The Barbarine is the best-known free-standing rock formation in the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is a rock pinnacle, 42.7 metres (140 ft) high, and is the symbol of Saxon Switzerland. It was first climbed on 19 September 1905.
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The Pfaffenstein, formerly called the Jungfernstein, is a table hill, 434.6 m above sea level, in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in Saxony. It lies west of the River Elbe near Königstein and is also referred to as "Saxon Switzerland in miniature" on account of its diverse structure.
The wild, jagged mountain with its numerous caves reveals traces of Stone and Bronze Age settlement and was later used frequently as a place of refuge during times of crisis as a result of its poor accessibility. Since the 19th century the Pfaffenstein has been developed for touristic purposes. The hill now boasts an inn, an observation tower, several viewing points and other places of interest on the mountain.
Since the early 20th century the massif of the Pfaffenstein has been used for rock climbing and, with its 32 rocks, is one of the most important climbing areas in Saxon Switzerland. The best-known rock and symbol of the Pfaffenstein is the Barbarine, a 43-metre-high rock pinnacle, that has been placed out of bounds to climbers since 1975 due to serious erosion damage.
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