It will be taken to an artisanal metalworking shop for extensive restoration.
The Zugspitze Summit Cross Needs Restoration
Over the years, tourists have stuck countless stickers onto the Zugspitze summit cross. Layer upon layer has built up, covering the golden cross. However, this landmark is more than just a popular photo motif. It is considered a work of art and a symbol. To preserve it, it requires regular maintenance.
The adhesive from the stickers attacks the metal and leaves marks. Furthermore, some visitors put themselves in danger when attaching the stickers. The Zugspitzbahn aims to prevent this in the future. Therefore, the cross will now be thoroughly cleaned and restored.
Zugspitze Summit Cross Taken Down – For This Reason
A helicopter will fly the cross into the valley. There, the metalworking shop will take over the restoration. The same workshop originally crafted the cross back in 1993. Over the years, many visitors have immortalized themselves with their stickers on the cross, leading to the accumulation of several layers. Specialists must now carefully remove them.
Subsequently, the metal will be ground, polished, and minor damages will be repaired. In the end, the cross will shine again in its golden glory. It will be flown back to the Zugspitze summit before the start of the winter season. According to a media report, the restoration costs are in the lower five-figure range.
Second Cross Protects Visitors and the Original
Since July of this year, a second summit cross has been available to visitors of the Zugspitze, set up especially for tourists in loafers and flip-flops. It stands under cover at the summit station. This is intended to prevent visitors from endangering themselves during the ascent while attaching their stickers.
Sticking stickers on this cross is permitted. The Bayerische Zugspitzbahn hopes this will spare the original cross. Time and again, climbers try to place their stickers particularly high up on the cross, easily creating risky situations. The second cross is meant to avoid precisely this risk, while still allowing visitors to have their fun. The primary focus of this measure is clearly safety.
The Summit Cross Was Already Restored in 2017
The summit cross was last restored as recently as 2017. Construction work on the mountain required a crane to be positioned over the cross. The crane’s chain damaged the cross. It was taken down and subsequently repaired. During that process, specialists removed all stickers from the metal. After it was re-erected, it took only a few weeks for hikers from all over the world to attach new stickers again.
Affixing stickers to the cross is considered vandalism. No legal complaints have been planned so far. However, the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn appeals to visitors’ common sense, asking them to respect the cross as a work of art. The company wants to prevent this from happening again. An awareness campaign is planned to sensitize visitors.
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