Tausendjährige Eiche, Ancient oak tree at Schloss Nagel, Germany.
This ancient oak near Schloss Nagel is a massive specimen with a broad, hollow trunk and spreading lower branches. The tree displays the characteristics of great age, with thick bark and an open cavity visible inside its trunk.
The tree was already standing for centuries when the minister Hans Wilhelm von Thümmel of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg chose in 1824 to be buried inside it. This unusual entombment turned the specimen into a notable location in the region.
The oak represents the connection between nature and human legacy, serving as a symbol of endurance through centuries of German history.
The location sits near Schloss Nagel and is accessible through paths that circle the grounds. The tree stands in the open and can be visited at any time of year, with early morning or late afternoon offering the best light for viewing.
The interior of the tree is partly accessible, allowing visitors to peer inside the hollow and view the minister's burial place within. Being able to look directly into the cavity of a living tree that holds an actual tomb is a remarkable and uncommon experience.
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