Lohmen/Dresden (dpa/sn) - The new viewing platform "floats" above the famous Bastei rock in Saxon Switzerland. According to the state company Saxon real estate and construction management (SIB) on Friday, the platform should be released at the end of the year. "The work is going according to plan, the concreting has been completed and the pier has been stripped," said a SIB spokesman. In the next few weeks, paths for barrier-free access will be created and a railing will be installed.
The 194 meter high Bastei Rock offers wide views of the Elbe Valley and the bizarre rocky world of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. With more than a million tourists a year, it is a popular attraction in Saxony. However, because the sandstone was porous, the front ten meters had to be closed in 2016, thereby restricting the view. After securing the rock, the approximately 20 meter long and up to 3.5 meter wide platform was placed over it. The construction is supported in the rear area of the rock and hangs freely in front at a low height, so that it appears to be floating. The total cost is three million euros.
