Alter Schwede

The Alter Schwede ("Old Swede") is an imposing granite erratic on the banks of the Elbe in Hamburg-Övelgönne and is considered the oldest large erratic boulder in Germany. With a circumference of nearly 20 meters, a height of 4.5 meters, and a weight of 217 metric tons, it is a protected natural monument and a geotope of national significance. The rock originates from southern Sweden and was carried to the Hamburg area more than 320,000 years ago by the continental ice sheet of the Elster glaciation. Its surface shows clear traces of this journey across the ice age landscape, such as smoothed projections and scratches. The boulder was discovered during dredging work in the Elbe riverbed in 1999 and set up on the shore in 2000. You can view the rock right at the water's edge and be impressed by its massive presence. As one of eight geotopes of national significance in Hamburg, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the geological history of the region.