Frau-Holle-Teich, Natural monument lake in Hoher Meißner, Germany.
Frau-Holle-Teich is a small natural pond on the eastern flank of the Hoher Meißner at about 623 m, roughly 400 m north-northwest of the Kalbe summit. A spring called Godesborn rises in the middle, and a clay layer holds the water. Tall cattails ring the shore, and a wooden Frau-Holle statue by Viktor Donhauser stands at the southern forest edge.
Landgrave Hermann of Hesse first described the pond in 1641, linking it to legends of Frau Holle. A 1776 Wickenrode parish register recorded it as a tax-exempt swamp hole of 1.5 ares. In 1936 an artificial branch of the Hollenbach was diverted into the pond to slow silting; dredging in 1938 damaged the clay seal and the pond ran dry, until it was repaired with clay from Großalmerode.
The name references Frau Holle from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, showing how nature and folklore become intertwined in this region. Visitors often connect the lake to these stories and search for traces of this legendary figure.
The lake is reachable via a marked hiking trail accessible from several directions. Proper footwear and appropriate clothing for woodland walks are recommended, as the path traverses natural terrain.
The pond's spring, the Godesborn, stays around 9 °C and rises in the middle of the water; rain and the spring are held back by a clay layer beneath. In 1936 an artificial branch of the Hollenbach was led in to slow silting, and when dredging in 1938 breached the clay the pond ran dry until it was sealed again with clay from Großalmerode.
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