On this page I will list some of the most famous and traditional lifting stones for you.

                    

Germany's famous lifting stones

---history of Germany's stone lifting and stone put tradition will be uploaded soon--- 

 

Hans Steyrer stone

On June, 24th 1849 a man with the name Johann Baptist Steyrer was born in Allach (Würmtal).

He was known as Hans Steyrer – The Bavarian Hercules.
Steyrer started lifting stones near Lenggries in Upper Bavaria, Germany.
He changed the well known stone lifting style (one handed / two handed or with a harness) and decided to lift stones only with his middle finger and brought the “finger lift” to perfection. Finger lifting became very popular across the “old time strongmen” within Germany and Austria.

Steyrer started several tours across Germany, Austria and later France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

In his early career he started performing with a 375 German pound heavy stone and increased the weight of the stone over the years - from 375 German pounds over 500 and 508 pound, then to 516 and finally to 528 German pounds. Hans lifted the 528 pound stone in the final performance of the Circus Herzog in August 1879 and retired later undefeated.

He won against athletes like Carl Abs, Karl Raabe, Ziegler, Grün, Ernest, Petit – to name only a few.

The photo below shows a replica of Hans Steyrer's 508 pound stone.

This stone is used in the Bavarian stonelifting comepetition at Munich's Löwenbräu Keller.

A handle is attached to the stone and the challenge is to pull the stone two handed as high as possible.

Owner of the stone is the Löwenbräu brewery, who also stores the stone for the rest of the year.

           

                  

Stone of Duke Christoph "the Strong" from Bayern-Munich

Directly in the passage to the fountain-court of the Munich Residenz lies this famous and very traditional black stone.

Legend says that in the year 1490, Duke Christoph “the strong” of Bayern-Munich throw this 364 German pound heavy stone, in a knightly competition, nearly 10 meters far and won against Philip Springer and Prince Konrad (Kunrath).

A stone tablet, mounted on the wall above the stone immortalize the competition results and also the participants of the competition.

The other event beside the stone put was the (high) jump.

Duke Herzog not only won the stone put event, he also won the high jump event.

The three nails of the high jump event, which show us the results of this event, are driven into the wall and an ancient rhyme is written onto the already mentioned stone tablet:

"When after Christ's birth the date was Fourteen hundred ninety years,

Did Duke Christoph nobly born a chosen hero of Bavaria

This stone uplift from the flat earth and fling far off, without exertion.

It weighs three hundred four and sixty pounds, the stone proves that and the inscription.

Three nails protrude here to the eye, let every leaper take a look.

The highest, twelve shoes from the earth, Duke Christoph of high repute,

Knocked down with his foot. Kunrath jumped to the other nail, ten and half shoes from the earth,

Nine and half, Phillip Springer jumped to the third nail on the wall.

Who higher leaps will also be renowned".


     

The stone is chained and not to lift anymore. There are no plans to unchain him. 

      

The Map

"The Map" is a "performance stone" and is located in the east of Germany; Malchow (Mecklenburg - Vorpommern).

The measurements are 80 cm in lengths x 60 cm width x 12 cm depth.

Her weight is 153 Kg.

Showtime for "The Map" was 2010 on German Strongmen competitions.

The test is to lift "The Map" up and carry it. 

    

              

Switzerland's famous putting stone

  

Unspunnenstein  

The Unspunnen Stone (German: Unspunnenstein) is a 83,5 kg stone and has been a symbol of the Unspunnenfest since 1805.

The stone is regularly thrown in stone put (Steinstossen) competitions.

Here you can see a very rare picture of the original Unspunnenstein.

Martin Sebastian, CH-Dübendorf provided us the picture.

It has also been stolen twice, once in 1984 by an underground group from the francophone canton of Jura, and again in 2005.

This stone is still missing. A new stone was "build" for the Unspunnenfest.

Owner of the new Unspunnenstein is now the TV Interlaken.

 

        

  

Scotland's famous manhood stones

                           

Testing Stone of the Fianna

This is one of the most historical stones in Scotland.

