Fichtelgebirge
Encyclopedia
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in northeastern Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
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...
. It extends from the valley of the Red Main River to the Czech border, a few foothills spilling over into the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It continues in a northeastern direction as the Ore Mountains, and in a southeastern direction as the Bohemian Forest
Bohemian Forest
The Bohemian Forest, also known in Czech as Šumava , is a low mountain range in Central Europe. Geographically, the mountains extend from South Bohemia in the Czech Republic to Austria and Bavaria in Germany...
. It contains an important nature park, the Fichtelgebirge Nature Park
Fichtelgebirge Nature Park
The Fichtelgebirge Nature Park lies in the tri-border area of Saxony, the Czech Republic and Bavaria and has an area of . It is maintained by the Naturpark Fichtelgebirge e. V. in Wunsiedel.- Landscape :...
, with an area of 1020 square kilometres (393.8 sq mi).
Origin of the name
The first person to write about the Fichtelgebirge, Matthias of Kemnath (actually Matthias Widmann, b 23 February 1429 in KemnathKemnath
Kemnath is a town in the district of Tirschenreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 24 km southeast of Bayreuth....
) reported in 1476: Ein bergk, hoch, weitt, wolbekant ligt in Beiern, gnant der Fichtelberg ("A mountain, high, wide and well-known, lies in Bavaria, known as the Fichtelberg"). In descriptions of the border in 1499 and 1536, the mountain that is now called the Ochsenkopf
Ochsenkopf
Ochsenkopf is a mountain on the border of Liechtenstein and Austria in the Rätikon range of the Eastern Alps close to the town of Malbun, with a height of ....
was called Vichtelberg; thereafter the name was extended to the whole mountain region. It is also mentioned in old documents: around 1317 the lords of Hirschberg were enfeoffed inter alia with the walt zu dem Vythenberge. By the 14th century iron ore was being extracted in the St. Veith Pit on the southern foot of the mountain. Vyth → Veit → Fichtel. High-profile local history and name researchers have still not had the last word.
Geography
Together with the Thuringian ForestThuringian Forest
The Thuringian Forest running northwest to southeast, forms a continuous stretch of ancient rounded mountains posing ample difficulties in transit routing save through a few navigable passes in the southern reaches of the German state of Thuringia. It is about long and wide...
, Thuringian Highland
Thuringian Highland
The Thuringian Highland or Thuringian Highlands is a low range of mountains in the German state of Thuringia.- Geography :The Thuringian Highland borders on the Thuringian Forest to the southwest...
and Franconian Forest the Fichtelgebirge forms a major natural region
Natural region
A Natural region is one which is distinguished by its natural features of geography and usually more important, geology. The natural ecology of the region is likely to be significant but one of these factors tends to influence the others....
called the Thuringian-Franconian Highlands (no. D48 and 39).
The Fichtelgebirge lies between the towns of Hof and Weiden. In the west there is a good transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
link to the nearby city of Bayreuth, whilst in the east, in the Egerland
Egerland
The Egerland is a historical region in the far north west of Bohemia in the Czech Republic at the border with Germany. It is named after the German name Eger for the city of Cheb and the main river Ohře...
(capital: Eger, Czech: Cheb), communication is still very limited, a legacy of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
. The Hof–Weiden autobahn provides a good north-south link, however.
The county town in the heart of the Fichtelgebirge is Wunsiedel
Wunsiedel
Wunsiedel is the county town of the Upper Franconian district of Wunsiedel in northeast Bavaria, Germany. The town became well known for its annual Luisenburg Festival and the Rudolf Hess Memorial March held by the Neo-Nazis here until 2005.- Geography :...
with its famous rock labyrinth
Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth
The Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth is a felsenmeer made of granite blocks several metres across and is part of the Großes Labyrinth Nature Reserve near Wunsiedel in Germany. For a long time its formation was believed to have been caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes...
. Other main settlements are Marktredwitz
Marktredwitz
Marktredwitz is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 22 km west of Cheb, 50 km east of Bayreuth and 50 km south of Hof/Saale.The town celebrated the Horticultural Show 2006 in cooperation with Cheb....
