Questenberg (Südharz)

Questenberg is a village and a former municipality in the Mansfeld-Südharz district, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it has been part of the Südharz municipality.First settlement traces date from 5th and 6th centuries BC. Above the place is the castle called Questenburg. Remainders of the castle (attachment walls and tower), on the steep mountain at the eastern periphery of the village can still be visited and is currently restored by the local 'Förderverein Questenburg e.V'.The hill above the village, is home to the Queste (also known as the Questenbaum (Queste Tree)), an ancient pagan sun wheel, celebrated at the Questenfest. The Queste represents a germanic world tree, and is hence related to the Maypoles in Germany and the Midsomerstäng in Scandinavia. The germanic Weltenbaum is referred to in the Edda as Yggdrasil and is known to be a successor Symbol of the pagan germanic Irminsul, a kind of totem-pole. As the name 'Questenberg' occures multiple times in northern Europe, it is highly probable that the Questenbaum was not the only instance of such world-tree, but the only one surviving over time. An der Queste is checkpoint no. 212 in the Harzer Wandernadel hiking network and the little romantic village is a local tourist attraction due to the high density of its interesting sights and beautiful viewpoints over the Karst-landscape and Nasse river valley.