Rock gate cowshed at the new Wildenstein

The cowshed is located on the Neuer Wildenstein above the Kirnitzschtal. The natural sandstone gate is around 11 meters high, 17 meters wide and 24 meters deep. A metal staircase, the so-called Himmelsleiter, leads through a crevice above the gate to a small viewing platform with a view of the Bärenfangwände and the surrounding rocky area.

The name "Kuhstall" goes back to the use of the site during the Thirty Years' War. The rock is said to have served farmers as a hiding place for their cattle.

The place was already a popular excursion destination in the 19th century. A mountain inn has been located right next to the rock gate since 1824. The Kuhstall is accessible via well-developed hiking trails.

The "Kuhstall" was already a popular excursion destination in Caspar David Friedrich's youth. Nature lovers had rolled a block of stone into it as a table, someone had chiseled a cooking area into the rock and there was a snack bar in summer. Friedrich was also here several times. His drawing, created around 1818, was made during a hike with his wife and his friends Kummer and Carus.