Dorfeiche Dötlingen, Natural monument in Dötlingen, Germany

The Dorfeiche Dötlingen is a remarkable old oak that stands in the village center beside St. Firminus Church. The tree displays the marks of storms and age, with only a few remaining branches extending from its substantial trunk.

The oak grew for around 500 to 600 years and was once much larger with an impressive crown. A severe storm in 1980 caused substantial damage that permanently altered the tree's appearance.

The oak is a protected natural monument (Naturdenkmal) in the centre of Dötlingen, a short walk from the St.-Firminus-Kirche and the Tabkenhof, the largest Niedersachsenhaus in north-west Germany. Tourist brochures give its age as over 1000 years, while specialists estimate 500 to 600 years; the trunk fragment, about four metres high with two branches, is a meeting point in the village core.

The tree is located in the village center and is easily reached on foot near Tabkenhof house. Visitors can view the oak year-round at no cost, as it stands freely accessible along the roadside.

While many travel guides claim the oak is over 1000 years old, scientific research suggests it is actually around 500 to 600 years old. This gap between popular belief and scientific evidence makes the tree notable for age-dating debates.