Naturdenkmal Dicke Eiche Altrich

The old English oak with its magnificent crown and an age of almost 300 years is a special natural monument. The walks of the people of Altrich often lead out to the old oak tree, about 300 metres south-west of the village on a field path. Children measure their circumference by standing closely around the tree trunk, stretching out their arms and then reaching out with their hands: the considerable circumference of the trunk measures over 6.45 metres. Since 1938, the Big Oak has been a protected species. "In 1952, the oak was described as a particularly beautiful tree in a survey of natural monuments," reports Peter Binzen. In the 1970s, the tree was endangered because it was 20 metres high and was in danger of dying because the trunk was rotten on the inside: "At that time, our Big Oak was hollowed out and secured with iron," explains Hans Richl. In addition, a large branch was cut away and the tree was supported to make it stand more securely. Thanks to the rejuvenating treatment and the hollowing out, the Altrich landmark survived, and nobody knows exactly how old the gnarled lady actually is.