hills, rocks and places can be seen from the Großer Zschirnstein (from northeast through south to northwest): FalkensteinFalkenstein (Sächsische Schweiz)
The Falkenstein is one of the best known climbing peaks in Saxon Switzerland.It is situated near the rocky Schrammsteine ridge southeast of the town of Bad Schandau....
, Schrammsteine
Schrammsteine
The Schrammsteine are a long, strung-out, very jagged group of rocks in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains located east of Bad Schandau in Saxon Switzerland in East Germany. To the north they are bordered by the Kirnitzsch valley, to the south by the Elbe valley and to the east by the Affensteine rocks....
, Tanečnice (Tanzplan), Großer Winterberg
Großer Winterberg
Großer Winterberg is a mountain of Saxony, southeastern Germany....
, Zirkelstein
Zirkelstein
The Zirkelstein is the smallest table mountain of Saxon Switzerland. It is a wooded, cone-shaped hill with a striking 40 metre high summit block of sandstone rock.- Location and area :...
, Kottmar
Kottmar
Kottmar is a mountain of Saxony, southeastern Germany....
, Prebischtor
Prebischtor
The Pravčická brána is located in the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic. The narrow rock formation is the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe...
, Mezní Louka (Rainwiese), Vlčí hora
Vlčí hora
The Vlčí hora is one of the most prominent peaks in the lowlands of the Šluknov Hook in the Czech Republic.- Location and area :...
(Wolfsberg), Jedlová (Tannenberg), Pěnkavčí vrch (Finkenkoppe), Studenec (Kaltenberg), Zlatý vrch (Goldberg), Růžovský vrch
Růžovský vrch
The Růžovský vrch, also Růžák is the dominant mountain in the Bohemian Switzerland east of the River Elbe in the Czech Republic. Its almost circular cone shape makes it one of the most typical representatives of the mountains of North Bohemia. The upper part of the mountain is made of basalt,...
(Rosenberg), Ještěd
Ješted
Ještěd is the highest mountain peak of the Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge near Liberec in the north of the Czech Republic. From the summit there are views into Germany and Poland...
(Jeschken), Klíč (Kleis), Bezděz
Bezdez Castle
Bezděz Castle is a Gothic castle located some 20 km southeast of Česká Lípa, in the Liberec Region, Northern Bohemia, Czech Republic. Its construction began before 1264 by order of Přemysl Otakar II....
(Bösig), Buková hora (Zinkenstein) (with its prominent TV tower), Lovoš
Lovos
LOVOS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Voluntary Simplicity which are oriented to health and sustainability; and are critical of consumption and consumerism....
(Lobosch), Kletečna (Kletschen), Milešovka
Milešovka
Milešovka is with its 837 m the highest mountain of České Středohoří, Czech Republic. The height difference between the foot and summit is 300 metres. Alexander von Humboldt claimed the view to be the third nicest view in the world.- References :...
(Milleschauer), Děčínský Sněžník
Decínský Snežník
The Děčínský Sněžník is a mountain in the Czech Republic and, at above sea level, the highest peak in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. The Sněžník is located in the Jílové municipality, west of Děčín in the Ústí nad Labem Region, in the mountainous area of Bohemian Switzerland, close to the border...
(Hoher Schneeberg), Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
.
Air crash
On 14 February 2010 around 8.20 pm a Cessna Citation 550Cessna Citation
The Cessna Citation is a marketing name used by Cessna for its line of business jets. Rather than one particular model of aircraft, the name applies to several "families" of turbofan-powered aircraft that have been produced over the years...
light aircraft crashed into the southern flank of the hill in a craggy area. The aircraft belonged to the Czech airline, Time Air
Time Air
Time Air was an airline in Canada founded in 1966 by businessman Walter “Stubb” Ross from Lethbridge in Alberta. It was originally called "Lethbridge Air Service" before becoming Time Air...
, and was under way from Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to Karlstad
Karlstad
Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The two pilots were killed. According to an evaluation of the voice recorder
Flight recorder
A flight recorder is an electronic recording device placed in an aircraft for the purpose of facilitating the investigation of an aircraft accident or incident. For this reason, flight recorders are required to be capable of surviving the conditions likely to be encountered in a severe aircraft...
the cause of the crash was an aerobatic manoeuvre (aileron roll
Aileron roll
The Aileron Roll is an aerobatic maneuver in which the aircraft does a full 360° revolution about its longitudinal axis. When executed properly, there is no appreciable change in altitude and the aircraft exits the maneuver on the same heading as it entered...
) for which the aircraft is not authorised.