The so-called "Testing Stone of the Fianna" (Bodach a Chraig Fianna) sits in Glen Lyon, Perthshire.

The tests is to lift this stone from its place of rest, up onto its plinth.

The plinth is probably 10" high but it is also up a grassy slope, which makes getting a solid stance tricky.

The weight of the very smooth stone is ~ 300 lb (136 Kg) and his shape is like a "rounded pyramid". Beside his weight and his shape the stone has a smooth surface and especially when it rains all challenges come together because rain makes the stone even more slippery.

The stone has to be lifted from the grass area, carried up a short, steep gradient and then lowered down onto the plinth. Wet and slippery grass makes obtain a secure stand extremely difficult while lifting the stone.

The stone is the only one listed at the "The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland"

                 

Dalness Stone

The stone is a grey Starav Granite, it is oval shaped and extremely smooth - the stone is situated in spectacular scenery. As befitting the legend of Deirdre and her love of Glen Etive the stone is overshadowed by the rocky peak of An Grinan.This peak is known locally as Deirdre’s Dressing Table.

   

The stone of Dalness is situated in Glen Etive, Argyleshire, Scotland. It is best reached by travelling on the Glasgow to Fort William A82 road.

Passing the Glen Coe Ski centre and the entrance to the remote Kings House Hotel there is a single and small road sign indicating a left turn into Glen Etive.

The turn is easy to miss as eyes are normally drawn to the rock pyramid of the Buachaille Etive Mor one of Scotland’s finest mountains.

On entering Glen Etive the road becomes single track.

On the left(south) of the road is the River Etive, a white water paradise when in spate.

A number of miles down this road brings you the first proper foot/road bridge at Alt.

There is a small parking area just opposite the bridge and above this a small hillock.

Climb the hillock to find the Stone of Dalness.         

                               

Inver Stone
  

The Inver Stone - is located opposite the Inver Hotel at a private house in Crathie.

Crathie (Scottish Gaelic: Craichidh) is a village in Aberdeenshire.

Since 1947 the Richards host the Inver stone at their house.

The Inver stone has a weight of 265 lb (120 Kg).

The Inver Stone should be lifted to at least waist-level or above.

After your lift you can immortalize yourself by putting your name into the "Inver book".  

This book shows every (successful lift) since 2004.

The Inver Stone was used in Highland Games competitions over the years including a very famous indoor Games festival in the 1960s in the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. In the 1960s then the Inver Stone also was used at the Braemar Highland Games and all competing Heavis succeeded in lifting it.

                 
       

Stones of Dee - known as the Dinnie Stones or Dinnie Steens

These 2 stones are known as the “Dinnie Stones” because the great old time athlete and strongman Donald Dinnie used them to perform one of his greatest feats of strength.

 

Donald was born July, 8th 1837 in Balmacraig, near Aboyne.

He was the oldest of six brothers and had four sisters.

The bigger stone weights 413 lb (187 Kg) and the smaller stone 321 lb (146 Kg).

The two stones were brought to the bridge by Donald Dinnie’s father when he was doing some repairs to the bridge

and his structure.

(Potarch Bridge, River Dee)

  

Dinnie carried the stones at the same time some five yards and that is the width of the Potarch Bridge and not the

whole length of the bridge how many people mean.

  

(Potarch Bridge, River Dee)

   

Probably this was done when the stones had to be transferred to the other side of the bridge for repairs to the bridge

and his structure, as mentioned earlier.

The stones now lie outside of the beautiful “Potarch Hotel“ in Potarch near Kincardine O’Neil.

Thousands of people have unsuccessfully tried to lift the famous Dinnie Stones off the ground.

     

         

     

Inside the “Potarch Hotel” you will find interesting photos and a description of Donald Dinnies feat of strength.

                   

In every room you’ll find a copy of David Webster’s and Gordon Dinnies book "Donald Dinnie - The First Sporting

Superstar".

        

   

A beautifully produced hardback comprising of 159 pages of fascinating text and about 90 superb illustrations.

  
Well printed on fine art paper and with full color, laminated dust wrapper. A high quality publication.

