Gläserner Mönch

The "Glass Monk", which has been a nature reserve since 1934, is a rather bizarre rock formation that is estimated to be around 84 million years old. Located to the west of the Thekenberge mountains and south of Halberstadt, the rock is now accessible via a staircase and is a popular destination for excursions and hikes thanks to the panoramic view of the northern Harz foreland.

History and naming

Even by Harz standards, where there is always a lot of imagination involved in naming places of interest, the name "Gläserner Mönch" (glass monk) seems quite unusual. The origin of the current name is not entirely certain, as the rock has been called this for a long time and there are numerous different versions of its origins. People seem to have been attracted to the interesting rock formation for many hundreds of years, with the ancient Germanic tribes referring to the sandstone massif as "Thorstein". It is assumed that the shape of the rock reminded them of the hammer (called "Mjölnir") of their god of thunder, Odin, or even of him himself.

The rock, whose stone seems to glow in the right sunlight, is said to resemble a hooded monk. This corresponds to the legend that a monk and a nun once broke their vow of chastity here, whereupon they were turned to stone. After Christianisation, the stone was renamed accordingly and received its current name "Gläserner Mönch" (glass monk).

Even before the Harz Mountains were heavily colonised, the rock massif aroused people's interest, as evidenced by corresponding excavations. During these excavations, artefacts from prehistoric times were uncovered, which can now be found in the region's museums. Today it is assumed that the rock formation once served as a Germanic place of worship. In 2007, the stairs to the summit of the Glass Monk were completely renovated with the help of donations, which is why a plaque on the railing of the top platform lists all the donors.

Hikes and views

If you want to hike to the Glass Monk, there are several routes to choose from, starting in Langenstein or Halberstadt. From Langenstein, a short route leads along the Harzvorland cycle path, while the route from Halberstadt runs through the Spiegelsberge Landscape Park and is signposted as the "Gläserner Mönch circular route". To reach the top of the rock, however, there are 169 steps to climb, which are well worth it for the fantastic view over the surrounding areas - provided the weather is good and the sky is as cloudless as possible. From here, Halberstadt stretches out to the north, while Langenstein is visible to the west. To the south is the Hoppelberg, while to the east and south-east is the wooded ridge of the Thekenberge.