"Sophienquelle" is a publicly accessible monument, the largest tapped baroque spring in the north of the Alpes. In the Bavarian list of monuments it is given as a nature monument. It is a very popular destination for hikers.
Just in 2005, with the help of donations from the general public, "Altstadtfreunde Altdorf" and "Raiffeisenbank" the trust could accomplish to replace the sand stone of the apsis of the balustrade which had been cut away by vandals 20 years ago, repair the watercourse and raise and seal the base of the water basin of the spring. This has amounted to around 10,000 € and is not subsidised.
Now, to our distress, we have detected that this time vandals have thrown the last stone on the left side of the balustrade down into the basin, fortunately without causing damage to the latter. The sand stone, however, has broken to pieces completely. This is a damage of at least 8,000 € which again has to be afforded by the trust.
Since the trust alone is accountable for the safety of the visitors of the spring, and the surrounding is now dangerous, access will be barred by a construction fence.
In addition to this, a few days later the stone plaque reminding the restoration of the spring in 1952 has been blasted out of its frame, again thrown into the spring basin and smashed. Within a short time after, about one quarter of the pieces got stolen. The traces of the pick in the wall are well visible.
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We have made a report and informed the newspaper. They have issued an article about the case asking for relevant hints and donations for financing the repair. Since the trust will not receive any subsidies for the preservation and maintenance of the spring and already has to master the tremendous effort of the general restoration of Grünsberg Castle it cannot finance the repair by its own.
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