Albertsdorf (Fehmarn)

Albertsdorf (Sprockhoff #250), also known as Alversteen, is probably an extended dolmen on the island of Fehmarn, of which 4 supporting stones and a capstone (2 x 1.8 x 0.9 m) have survived. The end stones are missing, so that the original size of the tomb can no longer be recognised. The dolmen once served as a prominent sea marker.

Today, the extremely well-kept and exceptionally accessible tomb is located in a small wood and can be easily reached on a footpath along the coast. It can also be reached by travelling south past Albertsdorf and following the dirt track southwards. The is also a small car park nearby (N54° 25.185’ E11° 06.154’)

Visited October 2024

Taken from the on-site information board:

The cross on the tomb in gold

‘BE CAREFUL, GOLD!

You are at a historic site here, because this giant tomb, also known as Alversteen or Alverston, is an approximately 5500-year-old megalithic site from the Neolithic period.
And what is a megalithic site? Scientists use the term to describe tombs of huge stones, which is quite logical considering these huge boulders.

It is undoubtedly known that burials were made here, but certainly not for giants, although the word ‘hune’ is synonymous with giant. So how did people in the past come up with the idea that giants were buried here? Quite simply, the burial chamber under the stones is really huge and so people followed this rather adventurous logic at the time.
However, it is now assumed that the bones of many people found a final resting place here and this may explain the size of the burial chamber.

What we do know, however, is that the Alversteen had a completely different significance until 1832:

Due to its elevated position – there used to be no trees here – the grave served as a signpost for shipping. Year after year, the capstone was decorated with a whitewashed cross, making it an important sea mark visible from afar.

This enabled the lookout to shout ‘Caution, gold to starboard’ or, of course, ‘Gold to port’, depending on where the ship was sailing from. As you know, the name of the community here is called ‘Gold’.

Incidentally, the Gold beach is one of the most beautiful on the island. The best thing to do is to go there right away and when the weather is nice and it’s warm enough, then have fun with a wonderful swim in the Baltic Sea.

Taken from the on-site information board:

Community of Landkirchen
- Megalithic tomb -

The prehistoric megalithic tomb was built near the coast on an elevated area. It still consists of four supporting stones of the two long sides and a capstone. An end stone on the narrow side and two flat entrance stones are no longer present. It appears to be an extended dolmen. Such tombs of the Neolithic period (approx. 3500 v. Chr. ) were covered with earth.

The builders were settlers who cleared the naturally grown forest with polished flint axes and settled down on the basis of a rural way of life. In the burial chambers they gave ceramic vessels, amber jewellery and stone tools to their dead.

In the first half of the 19th century, the megalithic tomb served as a signpost for seafarers. The side facing the sea was painted white and a white cross shone on the capstone; the grave was therefore not allowed to be ‘removed’ or ‘mutilated’.

The megalithic tomb has been a listed building since 1979.