Deister
Encyclopedia
The Deister is a chain of hill
s in the German
state of Lower Saxony
, about 15 mi (25 km) southwest of the city of Hanover
. It runs in a north-westerly direction from Springe
in the south to Rodenberg
in the north. The next the chain of hills that attaches in the south is called Small Deister. It is surrounded by Springe
, Wennigsen
, Barsinghausen
, Bad Nenndorf
, Rodenberg
and Bad Münder (counter-clockwise, starting in the south).
It has a total length of 21 km (14 mi), and rises in the Hofeler to a height of 395 m (1,250 ft). The highest point is the Bröhn
at 405 m (1,312 ft).
The chain is well-wooded and abounds in game. From the 17th century on there were several coal mines, the last were abandoned in the 1950s. Sandstone from quarries in Altenhagen (Small Deister) was used in several important building all over Europe, including the opera house in Hanover
and the Reichstag
in Berlin
. Today the Deister is a popular target for people of the Hanover area for walking and cycling.
The Deister is a border region since ancient times. By this you can find many places with memorial stones, tumuli
and ruins of castles.
and spruce
and, in places, also beech and oak
. On the Cecilienhöhe near Bad Nenndorf
, at the picnie area of Lauenau
-Feggendorf and southwest of the old forester's lodge at Köllnischfeld are several examples of the rare, native dwarf beech
(Süntelbuche).
Amongst the rarer plants on the Deister are species of holly
, mezereon, orchids, sundew
s, globeflowers, Hard Shield Fern, and great snowdrops.
The Deister is home to the typical animals found in the German Central Uplands
. Red Deer
, Roe Deer
and Wild Boar are very common. Other wild animals occurring here are the Pine Marten and Beech Marten
, Stoat
, Polecat
, Dwarf Weasel and Red Fox
. Birds of prey include the Buzzard
, Goshawk and Red Kite
. Rarer small animals include the Mouse-eared bat
and Lesser Horseshoe Bat
.
. The others are for sightseeing and restaurants.
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
s in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
state of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, about 15 mi (25 km) southwest of the city of Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. It runs in a north-westerly direction from Springe
Springe
Springe is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Deister hills, southwest of Hanover.-City Structure:* Springe with 12,666 Inhabitants* Bennigsen with 4,095 Inhabitants...
in the south to Rodenberg
Rodenberg
Rodenberg is a town in the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the northwestern edge of the Deister hills, approx. 10 km east of Stadthagen, and 27 km west of Hanover....
in the north. The next the chain of hills that attaches in the south is called Small Deister. It is surrounded by Springe
Springe
Springe is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Deister hills, southwest of Hanover.-City Structure:* Springe with 12,666 Inhabitants* Bennigsen with 4,095 Inhabitants...
, Wennigsen
Wennigsen
Wennigsen is a municipality in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Deister hills, approx. 15 km southwest of Hanover.-Geography:...
, Barsinghausen
Barsinghausen
Barsinghausen is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the Deister chain of hills approx. 20 km west of Hanover...
, Bad Nenndorf
Bad Nenndorf
Bad Nenndorf is a small town in the district of Schaumburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Its population is 10,210 . It is situated approx. 12 km east of Stadthagen, and 25 km west of Hanover, at the southern edge of the North German Plain and the northern edge of the Deister ridge...
, Rodenberg
Rodenberg
Rodenberg is a town in the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the northwestern edge of the Deister hills, approx. 10 km east of Stadthagen, and 27 km west of Hanover....
and Bad Münder (counter-clockwise, starting in the south).
It has a total length of 21 km (14 mi), and rises in the Hofeler to a height of 395 m (1,250 ft). The highest point is the Bröhn
Bröhn
The Bröhn , is the highest hill in the Deister range in the German state of Lower Saxony. It owes its name to the broom growing here...
at 405 m (1,312 ft).
