Kogelbaum

The Kogelbaum stands on a ridge called the Kogel in Senning, part of Kirchstetten in Lower Austria. The ridge rises to about 330 metres above sea level and carries two veteran trees. One is a 250-to-300-year-old copper beech; the other is a hundred-year-old Hungarian oak, a survivor from a patch of the Haspelwald that was cleared around 1900. In 1997 the site became a protected natural monument of Lower Austria. Local people have long gathered here for the midsummer and midwinter solstice bonfires. Couples also choose the Kogelbaum for wedding ceremonies, drawn by the open space and the shelter of the old trees. A low fence encloses the trees and turns the spot into a small park. Visitors find a quiet clearing on the ridge with views across the surrounding countryside. The beech and oak frame the horizon while the solstice fires still mark the turning of the year.