Stock im Eisen, Medieval monument at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz, Vienna, Austria
This monument is a section of spruce trunk standing about 2.2 meters tall, completely covered with ancient iron nails and held together by metal bands. The surface reveals a thick layer of nails from different periods, creating a striking visual record of its past use.
The tree began growing around 1400 and was felled in 1440, first documented in records by 1533 when it stood against a house. Over centuries, the trunk remained at this location and became a lasting testament to medieval craft traditions.
Traveling craftspeople and apprentices marked the trunk with nails as a personal record of their journeys, with this practice becoming widespread from the early 1700s onward. This practice transformed it into a place where each hammer blow symbolized someone passing through Vienna on their way to mastery.
The monument sits at the corner of the Palais Equitable building, protected behind glass at the intersection of Graben and Kärntner Straße. You can view it easily from the street without needing special access or worrying about restricted opening times.
The metal bands holding the trunk bear the initials HB and the date 1575, installed by Hans Buettinger, who owned the neighboring building. This record shows how a single property owner cared for the piece and maintained it across generations.
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