The chain is well-wooded and abounds in game. From the 17th century on there were several coal mines, the last were abandoned in the 1950s. Sandstone from quarries in Altenhagen (Small Deister) was used in several important building all over Europe, including the opera house in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
and the Reichstag
Reichstag (building)
The Reichstag building is a historical edifice in Berlin, Germany, constructed to house the Reichstag, parliament of the German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstag until 1933, when it was severely damaged in a fire. During the Nazi era, the few meetings of members of the...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Today the Deister is a popular target for people of the Hanover area for walking and cycling.
The Deister is a border region since ancient times. By this you can find many places with memorial stones, tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
and ruins of castles.
Flora and Fauna
The ridge is covered by a mixed forest of beechBeech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
and, in places, also beech and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
. On the Cecilienhöhe near Bad Nenndorf
Bad Nenndorf
Bad Nenndorf is a small town in the district of Schaumburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Its population is 10,210 . It is situated approx. 12 km east of Stadthagen, and 25 km west of Hanover, at the southern edge of the North German Plain and the northern edge of the Deister ridge...
, at the picnie area of Lauenau
Lauenau
Lauenau is a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany, with about 4,200 inhabitants. It is situated in the east of the district of Schaumburg just off the A2 Autobahn at the foot of the Deister ridge...
-Feggendorf and southwest of the old forester's lodge at Köllnischfeld are several examples of the rare, native dwarf beech
Dwarf Beech
The Dwarf Beech, Fagus sylvatica Tortuosa Group, is a rare Cultivar Group of the European Beech with less than 1500 older specimens in Europe. It is also known as Twisted Beech or Parasol Beech....
(Süntelbuche).
Amongst the rarer plants on the Deister are species of holly
Holly
Ilex) is a genus of 400 to 600 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. The species are evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones world wide....
, mezereon, orchids, sundew
Sundew
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...
s, globeflowers, Hard Shield Fern, and great snowdrops.
The Deister is home to the typical animals found in the German Central Uplands
Central Uplands
The Central Uplands is one of the three major natural regions of Germany and covers most of the land area of the country. To the north lies the North German Plain or Northern Lowland; to the south, the Alps and the Alpine Foreland.- Formation :...
. Red Deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, Roe Deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
and Wild Boar are very common. Other wild animals occurring here are the Pine Marten and Beech Marten
Beech Marten
The beech marten , also known as the stone marten or white breasted marten, is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of its wide distribution, its large...
, Stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
, Polecat
European polecat
The European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...
, Dwarf Weasel and Red Fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
. Birds of prey include the Buzzard
Common Buzzard
The Common Buzzard is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is usually resident all year, except in the coldest parts of its range, and in the case of one subspecies.-Description:...
, Goshawk and Red Kite
Red Kite
The Red Kite is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. The species is currently endemic to the Western Palearctic region in Europe and northwest Africa, though formerly also occurred just...
. Rarer small animals include the Mouse-eared bat
Mouse-eared bat
The mouse-eared bats are a diverse and widespread genus of bats within the family Vespertilionidae.-Relationships:Myotis has historically been included in the subfamily Vespertilioninae, but was classified in its own subfamily, Myotinae, by Nancy Simmons in 1998...
and Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Lesser horseshoe bat
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat , is a type of European bat related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat...
.
Hills
Most of the hills in the Deister have a tower at the top, used for various purposes. The one on the Großer Hals is for telecommunications, while the one on the Höfeler is used for air traffic controlAir traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
. The others are for sightseeing and restaurants.
- BröhnBröhnThe Bröhn , is the highest hill in the Deister range in the German state of Lower Saxony. It owes its name to the broom growing here...
(405 m) and Anna Tower - Höfeler (395 m) and air traffic control tower
- Reinekensiekskopf (382 m) and Nordmanns Tower
- Hohe Warte (379 m)
- Fahrenbrink (376 m)
- Großer Hals (361 m) and telecommunications tower
- Ebersberg (355 m)
- Bielstein (344 m) and refuge hut
- Egge (339 m)
- Kniggenbrink (312 m)
- Kalenberg (310 m)
- Strutzberg (198 m) and Belvedere Tower