Süntelstein, Megalithic menhir near Vehrte, Belm, Germany
Süntelstein is a granite menhir situated in a forest clearing within the Wiehen Mountains that rises distinctly above the surrounding woodland floor. The stone displays a rounded top and a flat southern face, giving it a distinctive form.
The stone originates from the Saale glacial period, approximately 200,000 years ago, when glaciers carried a granite block from Scandinavia to the Osnabrück region. After the ice melted, it remained at this location and was later used by people as a landmark.
The name Süntel once referred to the whole chain of the Wiehengebirge, Wesergebirge and Süntel; today it denotes only the ridge to the east, so the stone lies in the western part of that old Süntel. The Brothers Grimm recorded a local tale that the devil carried the stone through the air and dropped it, and pointed out the spot where the chain had held it.
The stone sits on a small woodland clearing in the Steenshöhe forest and is accessible via marked hiking trails in the Wiehen Mountains. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear as access involves walking through forest paths.
The north face displays a devil's grimace painting that follows the natural contours and cracks of the granite surface. This artistic addition adapts so skillfully to the stone's form that it appears as part of the rock itself.
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