, Marktleuthen
Marktleuthen
Marktleuthen is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Eger, 10 km north of Wunsiedel and 11 km southwest of Selb....
, Arzberg
Arzberg
Arzberg may refer to:*Arzberg, Bavaria, a town in the district of Wunsiedel, Bavaria, Germany*Arzberg, Saxony, a municipality in the district of Torgau-Oschatz in Saxony, Germany*Arzberg, Austria, a municipality in Styria, Austria...
, Röslau
Röslau
Röslau is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany....
, Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :...
, Waldershof
Waldershof
Waldershof is a town in the district of Tirschenreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 22 km northwest of Tirschenreuth, and 3 km southwest of Marktredwitz....
, Kirchenlamitz
Kirchenlamitz
Kirchenlamitz is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 13 km northwest of Wunsiedel and 19 km south of Hof....
and Tröstau
Tröstau
Tröstau is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany....
(all on the upper reaches of the Eger and der Röslau
Röslau (river)
The Röslau or Rösla is a right-hand tributary of the Eger River in northeast Bavaria in Germany.It is formed from several small veins that come together on the eastern slope of the Schneeberg west of the Vordorf Mill at Trostau in the Russel forest division.- Spring tapping :A spring, impounded...
),
Further to the southeast and south are Bischofsgrün
Bischofsgrün
Bischofsgrün is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany.Bischofsgrün is situated within the Fichtelgebirge mountain range between the range's two largest mountains; Schneeberg and the Ochsenkopf...
, Fichtelberg, Mehlmeisel
Mehlmeisel
Mehlmeisel is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany....
, Nagel
Nagel
----Nagel is family name of:- People :* Aaron Nagel , original trumpet player for punk rock/ska core act Link 80; currently plays guitar in the band DESA* Anne Nagel ----Nagel is family name of:- People :* Aaron Nagel (born 1980), original trumpet player for punk rock/ska core act Link 80;...
, Neusorg
Neusorg
Neusorg is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany....
, Speichersdorf
Speichersdorf
Speichersdorf is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 18 km eastern of Bayreuth. It has a population of about 6,200.-External links:*...
, Kemnath
Kemnath
Kemnath is a town in the district of Tirschenreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 24 km southeast of Bayreuth....
, Erbendorf
Erbendorf
Erbendorf is a town in the Upper Palatinate region of Germany. As of December, 2006, the town has a population of 5,341.The following villages are incorporated into the town:...
, Wiesau
Wiesau
Wiesau is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany....
and Fuchsmühl
Fuchsmühl
Fuchsmühl is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany....
, in the west are Weidenberg
Weidenberg
Weidenberg is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany. The Ölschnitz river discharges near Weidenberg-Neunkirchen into the Red Main....
, Creußen
Creußen
Creußen is a town in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the Red Main river, 13 km southeast of Bayreuth.Creußen is famous for its jugs....
, Bayreuth, Goldkronach
Goldkronach
Goldkronach is a town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 12 km northeast of Bayreuth.-History:On 25 June 1836, at 22:15, residents awoke to a man yelling "Fire! Fire!"...
, Bindlach
Bindlach
Bindlach is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Upper Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. The town is adjacent immediately north of the town of Bayreuth. The population count of December 2006 was 7197 inhabitants.-History:...
and Bad Berneck
Bad Berneck
Bad Berneck is a spa town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the White Main river, in the Fichtelgebirge mountains, 13 km northeast of Bayreuth. Its official title is Bad Berneck im Fichtelgebirge. It lies in the northern part of the Bavarian province of Upper...
, in the northwest are Gefrees
Gefrees
Gefrees is a town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 21 km northeast of Bayreuth. It was the site a of battle during the Napoleonic Wars....
, Zell im Fichtelgebirge
Zell im Fichtelgebirge
Zell im Fichtelgebirge, formerly Zell is a market town in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany.- Geography :...
, Weißdorf
Weißdorf
Weißdorf is a municipality in Upper Franconia in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany....
