Kilianstein
Encyclopedia
The Kilianstein is a free-standing pinnacle of rock in the eastern part of the Sembach valley in central Germany. It stands about 800 m east of the (upper) village of Winterstein
on the northern slopes of the Thuringian Forest
.
The pinnacle is about 15 m high and some . It consists of relatively crumbly quartz porphyry and is visited, albeit rarely, by sports climbers. Several trails are signposted from here, climbing routes have been established on the rock and on the top is a summit register.
This type of rock, very unusual in this area, fired the imagination of ordinary people centuries ago. They often linked incomprehensible phenomena and mysterious places with the work of the devil. According to a Winterstein legend, this rock was formed when, in ancient times, the devil rammed his walking stick into the ground in anger at the success of the missionary St. Kilian
who came from this area, and the tip of his stick remained embedded.
Emsetal
Emsetal is a municipality in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany.The Kilianstein is an unusual rock pinnacle in the municipality that is sometimes used by climbers. It is 800 m east of the village of Winterstein....
on the northern slopes of the Thuringian Forest
Thuringian Forest
The Thuringian Forest running northwest to southeast, forms a continuous stretch of ancient rounded mountains posing ample difficulties in transit routing save through a few navigable passes in the southern reaches of the German state of Thuringia. It is about long and wide...
.
The pinnacle is about 15 m high and some . It consists of relatively crumbly quartz porphyry and is visited, albeit rarely, by sports climbers. Several trails are signposted from here, climbing routes have been established on the rock and on the top is a summit register.
This type of rock, very unusual in this area, fired the imagination of ordinary people centuries ago. They often linked incomprehensible phenomena and mysterious places with the work of the devil. According to a Winterstein legend, this rock was formed when, in ancient times, the devil rammed his walking stick into the ground in anger at the success of the missionary St. Kilian
Saint Kilian
Saint Kilian, also spelled Killian , was an Irish missionary bishop and the apostle of Franconia , where he began his labours towards the end of the 7th century.-Background:...
who came from this area, and the tip of his stick remained embedded.