Quackenschloß


Useful Information

photography
Quackenschloß, Germany. Public Domain.
Location: About 900 m SSW Engelhardsberg, on the eaves of the Wisenttal valley between Behringersmühle and Muggendorf. At the end of Engelhardsberg in the direction of Behringersmühle, turn right from 400 m to the hikers' car park, then 10 min (600 m) on a romantic footpath to the cave.
(49.7893782, 11.2883079)
Open: No restrictions.
[2023]
Fee: free.
[2023]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave KarstCollapsed Cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=20 m, A=510 m NN.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
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History


Description

The Quackenschloss is a through-cave about 20 m long, which doesn't sound very spectacular at first. But the cave crosses a dolomite rock that is about 100 m long and 30 m high and is also called Quackenschloss. With a portal that is 7 m wide and 2.50 m high and a portal that is 9 m wide and 5 m high, the oval passage has quite impressive dimensions. Actually, one has the impression that originally there were two parallel corridors which grew together. At the larger portal, a remnant of the dividing wall still exists and forms a pillar.

The cave is located above the plateau of the Franconian Alb in the free-standing rock and is therefore probably the remnant of a very old cave system. The dolomite has special properties and appears holey due to weathering. This rock is called Rauchwacke, or Quacke in the local dialect Franconian, which probably explains the name of the cave. In addition, the rocky ridge reminds strongly of a ruined castle from the Middle Ages. The two passages of the cave were formed at the intersection of two obliquely dipping strata joints with two fissures. Especially in the entrance area, the rock has been weathered by weathering from outside and therefore has a somewhat different appearance than inside the passage.

Once a young hunter was hunting a stag in the Wiesent valley, but it suddenly disappeared before his eyes. Then he saw a gate leading into the rock in front of him, in front of which dwarves stood and invited him to follow them. He entered a magnificent hall where a lovely fairy sat on a golden throne . She invited him to sit at her side, for she had plans to raise him to be her consort after some time. The hunter liked this splendour at first, but then he remembered his beloved, whom he had left behind, and the vast forests. But when he asked the fairy for his release from the magic palace, she sank down dead and the palace collapsed. The hunter was found dead at the foot of the Quackenschloss.

The cave and the entire rock have been designated as an important geotope (474R060) and a natural monument (ND-04580) by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment. This ridge and the neighbouring Adlerstein are popular sport climbing areas. It can be reached in about 10 minutes from the hikers' car park at the Adlerstein on a hiking trail that runs on top of the Adlerstein.