, Münchberg
Münchberg
Münchberg is a small town in Upper Franconia , Germany. It is sometimes referred to as the Textile Town of Bavaria. Its sister city is Jefferson City, Missouri, USA.-The city district's:-History:...
(Obere Saale), and in the north Selb
Selb
Selb is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, on the border with the Czech Republic, 20 km northwest of Cheb and 23 km southeast of Hof.-Notable people:...
, Rehau
Rehau
Rehau is a town in the district of Hof, in Bavaria, Germany. The first documented name of Rehau was "Resawe" in the year 1234. Rehau is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 12 km southeast of Hof, and 12 km west of Aš...
and Hof.
The boundary between the (East) Franconian dialect
East Franconian German
East Franconian is a dialect which is spoken in northern Bavaria and other areas in Germany around Nuremberg, Bamberg, Coburg, Würzburg, Hof, Bayreuth, Bad Mergentheim, Crailsheim and Suhl...
in the north and west and the (North) Bavarian and Upper Palatine dialects in the east and south runs diagonally through the Fichtelgebirge from northeast to southwest. This language border does not coincide with the administrative boundary of Upper Franconia
Upper Franconia
Upper Franconia is a Regierungsbezirk of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia , all now part of the German Federal State of Bayern .With more than 200 independent breweries which brew...
and the Upper Palatinate
Upper Palatinate
The Upper Palatinate is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria.- History :The region took its name first in the early 16th century, because it was by the Treaty of Pavia one of the main portions of the territory of the Wittelsbach Elector...
, but, for example, Bavarian is also spoken in the Upper Franconian district of Wunsiedel.
Moreover there are descendants of those who, after the Second World War came from Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and East Prussia into the Fichtelgebirge, and who make up a significant percentage of the population.
The highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge is the Schneeberg
Schneeberg (Fichtelgebirge)
At , the Schneeberg is the highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge, a mountain range in Upper Franconia in northeast Bavaria, Germany. It can be readily identified from a distance by its squat tower - a relic of the Cold War...
at 1053 metres (3,454.7 ft). Other major summits are the Ochsenkopf
Ochsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge)
The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk....
(1,024 m), the Steinwald
Steinwald
The Steinwald is a mountain range up to in southern Germany and, at the same time, a nature park founded in 1970 with an area of in the province of Upper Palatinate, in North Bavaria.- Geographical location :...
(Platte
Platte (Steinwald)
At the Platte is the highest mountain in the Steinwald, a forest in the Fichtelgebirge mountain range in central Germany.The Platte is a popular walking destination, not least because of the Upper Palatinate Tower, which is located on its summit...
946 m), the Kösseine
Kösseine
The Kösseine is a massif in the High Fichtelgebirge mountains in Germany, lying in northeast Bavaria south of Wunsiedel. The highest elevation of this granite massif is the summit of the Große Kösseine, . The border between the Bavarian provinces of Upper Franconia and Upper Palatinate runs over...
(939 m), the Großer Waldstein
Großer Waldstein
The Großer Waldstein is part of the Waldstein range in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains of Germany. It is known primarily for its rock formations caused by so-called 'woolsack' weathering , its ruined castles and the only remaining bear trap in the region.The River Saale rises at the foot of the...
(877 m) and the Großer Kornberg
Großer Kornberg
With its high peak the Große Kornberg is the northeast cornerstone of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in south Germany. It forms a wooded ridge, which is recognisable from a long distance by its former military surveillance tower It is also the local 'house' mountain of Schönwald and Schwarzenbach an...
(827 m).
Geomorphologically the Fichtelgebirge is a horseshoe-shaped massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
consisting of several linked ridges, hence the term Fichtelgebirge Horseshoe (Fichtelgebirgs-Hufeisen). The most important are the:
- High Fichtelgebirge with the SchneebergSchneeberg (Fichtelgebirge)At , the Schneeberg is the highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge, a mountain range in Upper Franconia in northeast Bavaria, Germany. It can be readily identified from a distance by its squat tower - a relic of the Cold War...
, OchsenkopfOchsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge)The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk....
and KösseineKösseineThe Kösseine is a massif in the High Fichtelgebirge mountains in Germany, lying in northeast Bavaria south of Wunsiedel. The highest elevation of this granite massif is the summit of the Große Kösseine, . The border between the Bavarian provinces of Upper Franconia and Upper Palatinate runs over...
massif, - Northern ridge of WaldsteinWaldstein (mountain range)The Waldstein is a mountain range in the northern part of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, in southern Germany.Its highest elevation is the Großer Waldstein which is high. In addition, the Epprechtstein, the Kleiner Waldstein and the ridge of the Hallerstein Forest, south...
including the mountains of Großer WaldsteinGroßer WaldsteinThe Großer Waldstein is part of the Waldstein range in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains of Germany. It is known primarily for its rock formations caused by so-called 'woolsack' weathering , its ruined castles and the only remaining bear trap in the region.The River Saale rises at the foot of the...
, EpprechtsteinEpprechtsteinThe Epprechtstein is a mountain in the northern Fichtelgebirge in northeast Bavaria, . It is mineralogically the most interesting mountain in the entire Fichtelgebirge range. Around the summit there are about 20 quarries, in three of which Epprechtstein granite is quarried. The others are closed...
and KornbergGroßer KornbergWith its high peak the Große Kornberg is the northeast cornerstone of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in south Germany. It forms a wooded ridge, which is recognisable from a long distance by its former military surveillance tower It is also the local 'house' mountain of Schönwald and Schwarzenbach an... - Southern section with its SteinwaldSteinwaldThe Steinwald is a mountain range up to in southern Germany and, at the same time, a nature park founded in 1970 with an area of in the province of Upper Palatinate, in North Bavaria.- Geographical location :...
and Reichsforst forests and the KohlbergKohlberg (Fichtelgebirge)The Kohlberg is a forested mountain made of quartz phyllite in northeast Bavaria, south of Arzberg . Its summit is high and it is one of the highest mountains in the Fichtelgebirge range.- History :...
mountain - Inner Fichtelgebirge Plateau.
To the northeast the Fichtelgebirge transitions into the Elstergebirge
Elstergebirge
The Elstergebirge is a small range of hills, in Saxony and the Czech Republic, on the west of the Ore Mountains. They lie in a region known as Vogtland, and take their name from the River Elster, or more precisely the White Elster which has its source in these hills, near the Czech town of Aš.The...
and the Ore Mountains, to the southeast is the Upper Palatine Forest, the Bohemian Forest
Bohemian Forest
The Bohemian Forest, also known in Czech as Šumava , is a low mountain range in Central Europe. Geographically, the mountains extend from South Bohemia in the Czech Republic to Austria and Bavaria in Germany...
and the Bavarian Forest
Bavarian Forest
thumb|The village of Zell in the Bavarian ForestThe Bavarian Forest is a wooded low-mountain region in Bavaria, Germany. It extends along the Czech border and is continued on the Czech side by the Šumava . Geographically the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest are sections of the same mountain range...
. To the northwest is a clear geological divide with the Franconian and Thuringian Forest
Thuringian Forest
The Thuringian Forest running northwest to southeast, forms a continuous stretch of ancient rounded mountains posing ample difficulties in transit routing save through a few navigable passes in the southern reaches of the German state of Thuringia. It is about long and wide...
s. To the southwest it descends to the morphologically very different Franconian fault-block landscape.
In early times the Fichtelgebirge was known as the 'navel of Germany' (Nabel Deutschlands) or the 'wellspring of Europe' (Herzbrunnen Europas) because four important rivers rise here and flow in four different directions of the compass:
- to the north flows the Saxon SaaleSaaleThe Saale, also known as the Saxon Saale and Thuringian Saale , is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale in Lower Saxony, a tributary of the Leine.-Course:The Saale...
