The Devil's Wall in the Harz Mountains

by Thomas Bugdoll

The legendary natural monument Devil's Wall, which was formed about 85 million years ago as a deposit from the seas of the Upper Cretaceous (Santon) and subsequent uplift of the Harz, consists of two parts that have completely different characteristics.

While the geologically younger rocks between Neinstedt and Weddersleben consist mainly of quite angular sandstone and are visible from afar standing freely in the midst of orchards and flower meadows, those between Timmenrode and Blankenburg are more similar to those from the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in terms of the landscape (not geologically) and are located almost exclusively in forested areas.

The spectacular highlight of the tour is the "Hamburger Wappen" near Timmenrode with its picturesque offshore rocks and the cave at the foot of the massif. The three rock towers of the landmark even have their own names (from left to right "Kleiner", "Kessel" and "Spitzer") and are already recognizable from afar on the way from Warnstedt to Timmenrode.