“Life in the Seven Kingdoms is never dull . . .” –Jen McConnel, School Library Journal

Growing into shape: A 1,000-year-old linden tree

1000 year old tree in GermanyThis 1,000 year old linden tree has such a perfect shape from the outside. A really old tree gives me a new perspective on life and how long it takes to grow something beautiful.close up of tree trunk almost as wide as a car

This one almost certainly saw a procession of Emperors passing by. It’s very near the open-air museum of Tilleda, a kind of “Emperor rest-stop” as old as the tree.

sign next to tree trunk
“Klosterlinde Alter: ca. 1000 Jahre Standort: ehem. Friedhof des Zisterzienserinnen Klosters Kelbra” Kovent Linden tree, about 1000 years old. Location: former cemetery of the Cistercian convent Kelbra

The sign says this tree stood in the cemetery of a Cistercian convent, in the village, Kelbra. The tree is still here, but there’s no sign of the cemetery.

Things look far from effortless on the inside. View up into the heavy branches. Some were braced against the trunk with huge straps.Looking up into the branches and green leaves of monster tree

It’s a comfort to see a tree loved so well. I recently went to a reading where the author said the content determined the shape of the book. A tree makes it really clear how much the shape of anything depends on the space around it.

If you love old trees, you might like this epic tree too.

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