Fingalshöhle bei Obernzenn

Fingalshöhle near Obernzenn is a former sandstone quarry with walls of reddish stone rising up to 5 meters high. The excavation extends roughly 100 meters in length and 50 meters in width, showing clear traces of past extraction work.

The quarry was used as shelter by local residents during the Thirty Years War and served as a military field camp during the Napoleonic campaigns. These periods of military use shaped the site's past significantly.

The sandstone walls bear inscriptions from the 18th and 19th centuries, including names from noble families like Seckendorff, Rotenhan, and Guttenberg who left their marks. These carved names tell of visitors and local people who passed through this place over generations.

The site sits at 415 meters elevation and lies directly along the road between Obernzenn and Sontheim, making it easy to reach. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes since the ground is uneven and walls rise steeply in places.

An inscription commemorates Captain von Erckert, who fell during the American War of Independence. This carving links the local quarry to a distant historical conflict in an unexpected way.

Location: Illesheim

Elevation above the sea: 415 m

Length: 100 m

Width: 50 m

Part of: Cultural heritage D-5-6528-0295 in Illesheim, Baudenkmal D-5-75-133-13 in Illesheim

Address: Birkenbuck Eben- und Leitenholz

Website: http://umweltatlas.bayern.de/mapapps/resources/reports/geotope/generateBericht.pdf?additionallayerfieldvalue=575G001

GPS coordinates: 49.45422,10.44353

Latest update: December 14, 2025 15:00