Isn’t it amazing that something so big can move? Right before you is the Rokkestenen. This 35-ton wonder sits in Paradisbakkerne on Bornholm. It is Bornholm’s largest rocking stone.
The Rokkestenen is a glacial erratic. The ice age brought it here. Imagine the immense power of the ice. It carried this giant stone and many others. There are at least 175 named erratics on the island.
To find the Rokkestenen, follow the path. It curves right as you enter the beech forest. Then, the biggest rocking stone on Bornholm appears. It measures roughly 4 x 3 x 2 meters.
The Rokkestenen could rock. It rocked easily from the ice age until the 1960s. Sadly, vandalism stopped its movement. Preben Boye, a sculptor, felt it was a shame. He helped move the stone back into its rocking position. It sat in a kind of “hip socket”. But, it was so popular that people rocked it out of place again. In the summer of 2001, it was reset. Now, the best way to move it is to use both hands on the pointed end. Or, try jumping on the small plateau to make it move.
Folk tales surround the Rokkestenen. One story says a troll in Pedersker hated the Bodilsker church bells. The troll threw a large stone at the bell tower. But, the troll missed. The stone hit Paradisbakkerne instead. So, the Rokkestenen has been here ever since.
An inscription marks the stone: “LM 16.11.75.” The story goes that Lars Munk from Ibsker wanted to buy the hilltop. He planned to roll the Rokkestenen down to eliminate any danger. The sale never happened. Yet, the date of the planned takeover remains. It is November 16, 1875.
Lars Peter Munch owned the land. He wanted to protect the Rokkestenen. He declared it a protected site under the University’s Mineralogical Museum in Copenhagen. This protection included nine feet around the stone. Benches and a pole were added. They helped visitors find the spot. People could move the stone. But, they could not remove it from its position.
The Rokkestenen sits on a slope. It overlooks a former bog called Skomagerdammen. Now, it is a meadow.
Remember this stone. It embodies Bornholm’s history and folklore. It is a reminder of nature’s power. It is a testament to human efforts to preserve our heritage.