Externsteine, Sandstone rock formation in Horn-Bad Meinberg, Germany
Externsteine is a group of thirteen sandstone pillars rising up to 40 meters (131 feet) in the Teutoburg Forest, shaped by weathering over millions of years. Stairs lead up to platforms between the rocks, offering views over forests and ponds below.
The main chamber of the Grottenfels carries an inscription dated 1115 recording the consecration of an altar there. By the high medieval period a Christian chapel stood at the site, and the rocks also served as a hermitage. Whether Christian worship began as early as the 8th to 10th centuries remains disputed.
The medieval relief showing the Descent from the Cross was carved between 1115 and 1130, depicting Christ and his companions as life-sized figures cut into the sandstone. This work connects the site to early church use and draws visitors who want to see such Romanesque stone carving in its original setting.
The information center offers geological and historical background, while marked trails guide you through the surrounding nature reserve. The stairs cut into the rock are steep and narrow, so you should be sure-footed and take extra care when wet.
The main chamber of the Grottenfels holds an inscription dated 1115 recording the consecration of an altar. Beside the outer entrance to the Kuppelgrotte, an alcove holds a heavily eroded relief of a standing figure with a key in the right hand and a sash in the left, read as St Peter.
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