Hindenburglinde, Deciduous tree in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden, Germany
Hindenburglinde is a linden tree in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden and ranks among Germany's largest trees of its kind, standing about 30 meters tall. The trunk measures roughly 11.5 meters around, and its interior is partially hollow, giving it a distinctive character.
The tree stands on a former common pasture where farmers could graze cattle and gather leaves, and felling was forbidden. It appears in travel guides from about 1850; in 1890 the Ramsau beautification society laid a path to it and began restoration work. In 1933 it was renamed after Paul von Hindenburg, and in 1997 its lowest large limb broke under snow load, leaving a scar still visible on the trunk.
The tree is named after a former German president and represents continuity and connection to home for local residents. People naturally gather here during walks and visit across seasons to spend time beneath its wide branches.
The tree stands on a grassy verge directly beside the Deutsche Alpenstraße (B 305), about 150 metres above the valley of the Ramsauer Ache at roughly 850 metres elevation. A path to the tree was laid out by the Verschönerungsverein Ramsau in 1890, and a car park was later built next to it. The site is a protected natural monument, so visitors stay on the paths and verge.
The trunk was once hollow and was filled with masonry; the opening has since been completely overgrown by the tree's ongoing growth. The scar from a large branch that broke off in 1997 under heavy snow is still visible on the trunk. A hawthorn said to be equally old stands near the Hotel Hindenburglinde.
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