🧟Hike from Furtwangen to the Stöcklewald Tower & the Triberg Gallows

After a steady ascent through moss-covered forests and along quiet trails, we reach the Stöcklewald Tower, an impressive 25-meter-high observation tower built in 1894. Constructed in classic sandstone masonry and topped with a wooden viewing platform, it offers hikers panoramic views across the Black Forest Highlands. Climbing the 127 steps to the top is well worth the effort: on clear days, your gaze can stretch far beyond the Rhine plain and even reach the snow-capped peaks of the Alps.

Next to the tower is a rustic Vesperstube (snack hut), where hikers can enjoy hearty regional fare during the tower’s opening hours. The adjacent Black Forest Association lodge provides further shelter and a meeting point for nature lovers and club members.

Just a short walk from the tower, hidden in a clearing, lies a chilling yet fascinating relic of medieval law: the Triberg Gallows. This historical execution site stands on a ridge known as the "High Court”, a name that already hints at its somber past.

The gallows date back to at least the 14th century and were used well into the 18th century. One of the earliest visual references appears on a 16th-century map from the Benedictine monastery of St. Georgen, where the gallows are clearly illustrated—complete with two figures suspended from the beam. The structure originally consisted of a heavy wooden crossbeam, supported by two massive sandstone pillars, which still remain. The pillars are reinforced with iron bands, testifying to their intended permanence and symbolic weight.

In those times, it was customary for such gallows to be built on high, visible ground—serving not only as instruments of punishment but also as public deterrents and legal landmarks. Sentences were often carried out in front of assembled communities, and the site also functioned as a public court, where disputes were settled and justice administered under the open sky.

Today, the Triberg Gallows stand as a rare, remarkably well-preserved monument of feudal justice, offering a vivid and sobering window into the legal and social structures of the Middle Ages. Interpretive signs at the site provide background information for visitors, making it a rewarding stop for hikers with an interest in cultural history.

As we continue our hike through the peaceful forest, the contrast between the natural beauty of the Black Forest and its layered, often dark human history becomes especially tangible—adding a reflective depth to this otherwise scenic route.