ISBN 0 9536596 0 7

    
This book was published in 1999.

     
This splendid publication gives a wonderful word portrait of the most colorful British all-round strength athlete of the 19th century and is also a fascinating documentary of the times.
   

  

Successful lifts: 

Here you'll find a list of all successfull lifts of the Dinnies on Gordon Dinnies wonderful website.

 

Training:

To prepare lifting the Dinnies I highly recommend you using David Horne's replica rings.

Here you find an article from David how he trained to lift the Dinnies.

                 

             

Dalwhinnie Stone

Dalwhinnie lies to the north up the A9, at the northen end of Loch Ericht.

The Dalwhinnie Stone is located outside of the Loch Ericht / Dalwhinnie Inn hotel in Dalwhinnie.

He looks like a flattened egg, oval in shape, of grey granite and slightly smaller than the Inver Stone.

The stone has a weight of approximately 105 - 110 Kg.

  

             

Menzies Stone of Manhood

This stone is outside of Menzies castle at the front corner of the castle on a section of tree trunk in Aberfeldy.

The Menzies Stone of Manhood lies in the grounds of Castle Menzies in Aberfeldy.

   

Easy to find and maybe 1 and 3/4 hours from Inver stone.

    
             

History

Not a lot is known about the Menzies Stone of Manhood and most of it is best described as apocryphal. 

Legend has it that regular try-outs were held where men of the Clan were challenged to lift the stone. 

Those who could lift the stone a minimum of 10 yards qualified for a place in the Chief's bodyguard. 

Now a days of course, the Chief doesn't need a bodyguard and lifting the stone is part of the Highland Games at what
is locally known as the Aberfeldy Show or the Atholl and Breadalbane Agricultural Show and Highland Gathering to give it its full title. 

There is no stringent minimum distance or other such rules. 

"All" competitors have to do is lift the stone (not easy!) and carry it. 

The winner is whoever carries it the furthest distance. 

Most competitors adopt a bear hug approach for obvious reasons. 

2009's winner managed a carry of 171' 3" which is still shy of the 206' record held by local man John Davidson. 

The stone is only used at the Aberfeldy Show and spends the rest of the time outside the Castle.

                                                                                                                                     (courtesy of "James Menzies Clow")

The name is pronounced "Mingis".

        

                 

             

Sweden's famous testing and lifting stones

---the really surprising and also very informative history of Swedish stone lifting tradition will be uploaded soon--- 

   

      

   

Iceland's famous lifting / testing stones

  

Husafell Stone

The Husafell stone - located in Husafell, Iceland.

It's named after an area/town in Iceland called Husafell.

This very well known testing stone in Iceland and has a proud weight of approximately 418lb (190 Kg).

Husafell Stone, named Kviahellan (pen slab) by an ancient pastor who used the stone as a door to his sheep pen.

The test is to lift the stone up and carry it the 50 meters around the perimeter of the pen.

Replica's of this stone are often used in Strongmen competitions.

  

   

Djupalonssandur / Dritvik stones

This is a set of four stones and can be found in the town of Djúpalónssandur at the foot of Snæfellsjökull.

The mountain Snæfellsjökull is one of the most famous sites of Iceland, primarily due to the novel "A Journey to the

Center of the Earth" (1864) by Jules Verne, in which the protagonists find the entrance to a passage leading to the

center of the earth on Snæfellsjökull.

The 'legend' says that those four stones were used by the ship's crews to check the strenght of the applicants sailors.

The heavier of a stone that could be lifted the higher the pay of the fisherman. 

The smallest rock is called "Amlodi" (= ineffectual) and weights 23 kg;

 
The second one is "Halfdraettingur" (= gracile) and weights 54 kg;

  
The third one is "Halfsterkur" (= medium strength) and weights 100 kg;

  
The biggest one is called "Fullsterkur" (= full strength) and weights 154 kg.

In the past, if you weren't able to lift at least Halfdraettingur, you weren't allowed to join the ship's crew, because you would have been too delicate for the ocean life...

  

    

Korea's famous testing and lifting stones (Cheju island)