Volkmarskeller

Stamp point number 87 of the Harz hiking pin leads hikers to the Volksmarskeller. This natural karst cave is one of many small hiding places that have produced one story or another throughout the history of the Harz. It is said that hermits were already hiding here before the year 1000. Over the centuries, the cave has been a refuge for all kinds of people looking for a safe haven in the Harz Mountains. With its interesting history and impressive surroundings, the Volksmarskeller is a favourite destination for hikers in the Harz Mountains for a variety of reasons.

Challenging hike with an impressive reward

The Volksmarskeller is located around four kilometres from Michaelstein Monastery and can be found above the actual monastery grounds. The cave is located around twenty metres up in a limestone cliff and is said to have been used in prehistoric times. Various stories and legends have been passed down, according to which hermits, refugees and other travelling people are said to have settled in the small cave from the year 950 onwards.

The cave, which is several square metres in size, has a larger room and access to another smaller section. The fact that the cave can be visited in this state again today is thanks to the building councillor Brinkmann. Sometime before the late 19th century, the cave must have been buried and could only be entered by crawling. He had it cleared again and thus revealed why the Volkmarskeller was used so frequently and for so many different purposes over the centuries.

The chequered history of the Volkmarskeller

Of course, a not inconsiderable part of the stories of and about the Volksmarskeller can be attributed primarily to folklore. Whether, for example, a famous hermitess who is said to have had excellent contacts with powerful bishops really lived here as early as 950 cannot be sufficiently proven. The man who gave the cellar its name - Volkmar - could also be a legend. What is certain, however, is that its proximity to the Old Monastery ensured that particularly pious people often found refuge here.

It is known that the church in the cave was founded by Cistercian monks in the early 12th century. During the excavation of the cave, six skeletons and the remains of an altar were also discovered, further confirming the purpose of the Volkmarskeller. It is therefore well worth travelling to this point on the Harz Hiking Needle and discovering a very special part of the Harz Mountains.

Photo 4 - © Bermicourt 2011 via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Deed
Photo 5 - © ErwinMeier via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed