Tour de Harz {Hexentanzplatz}

May 14, 2013


The next destination of our one-day tour-de-Harz was the Hexentanzplatz (Witches' Dance Floor), a plateau in the Harz mountains near the small town of Thale. Legend has it that there once lived an old witch, turning fair maidens into witches themselves and calling all the witches of the region to large meetings on her plateau. One day when she tried to lure another innocent virgin from Thale to her place a storm came up and she was thrown against a rock and turned into stone.

Every year, on Walpurgis Night (the night before the 1st of May when all witches come back to their dance floor for one night), there is a huge festival on the Hexentanzplatz of Thale with bonfires and dressing up and dancing. We were there two days before Walpurgis Night and there was already huge excitement and a bustling activity of preparation.

The plateau itself is really touristic, a large market place with many stalls selling food, drinks, hats, witch dolls and other souvenirs. But you can walk around it, enjoy the vastness and look down into the valleys. This is, I think, when you can imagine best, how it must have been like some hundreds of years ago and why this place with its deep woods and dark rocks is full of legends of witches and devils...





10 comments:

  1. The vastness is spectacular in your pictures. I wish I could see this in different seasons and at night too if possible.

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  2. Sehr schöne Bilder ;)
    xx
    Katha

    showthestyle.blogspot.de

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  3. Thale - I was there as a kid. ages ago. didn't remember a thing about it until I saw your pics. thanks for that :)

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  4. Amazing pictures! Great post -love your blog you have a new stalker!!

    SSSx

    http://www.stylestreetstalker.com/

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  5. Oh my goodness, this place is so hauntingly beautiful. You captured the mood perfectly!

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  6. Wow, what an incredible place! I love the story behind it, too - thank you for sharing :) Have a wonderful weekend!

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  7. Wonderful pictures and I just love the stories behind them - wonderful!

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  8. oh my goodness the landscape! it's so beautiful!

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  9. WOW. That place is AMAZING! Loved the legend too (:

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  10. Wow; such beautiful photos! The view is spectacular, and dark rocks and steep cliffs just add to the legend. :)

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