Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Blankenburg (Harz) Teufelsmauer (The Devil's Wall)

Teufelsmauer (The Devil's Wall)

A strange rock formation with numerous legends trying to explain it.

Blankenburg (Harz), Germany

Added By
modenamurr
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Teufelsmauer (The Devil’s Wall).   Michael Sibler
Teufelsmauer.   Vanessa
A hiking trail behind the Teufelsmauer.   C.Mezzo-1
The Teufelsmauer from a distance.   modenamurr / Atlas Obscura User
Th Teufelsmauer.   modenamurr / Atlas Obscura User
Adlerklippen (Eagle’s Cliff).   modenamurr / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Teufelsmauer is a sandstone formation reminiscent of a giant fence, extending approximately 12 miles on the Harz Mountain Range. The rocky structure has been the subject of curiosity and folklore for as long as people have lived near it.

One story, collected by the Brothers Grimm, explains the rock formation's nickname. The local people referred to the rocky gravel area near the Harz as the "Devil's Dance Floor," and the standing rocks as the "Devil's Wall." As the legend was told, while God and the Devil were fighting for dominion over the world, the Devil was given a time frame to build a fence dividing the Earth in two. He was unable to finish the wall in time, thus got none of the Earth at all, and knocked down a portion of his wall in anger.

There are numerous variations on this tale, such as one in which the Devil had only one night to finish the wall, and that when a rooster crowed before dawn he thought he had failed and toppled the wall. More foreboding versions tell that everything behind the wall actually does belong to the Devil.

In actuality, the holes in the Teufelsmauer were probably the result of erosion over the course of eons. The strata of the wall vary in their density, and some portions would have toppled when the Harz rose from shifting tectonic plates. Additionally, parts of the sandstone could have been knocked out by melting glaciers at the end of the Ice Age.

Germany has acknowledged the rock formation's rarity for some time. Because sandstone was in such high demand during the 19th century, the Teufelsmauer was placed under special protection in 1833, making it one of the oldest nature reserves in the country. Local people protested at the time, but authorities felt justified in their "romantic" causes for preserving the rock monument.

Related Tags

Rock Formations Rocks Geological Oddities Geology Walls Mountains

Know Before You Go

Best views are from Weddersleben (Attention: there is no oficial parking right at the sight, you'll have to walk a bit)

Community Contributors

Added By

modenamurr

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson

  • Molly McBride Jacobson

Published

April 7, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teufelsmauer
  • https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teufelsmauer_(Harz)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harz
  • http://www.blankenburg-tourismus.de/en/teufelsmauer.html
  • http://www.harzgids.nl/teufelsmauer.html
Teufelsmauer (The Devil's Wall)
Großvaterweg 13
Blankenburg (Harz)
Germany
51.786506, 10.966847
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Hexentanzplatz (Witches' Dance Floor)

Thale, Germany

miles away

Quedlinburg Abbey

Quedlinburg, Germany

miles away

Sankt Burchardi Church Organ

Halberstadt, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Germany

Germany

Europe

Places 760
Stories 68

Nearby Places

Hexentanzplatz (Witches' Dance Floor)

Thale, Germany

miles away

Quedlinburg Abbey

Quedlinburg, Germany

miles away

Sankt Burchardi Church Organ

Halberstadt, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Germany

Germany

Europe

Places 760
Stories 68

Related Places

  • Indian Head

    Lincoln, New Hampshire

    Indian Head

    The Old Man of the Mountain’s less-famous, but still beloved little brother is said to resemble a leader of the Abenaki tribe.

  • The whole of Teakettle Rock

    Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    Teakettle Rock

    A strange sandstone formation in the middle of nowhere presents an interesting climbing opportunity.

  • Colorful sandstone cliff just west of the Colorock Quarry.

    Moapa Valley, Nevada

    Buffington Pockets

    The rocks exposed at Valley of Fire State Park also occur in a much less known but equally spectacular area a few miles to the southwest.

  • Grampian, Pennsylvania

    Bilger's Rocks

    Rocky outcrops containing overhangs, caves, fissures, clefts, and alcoves that invite exploration and scrambling.

  • Mexican Hat

    Mexican Hat, Utah

    Mexican Hat

    This balancing rock is one of Utah's most unusual geological formations.

  • Mortana, Australia

    Murphy’s Haystacks

    These oddly shaped pink granite formations got their name after being mistaken for massive piles of hay.

  • Prominent “fang.”

    Nye County, Nevada

    Fang Ridge

    Red rock "fangs" jut out of the desert near the Extraterrestrial Highway.

  • Edmaier’s Secret

    Big Water, Utah

    Edmaier's Secret

    This hidden gem in Arizona is truly worth the rugged journey.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.