Alte Taufe, Natural monument in Lauenau, Germany

Alte Taufe is a large cube-shaped sandstone block situated in the Deister mountain area near Hannover, standing out prominently in the surrounding landscape. The stone's most notable feature is a water-filled hollow at its top, which collects and retains moisture from rainfall.

The block is a cube of Wealden sandstone about 3 m across, left standing by uneven weathering of Cretaceous sandstone and marl layers on the Deister's southwest slope. It was long held to be an old Germanic sacrificial site, but no archaeological evidence supports this and no excavation has been carried out. The prehistorian Detlef Schünemann argued for prehistoric working and ritual use by comparing its hollow with other large "sacrificial stones".

Local legend links the stone to the Christianisation period: the name may come from the idea that it served as a baptismal font after Christianity arrived. Forced baptisms are conceivable but unproven, as are prehistoric human sacrifices. The phrase "über den Deister gehen" (to disappear or die) is sometimes explained by such sacrifice stories.

The site is accessible via several hiking trails of varying length and difficulty depending on your starting point. Plan to wear proper hiking shoes and bring weather-appropriate clothing, as the paths wind through forested and hilly terrain.

The hollow on top is not a basin that keeps a fixed water level; the block is a 3-metre cube of Wealden sandstone, and the hollow is a shallow depression. The rock is protected as a natural monument, as is the similar Teufelskanzel about 1 km to the east-southeast.