For this and the next issue, we have thought of inviting you to go on a discovery tour of the area around kulmbach. After the long winter months we are longing to go for a hike. To find our destination for today, we have to go a little further afield.
From motschenbach to dorfles we pass the kreutzsteinnest (more about this in the next issue). If we continue along the path, the forest ends shortly after the turnoff to geuthenreuth on the left side. Here, at the edge of the forest we catch sight of a yellow post of the gas pipeline. At this we go on a forest path into the forest and after a short distance we come to the herrenstein, a mighty rathsandstone rock.
History of the herrenstein
buchau is mentioned for the first time in documents in 1125 as the seat of a ruler. In 1139, the parish church of st. Michael from bishop otto of bamberg the right of baptism and burial. On the northern edge of the village, on a steep slope in the valley, hidden between old beech trees, lies the castle, which was owned by the fortsche family until 1437 and later by the von giech family. Northeast of buchau, on the other side of the valley, on the slope in the coniferous forest, lies the herrenstein.
Nine steps are carved out of the rock from the upper side of the slope. The whole upper part of the rock is hewn out rectangular 110 to 140 centimeters deep. Around it run stone benches 35 centimeters wide and 55 centimeters high, providing space for 12 to 15 people.
Here the counts of giech used to hold hunting dinners, tea parties and other festivities with their companies. For example, the officers of the garrison of kulmbach were gladly invited to the castle of plassenburg. In the past, there were only a few possibilities for a partnership between the two.
In the past there was a roof
the high seat was once roofed, around it square holes have been cut out for the posts of the roof. The existing round cavities were used as ice trays to cool the good drinks of the gentlemen.
Hans edelmann also describes an animal enclosure near buchau in his reports on hikes in the surrounding area. It was quite common to keep wild animals in a fenced enclosure in such a forest stucco, in order to "present" them to the guests as desired, that means: drivers drove the animals in front of the runners. Weidmannsheil!
Here from the hirschenstein/herrenstein, they could be shot then with small auand.
The high seat was probably built in the second half of the 18th century. Century.