Alte Eiche, Pedunculate oak by the Lahn in Dausenau, Germany

The Alte Eiche is a massive oak tree in Dausenau with a broad crown that extends far outward in all directions. Its trunk is thick and sturdy, with bark that bears the texture typical of very old growth.

The Alte Eiche is a pedunculate oak at the entrance to Dausenau on the bank of the Lahn, registered as a natural monument under the code ND-7141-388. Its age cannot be determined exactly: former forestry director Volkening estimated 700 to 800 years, while popular belief holds it to be over 1,100 years old, likely because it was called the "Tausendjährige Eiche" about 100 years ago. It is thought to have served as a court oak in the Middle Ages, though no evidence of this exists. The tree was last restored in the late 1990s, after earlier restorations.

The oak is also called Toreiche (gate oak) and Gerichtseiche (court oak); the latter name refers to the belief that it served as a medieval court oak, though no documentary proof exists. The name Tausendjährige Eiche (thousand-year oak) spread about a century ago and still shapes how locals present the tree.

The tree is accessible from the village center via marked pathways, and parking is available nearby. Visitors should expect muddy ground after rain and should wear comfortable walking shoes.

The trunk is hollow, and its larger openings are covered with metal grilles. Some wide-spreading branches are held up by straps, a result of the restoration carried out in the late 1990s and earlier repairs. The tree is registered as a natural monument under the code ND-7141-388.