Erlkron, Tower ruin in Glücksburg, Germany
Erlkron is a tower ruin standing on a hilltop in the Schwenau Valley with Gothic-style window openings and raised stone platforms as key features. The structure offers views across the valley and toward the Ox Islands visible in the Flensburg Fjord.
The tower was built in 1900 by Heinrich Haß using carefully crafted stones salvaged from the demolished Duburg ruins. The project reflects local efforts to preserve architectural heritage through material reuse.
The tower's name may reference the alder forests once common in the valley or connect to the famous Erlkönig ballad in German literature. Visitors can sense this literary connection when exploring the site.
The site is accessible during special events and exhibitions held in the surrounding landscape garden. Comfortable footwear is recommended as reaching the ruins requires walking up a hillside path.
The landscape garden surrounding the ruins hosted an exhibition in 2009 featuring stone sculptures from Zimbabwe alongside paintings by Jürgen Zellermann. This artistic use brought contemporary work to a historic site.
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