Description
A dragon in Furth im Wald
In 2010, Furth im Wald was enriched by another fellow inhabitant, because that year a dragon finally found its way into the town near the Czech border. Although this one is not as lively as the creatures from the old fairy tales, the scaled citizen is nevertheless a miracle of technology: he represents the largest walking robot in the world and has even officially made a name for himself in the Guinness Book of Records with this title.
Since then, he has been living in his dragon's lair in the fairground of the complex, where he stays from April to October and is available for visitors. If you take a guided tour of the dragon's lair, you'll get all sorts of interesting information and learn how the dragons really came to Furth im Wald centuries ago.
A miracle of technology
If you take a guided tour and see the dragon up close, you'll really appreciate the enormous size of this attraction, because the dimensions of 4.5 metres in height and 15.5 metres in length, 3.8 metres in width, 12 metres in wingspan and a weight of 11 tonnes can only seem half as impressive on mere photos. But the fairy-tale figure not only looks so "lifelike", but also appears very close to reality in motion. The dragon impresses with its flowing movements and its detailed facial expressions. At this point in particular, however, you should exercise caution, as real fire occasionally emerges from the nostrils of the beast.
If you take a closer look at the creature, however, you will soon realise that there is a sophisticated technique behind the green armour. Furth im Wald owes the fact that the dragon looks so uniquely real not least to technology specialists from Hollywood, experts from space research and German robot manufacturers, because they all worked together in a large cooperation to create this technology highlight.
Historical Information
Medieval folk festival in Furth im Wald
As the dragon is such a special feature of Furth im Wald, it is of course also gladly put on display on occasion. For example, it is the main actor in the oldest folk festival in the country, the so-called "Further Drachenstich". This usually takes place in the summer months from the end of July to mid-August and is always connected with other events, such as the historical procession, a historical children's festival and a folk festival with beer tents. Entertainment is also provided at this time by the "Cave Gladium", which is a medieval camp with an adjacent market and gives you a vivid impression of what life must have been like in such a place several centuries ago.
A dragon as the main character
The actual history of the festival goes back to the year 1431, when the Battle of Taus took place, with Furth im Wald and the corner behind the Hoher Bogen forming the historical setting. The focus is on the everyday life of the common people in the Middle Ages, for which about 350 Further citizens also take part as extras. Of course, the dragon, which has been "stabbed" since 2010 in a 500-year-old tradition, is not to be missed. More information and tickets at www.drachenstich.de
How to get there
The Dragon's Cave is located east of the city centre in the direction of Dragon Lake. From the train station, the dragon's cave can be easily reached on foot within half an hour.