Weingartnerfels, Natural rock formation in Schönsee, Germany.
Weingartnerfels is a rocky formation that rises prominently from the forest floor in the Oberpfalz region near Schönsee. The structure displays clear layering and foliation patterns within its gneiss composition, reflecting the geological forces that shaped this area.
The summit rocks are cordierite-sillimanite gneiss, a metamorphic rock formed from sediments under high pressure and temperature. The Bavarian State Office for the Environment lists the outcrop as geotope 376R004, and the Schwandorf district office protects it as natural monument ND-02957. A 2006 survey corrected the summit height from 896 m to 898 m above sea level.
The summit is the northernmost point in Germany from which the Alps can be seen, on rare clear days with föhn weather over the eastern Alps. The 30.17-metre wooden Böhmerwaldturm, built in 1983, gives views across the Bavarian and Upper Palatinate forests toward Bohemia. The peak also marks the European watershed between the Elbe and Danube.
This rocky formation is reached via marked walking paths that connect to the regional trail network of the area. A visit works best in dry weather, as the paths can become slippery after rain.
The summit marks the European watershed between the Elbe and the Danube: rain on the northeast slope drains via the Radbuza, Berounka and Vltava to the North Sea, while water on the north, west and south slopes reaches the Black Sea via the Schwarzach, Naab and Danube.
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