Standard design of road signs
One of the Megalithic sites near Steinkimmen, this chambered grave is known locally as 'Hünensteine', a not uncommon name for megalithic sites, although usually Menhirs.
Station 32 on the route[1]
Map of the route

The Route of Megalithic Culture[2][3][4][5] (German: Straße der Megalithkultur) was first created as a tourist route that meanders from Osnabrück to Oldenburg in North-West Germany. Signposted with brown road signs it links many places of archaeological interest from the Megalithic era.[6]

Signs for the route started going up in 2008 and 2009. The whole 310-kilometre-long route was officially opened on 14 May 2009.[7]

The route links many sites of archaeological investigation and 33 stations where the public can visit archaeological sites, for example, with standing stones.[6][8]

On the 27th of August 2013, the route became part of the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe initiative, with sections in a growing number of countries, including Denmark, England, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.[9]

Route

The founding section of the Route of Megalithic Culture runs through the territories of Osnabrück, Ostercappeln, Belm-Vehrte, Wallenhorst, Bramsche, Ankum, Berge, Bippen, Fürstenau, Freren, Thuine, Lingen (Ems), Meppen, Sögel, Werlte, Lastrup, Cloppenburg, Visbek, Großenkneten, Wildeshausen, Dötlingen, Ganderkesee and Oldenburg.[10]

It is planned to extend the route, on the one side towards North Rhine-Westphalia, and on the other towards northeast Lower Saxony as far as Schleswig-Holstein.[11] The original route in Lower Saxony now forms part of a greater EU initiative with similar routes in Denmark, England, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.[9] In the Netherlands, for instance, there are another 53  megalithic sites.[12]

Purpose

The Route of Megalithic Culture is intended to give a better understanding of the lives of people who lived over 5,000 years ago in all its member countries. The founding part of the route in northwest Germany has 33 stations, with insights into the function and design of their graves, their conception of the afterlife, understanding of nature and everyday lives. In some cases, the holiday road also leads to groups of Bronze Age and Iron Age tumuli of more recent times.[13]

The flyer for the Route of Megalithic Culture not only shows the numerous stone age stations of megalithic culture, but also other sights and points of interest along the way.[14] These include sights especially around the town of Osnabrück with its Cultural History Museum, the castles and palaces in Osnabrück Land, the Venne Iron Age House, the Old St Alexander's Church, the Kalkriese Museum and Park, the Cloth Maker's Museum, Bramsche, Malgarten Abbey, Börstel Abbey, the town of Meppen, the Hüven Mill, Clemenswerth Palace, the Cloppenburg Museum Village, St. Alexander's Church, the village of Dötlingen, Hude Abbey and the city of Oldenburg with its State Museum of Nature and People.[15]

Stations

The 33 stations as numbered on the official web site.[16]

Station Name Picture Location Sprockhoff No. Comments
1 a Teufelssteine
Teufelssteine
Voxtrup (Osnabrück) 914
1 b Gretescher Steine
Gretescher Steine
Gretesch (Osnabrück) 920
2 Großsteingrab Jeggen
Großsteingrab Jeggen
Jeggen (Bissendorf) 922
3 a Driehauser Steine
Driehauser Steine
Darpvenne (Ostercappeln) 903
3 b-d Darpvenner Steine I-III
Darpvenner Steine I

Darpvenner Steine II

Darpvenner Steine III
Darpvenne (Ostercappeln) 900–902
4 a–c Süntelstein
Großsteingräber bei Vehrte

Süntelstein

Teufels Teigtrog

Teufels Backofen
Vehrte (Belm) 915–916 Devil's Oven
(Teufels Backofen)
5 Helmichsteine
Helmichsteine
Rulle (Wallenhorst) 908 also known as Gevasteine
6 a–b Östringer Steine
Oestringer Steine I

Oestringer Steine II
Nettetal (Osnabrück) 912–913 In Östringen is another grave site (Östringer Steine III), which is not part of the Route's inventory
7 a–b Karlsteine
Große Karlsteine

Kleine Karlsteine
Haste (Osnabrück) 909–910
8 Wiemelsberger Steine
Wiemelsberger Steine
Ueffeln (Bramsche) 897
9 a–f Großsteingräberweg Giersfeld
Reinecke

