Black Forest

A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in green.

Topography of the Black Forest

The Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres (4,898 ft). The region is almost rectangular with a length of 200 km (120 mi) and breadth of 60 km (37 mi). Hence it has an area of approximately 12,000 km² (4,600 sq mi).

Geology

Geologically, the Black Forest consists of a cover of sandstone on top of a core of gneiss and granites. During the last glacial period of the Würm glaciation, the Black Forest was covered by glaciers; several tarn lakes such as the Mummelsee are remains of this period.

Rivers

Rivers in the Black Forest include the Danube (which rises in the Black Forest), the Enz, the Kinzig, the Murg, the Nagold, the Neckar, the Rench, and the Wiese. The Black Forest is part of the continental divide between the Atlantic Ocean drainage basin (drained by the Rhine) and the Black Sea drainage basin (drained by the Danube).

List of highest mountains

• Feldberg (1,493 m (4,900 ft))
• Herzogenhorn (1,415 m (4,640 ft))
• Belchen (1,414 m (4,640 ft))
• Spiesshorn (1,349 m (4,430 ft))
• Schauinsland (1,284 m (4,210 ft))
• Kandel (1,241 m (4,070 ft))
• Hochblauen (1,165 m (3,820 ft))
• Hornisgrinde (1,164 m (3,820 ft))

Political

Administratively, the Black Forest belongs completely to the state of Baden-Württemberg and comprises the city of Pforzheim as well as the following districts (Kreise). In the north: Enz, Rastatt, and Calw; in the middle: Freudenstadt, Ortenaukreis, and Rottweil; in the south: Emmendingen, Schwarzwald-Baar, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Lörrach, and Waldshut.

Ecology and economy

The forest mostly consists of pines and firs, some of which are grown in commercial monoculture. Similar to other forested regions, the Black Forest has had areas damaged by mass logging. Due to logging and land use changes the forest proper is only a fraction of the size it used to be. The storm Lothar knocked down trees over hundreds of acres of mountaintops in 1999. This left some of the high peaks and scenic hills bare, with only primary growth shrubs and young fir trees.

The main industry is tourism. In addition to the towns and monuments noted below, the Black Forest is crossed by numerous long distance footpaths, including some of the first to be established. The European long-distance path E1 crosses the Black Forest following the routes of some of the local long-distance paths. In addition there are numerous shorter paths suitable for day walks, as well as mountain biking and cross-country skiing trails. The total network of tracks amounts to around 23,000 kilometres (14,000 mi), and is maintained and overseen by a voluntary body, the Schwarzwaldverein (Black Forest Society), which has around 90,000 members (figures from Bremke, 1999, p.9).

Points of interest

Winter on Schauinsland: famous "Windbuchen" Beeches bent by the wind

The cities of Freiburg and Baden-Baden are popular tourist destinations on the western edge of the Black Forest; towns in the forest include Bad Herrenalb, Baiersbronn, Calw (the birth town of Hermann Hesse) Freudenstadt, Furtwangen, Gengenbach, Gütenbach, Sasbachwalden, Schramberg, Staufen, Titisee-Neustadt, Hausach, and Wolfach. Other popular destinations include such mountains as the Feldberg, the Belchen, the Kandel, and the Schauinsland; the Titisee and Schluchsee lakes; the All Saints Waterfalls; the Triberg Waterfalls, not the highest, but the most famous waterfalls in Germany; and the gorge of the River Wutach.

The Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof is an open-air museum that shows the life of sixteenth or seventeenth century farmers in the region, featuring a number of reconstructed Black Forest farms. The German Clock Museum in Furtwangen shows the history of the clock industry and of watchmakers.

