Labyrinth, Rock formation in Sächsische Schweiz, Germany

The Labyrinth is a sandstone rock formation in Sächsische Schweiz with heights ranging from 5 to 15 meters. The stones create a network of narrow passages, deep crevices, and irregular cavities that together cover about 3.5 hectares.

The Labyrinth is a group of Elbe sandstone rocks at the southern end of the Nikolsdorfer Wände, on the boundary between Langenhennersdorf and Leupoldishain. It probably received its name during the Romantic period. Since 1979 it has been protected as a Flächenhaftes Naturdenkmal (areal natural monument).

The name likely dates from the Romantic period, when the eroded sandstone crevices were seen as a natural maze. A numbered path now leads through the 3.5-hectare area, but walking off the marked route is allowed. At the entrance stands the Labyrinthwächter, a climbing rock with eight routes, the easiest rated III on the Saxon scale.

A numbered path guides visitors through the rock formations, but independent exploration along unmarked routes is also possible. The passages are tight and the ground can be uneven, so sturdy footwear and careful attention are important.

The hourglass-shaped walls between the cavities are rows of former sand nests whose lime content was leached out, so the sand lost its binding power. On the rock tops, the same process left bowl-shaped hollows. The yellow sulphur lichen growing on the stone is easy to spot.