Rauenstein (hill)

The Rauenstein is a low table mountain in Saxon Switzerland in Germany. It rises west of the Elbe inside the Elbe loop near Rathen. It has a height of 304 metres and drops steeply to the north into the Elbe valley. It is has a deeply incised structure and is about 600 metres long and 200 metres wide. It thus rises some 50 to 100 metres over the surrounding area. The Rauenstein is almost completely wooded, but has several dominant sandstone rock faces. The sandstone here is very soft and heavily weathered.

Location and area

On the eastern side is the village of Weißig in the borough of Struppen. On the north and east side there are various climbing towers, the best known being the 18 metre high Nonne or Nonnenstein, that is situated 200 metres from the eastern side of the Rauenstein. The rock was the site of a medieval watchtower (Burgwarte).

At the southeastern end of the Rauenstein is a hill restaurant that has been there since 1893. Before that, from 1886 to 1893, drinks were sold in the Kapp Cave (Kapphöhle), also the Kappmeyer or Kamm Cave, on the summit plateau. One year earlier the touristic development of the Rauenstein had been started by the Dresden Branch of the Mountain Club.

Views

From the viewing point at the hill restaurant there is a panoramic view of Lilienstein and the village of Weißig.