Donnersberg

Donnersberg
Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany )
cryptodome
Type of rock	Rhyolite

The Donnersberg (German pronunciation:

runs across the mountain.

The highest point of the Donnersberg is the rock Königstuhl ("king's seat") at 687 metres above sea level. The mountain has a diameter of about 7 kilometres and covers an area of some 2,400 hectares. The Donnersberg was formed by volcanic activity during the Permian, in the transition period between the lower and upper Rotliegend strata.

The name Donnersberg is thought to refer to

.

During the Celtic La Tène period, around 150 BC, an important settlement (oppidum) was built on the Donnersberg, covering some 240 hectares. Part of the wall (Keltenwall) surrounding this settlement has been reconstructed. Archeological excavations are ongoing.

In the Middle Ages, five castles surrounded the strategically placed mountain: Tannenfels, Wildenstein, Hohenfels, Falkenstein and Ruppertsecken. Today, only ruins remain of these five castles.

About 900 metres east of the Königstuhl rock, a 27 metres tall tower was constructed in 1864–1865, the Ludwigsturm. After

for the largest U.S. radio station in western Europe was placed on the Donnersberg. In the early 1960s, a new communications tower was constructed, stretching over 200 metres.

The

, a railway bridge between Kirchheimbolanden and Marnheim, was destroyed by withdrawing German troops, and it has not been rebuilt since.

• 
  Base of the over 200 metres tall radio and TV mast on top of Donnersberg
• 
  Hill fort
• 
  Recoonstructed Celtic fortification wall at the hillfort
• 
  Reconstructed Celtic buildings at the hillfort

Sources

• Donnersbergverein für Mensch und Natur: Der Donnersberg (German)
• Dannenfels am Donnersberg: Donnersberg: Geologie (German)