Greiz celebrates: New Sophienkreuz triumphs after 40 years!

Greiz celebrates: New Sophienkreuz triumphs after 40 years!

Greiz, Deutschland - On June 21, 2025, a new landmark was installed in Greiz: the Sophienkreuz, which is up to the stone. With an imposing height of twelve meters and a weight of 1.2 tons, the cross is not only an eye -catcher, but also a sign of tradition and memory. The location is about 375 meters above the city of Greiz and attracts not only locals, but also tourists who want to enjoy the view. As reported by n-tv.de, the cross, also as a "white cross", was already inaugurated and is a monument that was once a monument that was once of Prince Heinrich XX. Reuss was dedicated to his late wife.

This new cross is not the first of its kind. In the past, the Sophienkreuz has been replaced five times. The last wooden cross was around 40 years old, but was badly affected by lightning strikes and weathering, so that a rescue of the Old Cross was considered too complex. A strong rust infestation was also found on the inner steel mast, which finally led to the decision to reduce the old cross in mid -May 2025 for security reasons.

the restoration of a symbol

In order to protect the cultural importance of the summit cross, the State Forestry Thuringia Forst has decided to have the cross resolved true to the original. The company, which is also the owner of the cross, invests an impressive 80,000 euros in the project. In the coming weeks, the steel railing is also to be renewed at the neighboring viewpoint, which can only be done manually and with wheelbarrows due to the poor accessibility of the site.

The tradition of building summit crosses is widespread in Germany, and the Greizer Kreuz is not the only of its kind. The Wikipedia list lists many other known crosses, including the Josephskreuz in Stolberg, which is the highest This Kreuz at 38 meters. The historical context also shows that such monuments often remember special persons or events and serve as orientation aids on hikes.

The popularity of the summit crosses is not only shown in their series of locations, but also in the appreciation they have received over the years. These crosses stand for community, history and nature, which is why the use of the state forestry company to maintain the tradition of the Sophienkreuz is very welcome.

For the Greizer, the new Sophia cross offers a way to repeat their history again and again and to enjoy the beauty of their region over the years. Current information and historical data about lightning strikes in the region are documented on Blitzortung.org, which only underlines the interest in this special geographical location.