Meyer

Grumfeld West

Rickelmann I
Westerholte (Ankum) 891–896
10 a Großsteingrab Restrup und Näpfchenstein „Teufelsstein“
Näpfchenstein
Restrup (Bippen) 886
10 b Hekeser Steine
Hekese, Grab B
Hekese (Berge) 883–884 In Hekese are two megalithic tombs, which are associated with a stone row.
11 Großsteingrab im Alt-Frerener Forst
Großsteingrab
im Alt-Frerener Forst
Freren 875
12 a Großsteingrab in der Kunkenvenne
Großsteingrab in der
Kunkenvenne
Thuine 874
12 b Großsteingrab auf dem Radberg 873
13 Der Steinerne Schlüssel
Der steinerne Schlüssel
Apeldorn (Meppen) 852 The Exhibition Centre for the Archaeology of the Emsland is in Meppen.
14 a–d Großsteingräber Deymanns Mühle I-IV
Großsteingrab Deymanns Mühle I

Großsteingrab Deymanns Mühle II

Großsteingrab Deymanns Mühle III

Großsteingrab Deymanns Mühle IV
Stavern (Sögel) 848–851
14 e Großsteingrab am Osteresch
Großsteingrab am Osteresch
Stavern (Sögel) 847
14 f Großsteingrab Groß-Stavern 1
Bruneforths Esch in Stavern
Stavern (Sögel) 846 The grave Groß-Stavern 1 is also known as Bruneforths Esch.
15 a Großsteingrab bei den Düvelskuhlen
Großsteingrab bei den Düvelskuhlen
Sögel 831
15 b Hünenbett bei den Düvelskuhlen Sögel 832
15 c Großsteingrab Püttkesberge
Großsteingrab Püttkesberge
Sögel 833
16 a–e Hünengräberstraße des Hümmling
Großsteingrab Im Ipeken

Großsteingrab Groß Berßen IV

Großsteingrab Groß Berßen VI (Wappengrab)

Großsteingrab Groß Berßen VIII (Königsgrab)

Großsteingrab Groß Berßen VII reconstructed
Groß Berßen 856–861

17 a Volbers Hünensteine
Volberts Hünensteine
Hüven 842
17 b Großsteingrab Hüven-Süd
Großsteingrab Hüven-Süd
Hüven 843
17 c Großsteingrab Lähden I
Großsteingrab Lähden I
Lähden 866
18 a Steenhus in den Klöbertannen Werpeloh 822 Originally, station no. 18 a had been the Großsteingrab am Kölkesberg (Spr.-No. 838).[17]
18 b Großsteingrab in den Klöbertannen
Großsteingrab Werpeloh II
Werpeloh 823 Originally, station no. 18 b had been the Großsteingrab an der Kölkesdose (Spr.-No. 837).[18]
18 c Großsteingräber auf der Buschhöhe
Großsteingrab Werpeloh IV
Werpeloh 825-826
18 d Steenhus von Börger
Steenhus von Börger
Börger 819
19 Ganggrab von Ostenwalde
Ganggrab von Ostenwalde
Ostenwalde 835 70 Meter from the original location. In Ostenwalde are two more Megalithic tombs which are not part of the Route's inventory.
20 a De hoogen Stener
De hoogen Steener in Werlte
Werlte 830
20 b Poldenhünensteine
Poldenhünensteine in Harrenstätte
Spahnharrenstätte 829
21 Teufelssteine (Molbergen)
Teufelssteine
Peheim (Molbergen) 959
22 a Schlingsteine
Schlingsteine
Lindern-Neuenkämpen 961
22 b Großsteingrab Hünensteine
Hünensteine
Lindern-Herrensand 962
22 c Großsteingrab am hohen Stein und der hohe Stein
Garen, am hohen Stein

Garen, der hohe Stein
Lindern-Garen 963–964 The Giant's Tomb and High Stone are also known as Garen megalithic tomb.
23 Oldendorfer Hünensteine
Oldendorfer Hünensteine
Oldendorf (Lastrup) 968
24 a Visbeker Bräutigam
Visbeker Bräutigam 934

Visbeker Bräutigam 935

Visbeker Bräutigam 936


Visbeker Bräutigam 937

Visbeker Bräutigam 938
(Brautwagen)

Großenkneten 934–938, 939–940
24 b Heidenopfertisch
Heidenopfertisch
Engelmannsbäke (Visbek) 974
24 c–d Ahlhorner Kellersteine
Ahlhorner Kellersteine I

Ahlhorner Kellersteine II
Ahlhorn (Großenkneten) 939–940
25 a–c Kleinenknetener Steine
Kleinenkneten I

Kleinenkneten II


Kleinenkneten III
Kleinenkneten (Wildeshausen) 957–958, 947 The third grave (station 25 c) was originally in Dotlingen and was moved in the 1930s to Kleinenkneten.
26 Pestruper Gräberfeld
Pestruper Gräberfeld
Pestrup (Wildeshausen) Also known as Grabhügelfeld (Grave mound field).
27 a Hohe Steine
Hohe Steine
Wildeshausen 956
27 b Bargloyer Steinkiste
Bargloyer Steinkste
Bargloy (Wildeshausen) This monument has no Sprockhoff No.
28 a Visbeker Braut
Visbeker Braut
Aumühle (Wildeshausen) 952
28 b Große Steine bei Thölstedt
Große Steine bei Thölstedt
Thölstedt 953
29 a–b Reckumer Steine
Großsteingrab Reckum I