For drivers, the main route through the region is the rapid A5 (E35) motorway, but a variety of sign-posted scenic routes such as the Schwarzwald-Hochstrasse (60 km (37 mi), Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt), Schwarzwald Tälerstrasse (100 km (62 mi), the Murg and Kinzig valleys) or Badische Weinstrasse (Baden Wine Street, 160 km (99 mi), a wine route from Baden-Baden to Weil am Rhein) offers calmer driving along high roads.[1]. The last is a picturesque trip starting in the south of the Black Forest going north and includes numerous old wineries and tiny villages. Another, more specialized route is the 'Deutsche Uhrenstraße' ("German Clock Road") [2], a circular route which traces the horological history of the region.

Due to the rich mining history dating from medieval times (the Black Forest was one of the most important mining regions of Europe around 1100) there are many mines re-opened for the public. Such mines may be visited in the Kinzig valley, the Suggental, the Muenster valley, and around Todtmoos.

The Black Forest also was visited on several occasions by Count Otto von Bismarck during his rule 1873-1890. Allegedly, he especially was interested in the Triberg Waterfalls. [3] There is now a monument in Triberg dedicated to Bismarck, who apparently enjoyed the tranquility of the region, which was something that could not be found in his residence in Berlin.

Animal life

In addition to the expected kinds of wildlife to be found in a European forest area, the following types of animals may be observed in the Black Forest^[1]. Some of these animals include

• Cows: The Black Forest cows belong to the rare breed of "Hinterwälderberg" cows
• The giant earthworm Lumbricus badensis is found only in the Black Forest region (see Lamparski, 1985)
• Black Forest Foxes are a breed of horse, previously indispensable for heavy field work
• Eagles and owls can be seen at close range as they swoop overhead

Culture

Dialects spoken in the Black Forest area are Alemannic and Swabian.

Fasnet

The German holiday of Fastnacht, or Fasnet, as it is known in the Black Forest region, occurs in the time leading up to Lent. On Rosenmontag, or the Monday before Ash Wednesday, crowds of people line the streets, wearing masks. One prominent style of mask is called the Black Forest Style, originating from the Black Forest Region.

Crafts

Wood-carving is a traditional cottage industry in the region and carved ornaments now are produced in substantial numbers as souvenirs for tourists. Cuckoo clocks are a popular example; although they were not, as is sometimes claimed, invented in the Black Forest^{[citation needed]}, they have been made in the region since the early eighteenth century and much of their development occurred there.

Culinary

Black Forest ham originated from this region, and so, by name and reputation at least, did the Black Forest Cake. It also is known as the "Black Forest Cherry Cake" and is made with chocolate cake, cream, sour cherries, and Kirsch.^[2] The Black Forest variety of Flammkuchen is a Badisch specialty made with ham, cheese, and cream. Pfannkuchen, a crêpe or crêpe-like (Eierkuchen or Palatschinken) pastry, is also common.

Gallery

The Feldberg	A view in the Middle Black Forest	Black Forest	Titisee, popular year-round
The Black Forest is known for its native clockmakers	The Minster in Freiburg, the region's biggest city	River Kinzig passing through the Black Forest	Mummelsee
Ortenberg Castle near Offenburg (now a youth hostel)	Lake Constance bordering Austria and Switzerland	Black Forest Train near Karlsruhe	Hohenzollern Castle; backdrop: Black Forest

See also

• Hercynian Forest
• Deutsches Uhrenmuseum

Notes

References

• Bremke, N. (1999). Schwarzwald quer. Karlsruhe: Braun. ISBN 3-7650-8228-7
• Lamparski, F. (1985). Der Einfluß der Regenwurmart Lumbricus badensis auf Waldböden im Südschwarzwald. Schriftenreihe des Institut für Bodenkunde und Waldernährungslehre der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br., 15. ISSN 0344-2691. English summary
• German Wikipedia "Pfannkuchen" disambiguation
• Barnes, K. J. (2007). A Rough Passage: Memories of an Empire

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Black Forest

• Tourist Info
• Black Forest Webcams
• Deutsche Uhrenstrasse "German Clock Road"
• A private collection of Black Forest clocks

Coordinates: 48°00′N 8°15′E / 48°N 8.25°E / 48; 8.25

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