Gerberstein, Granite summit in the Thuringian Forest, Thuringia, Germany

Gerberstein is a 728.5-metre granite formation in the Thuringian Forest, one of the highest peaks in the Wartburgkreis. Its summit has a viewing platform looking over the Werra valley and the Rhön. The granite belongs to the main granite of the Ruhla saddle, which resisted weathering during the Saxon block-faulting.

The mountain is among the oldest documented peaks in the Thuringian Forest and may have held medieval fortifications on its summit. Local traditions mention ancient structures, though their exact history remains unclear today.

The name Gerberstein derives from the medieval forms Gervuenestein (933) and Gerwinestein (1014), recorded in border descriptions of the Mark Breitungen and Mark Lupnitz. The peak lay in the hunting grounds of the Ludowingers, when brown bears still lived here as game. A display board on the main access path notes its protection as a Flächennaturdenkmal since 1940.

Multiple marked trails lead to the summit from different starting points, and the nearby town of Ruhla offers accommodation and food options. Sturdy footwear is advisable, and visitors should check the weather since the summit is exposed to the elements.

The mountain's name appears in writing earlier than any other peak on the Thuringian Forest ridge: a border description of the Mark Breitungen from 933 records it as Gervuenestein, and in 1014 it appears as Gerwinestein in a description of the Mark Lupnitz. A display board on the main access path notes that the summit has been protected as a Flächennaturdenkmal since 1940.