Großsteingrab Reckum II
Winkelsett (Harpstedt) 811–812
30 a Gerichtsstätte
Großsteingrab Gerichtsstätte
Dötlingen 945
30 b–d Glaner Braut
Glaner Braut I

Glaner Braut II

Glaner Braut III

Glaner Braut IV
Glane (Wildeshausen) 948–951
30 e Großsteingrab am Schießstand (Dötlinger Steingrab)
Großsteingrab am Schießstand
(Dötlinger Steingrab)
Dötlingen 944
31 Großsteingrab Steenberg
Großsteingrab Steenberg
Kirchhatten 926 Also called „Hatten 2“; more than 30% of stones seem to be in the original position.
32 a–b Hünensteine von Steinkimmen
Hünensteine I

Hünensteine II
Steinkimmen (Gemeinde Ganderkesee) 927–928 Nearby there is a third grave (Steinkimmen Hünensteine III, Sprockhoff no. 929) that is not part of the route inventory.
33 Große Steine von Stenum
Große Steine von Stenum
Stenum (Ganderkesee) 930

Organisation and financing

The Straße der Megalithkultur is a community project resulting from collaboration between:

Authorised by the Behörde für Geoinformation, Landentwicklung und Liegenschaften (Department of Geoinformation, Land Usage and Property), financing for the Route of Megalithic Culture is provided from EU funds, distributed to local tourism and district authorities.

In May 2011, at the request of the tourism office for Osnabrück county (Landkreis) the tourism promotion department of the Ministry for Economic Affairs provided a subsidy of €180,600 for the route.[22]


References

  1. "Station 32 description" (PDF). Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  2. The European Route of Megalithic Culture at culture-routes.net. Retrieved on 9 April 2017.
  3. Molbergen — Devil’s Stones On The Route of Megalithic Culture at www.mygermancity.com. Retrieved on 27 Jul 2013
  4. The Route of Megalithic Culture: prehistoric times captured in stone at www.germany.travel. Retrieved on 27 Jul 2013
  5. The Project Archived 2013-11-04 at the Wayback Machine at www.megalithicroutes.eu. Retrieved on 27 Jul 2013
  6. 1 2 "Willkommen auf der Straße der Megalithkultur" (in German). Tourismusverband Osnabrücker Land e.V. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Straße der Megalithkultur wird am 14. Mai 2009 offiziell eröffnet". Landkreis-Kurier (in German). Archived from the original on August 5, 2013.
  8. "Straße der Megalithkultur" (in German). Zweckverband Naturpark Wildeshauser Geest.
  9. 1 2 "News about the Megalithic Routes initiative under the Council of Europe". Megalithic Routes e.V.
  10. "Home". strassedermegalithkultur.de.
  11. Emsland Touristik/Recreatieschap Drenthe: Mystisches SteinReich ohne Grenzen Seite 7 Archived 2013-11-01 at the Wayback Machine (pdf; 561 kB)
  12. Gerret von Northeim: Route zu den Großsteingräbern. Nordwest-Zeitung of 24 March 2009.
  13. Brief information by the parish of Ostercappeln about the Route of Megalithic Culture
  14. Leaflet on the Route of Megalithic Culture
  15. Sites in the Local Area, (in German). Retrieved on 28 Jul 2013
  16. "33 Stationen der Megalithkultur in Nordwestdeutschland". Tourismusverband Osnabrücker Land e.V. 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  17. Annette Bußmann: Steinzeitzeugen. S. 71–72.
  18. Annette Bußmann: Steinzeitzeugen. S. 72.
  19. Homepage der Emsland Touristik
  20. Homepage des Museums am Schölerberg
  21. Stadt- und Kreisarchäologie in Osnabrück
  22. DÜRR, CHRISTIAN (1 May 2011). "180.600 Euro für "Megalith-Straße"". Nordwest Zeitung. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  • Ernst Sprockhoff: Atlas der Megalithgräber Deutschland. Teil 3: Niedersachsen – Westfalen. Rudolf Habelt Verlag, Bonn, 1975, ISBN 3-7749-1326-9, S. 129–130.
  • Annette Bussmann: Steinzeitzeugen. Reisen zur Urgeschichte Nordwestdeutschlands. Straße der Megalithkultur. Herausgegeben von Arbeitsgemeinschaft Straße der Megalithkultur, Isensee, Oldenburg, 2009, ISBN 978-3-89995-619-1.
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