Zirkelstein
Encyclopedia
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.
in the part of Saxon Switzerland that lies left of the River Elbe. Immediately northwest of the hill is the village of Schöna in the municipality of Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna
, whilst east of the hill – in the Elbe valley – is the municipality of Hřensko
(Herrnskretschen), over the border in Czechia. Immediately at the foot of the Zirkelstein is a former Friends of Nature
house with a restaurant and a small bungalow village. The land of the Zirkelstein has been in private hands since 2008.
In 1841 the then owner of the hill, Johann Gottlob Füssel, built a small inn on the side of the Zirkelstein. In 1842 facilities were built to enable the summit to be made accessible to visitors. The inn was run by the family until 1913 and then the business was leased. On 3 September 1926 the inn was set on fire by lightning during a heavy thunderstorm and was razed to the ground.
Currently the hill, which has an area of 7 hectares, is owned by the ZirkelsteinResort gGmbH. The best-known painting of the Zirkelsteins is by Caspar David Friedrich
. In the background of his 1818 painting, Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer, the hill appears in the background.
.
Table 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...
of Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sandstone Mountains....
. It is a wooded, cone-shaped hill with a striking 40 metre high summit block of sandstone rock.
Location and area
The Zirkelstein is located five kilometres southeast of Bad SchandauBad Schandau
Bad Schandau is a spa town in Germany, in the south of the Free State of Saxony and the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, at the mouth of the little valley of the Kirnitzsch.-Geography:...
in the part of Saxon Switzerland that lies left of the River Elbe. Immediately northwest of the hill is the village of Schöna in the municipality of Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna
Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna
Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna is a municipality in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district in the German federal state of Saxony. It has a population of approximately 1,600 and is located close to the Czech border in Saxon Switzerland, a popular tourist region....
, whilst east of the hill – in the Elbe valley – is the municipality of Hřensko
Hrensko
Hřensko is a small village of approximately 320 inhabitants in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic on the border with Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the Kamenice and Labe rivers and was established during the 15th century as a trading settlement...
(Herrnskretschen), over the border in Czechia. Immediately at the foot of the Zirkelstein is a former Friends of Nature
Friends of Nature
Friends of Nature is an international movement with a background in the Social Democratic movement, which aims to make nature accessible to the wider community by providing appropriate recreational and travel facilities.-Background:It is a non-profit organisation which, in addition to encouraging...
house with a restaurant and a small bungalow village. The land of the Zirkelstein has been in private hands since 2008.
History
Currently the hill, which has an area of 7 hectares, is owned by the ZirkelsteinResort gGmbH. The best-known painting of the Zirkelsteins is by Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
. In the background of his 1818 painting, Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer, the hill appears in the background.
Name
The Zirkelstein gets its name from its characteristic shape that, from a distance, resembles a circle (German: Zirkel). In 1592 the hill was first mentioned, as the Circkelstein.Ascent
The Zirkelstein is best approached from Schöna along at yellow signed hiking trail. The summit itself may be gained using the metal steps and railings provided.Views
Due to its isolated situation the summit offers a comprehensive all-round view over the forests and crags of Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland and the Lusatian MountainsLusatian Mountains
The Lusatian Mountains are a mountain range of the Western Sudetes, located on the southeastern border of Germany with the Czech Republic east of the Elbe river, a continuation of the Ore Mountains range west of the Elbe valley...
.