- to the east flows the Eger and its tributary, the Röslau
- to the south two headstreams of the NaabNaabThe Naab is a river in Bavaria, Germany, and is a left tributary of the Danube. It is approx. long, including its main source river Waldnaab....
: the FichtelnaabFichtelnaabThe Fichtelnaab is a right-hand, western headstream of the Naab in Upper Franconia and the Upper Palatinate. It rises in the Fichtelgebirge and flows into the Waldnaab near Windischeschenbach.- Course :...
in the centre and the HaidenaabHaidenaabThe Haidenaab is the right and western headstream of the River Naab in the Upper Palatinate in the south German state of Bavaria.- Course :...
to one side - to the west the White MainWhite MainThe White Main |Weismain]]), is the larger and shorter of the two headstreams of the River Main. It rises in the Fichtelgebirge and merges near Steinenhausen, southwest of Kulmbach, with the left-hand, southern headstream, the Red Main, to form the Main. The length of the White Main is variously...
Numerous moors and marshes, which are now protected, are valuable water collectors. The European watershed from the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
to the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
runs over these mountains.
Mountains and hills
The highest mountain is the SchneebergSchneeberg (Fichtelgebirge)
At , the Schneeberg is the highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge, a mountain range in Upper Franconia in northeast Bavaria, Germany. It can be readily identified from a distance by its squat tower - a relic of the Cold War...
at 1051 metres (3,448.2 ft). Rivers rising from the Fichtelgebirge are the White Main
White Main
The White Main |Weismain]]), is the larger and shorter of the two headstreams of the River Main. It rises in the Fichtelgebirge and merges near Steinenhausen, southwest of Kulmbach, with the left-hand, southern headstream, the Red Main, to form the Main. The length of the White Main is variously...
(German: Weißer Main), the Saxon Saale
Saale
The Saale, also known as the Saxon Saale and Thuringian Saale , is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale in Lower Saxony, a tributary of the Leine.-Course:The Saale...
, the Ohře
Ohre
The Ohře is a 316 km long river in Germany and the Czech Republic , left tributary of the Elbe. The basin area of the river has a size of 6,255 km², of which 5,614 km² are in the Czech Republic and 641 km² in Germany...
(German: Eger) and the Fichtelnaab
Fichtelnaab
The Fichtelnaab is a right-hand, western headstream of the Naab in Upper Franconia and the Upper Palatinate. It rises in the Fichtelgebirge and flows into the Waldnaab near Windischeschenbach.- Course :...
which later joins the Waldnaab
Waldnaab
The Waldnaab is the left-hand, eastern and longest headstream of the River Naab in the Upper Palatinate .Together with the Waldnaab the Naab is long.- The Tirschenreuth Waldnaab :...
. Major towns on the edge of the mountain region Bayreuth and Hof
Hof, Germany
Hof is a city located on the banks of the Saale in the northeastern corner of the German state of Bavaria, in the Franconia region, at the Czech border and the forested Fichtelgebirge and Frankenwald upland regions....
.
While the mountains dip gradually away to the north and the south, they form a steep slope in the west where the Red Main forms the boundary of the mountains.
The Ochsenkopf
Ochsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge)
The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk....
("Ox Head") is the second highest mountain of the Fichtelgebirge at 1024 metres (3,359.6 ft). There are two chair-lifts to the summit, one from Bischofsgrün
Bischofsgrün
Bischofsgrün is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany.Bischofsgrün is situated within the Fichtelgebirge mountain range between the range's two largest mountains; Schneeberg and the Ochsenkopf...
in the north and one from Fleckl in the south. The "Asenturm" (Æsir
Æsir
In Old Norse, áss is the term denoting a member of the principal pantheon in Norse paganism. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. The second pantheon comprises the Vanir...
Tower) is an observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
on the summit with a restaurant attached.
The following are the highest and best-known mountains in the Fichtelgebirge (listed alphabetically with heights in metres (m) above sea level (NN):
| Mountain | Height (m) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Schneeberg Schneeberg (Fichtelgebirge) At , the Schneeberg is the highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge, a mountain range in Upper Franconia in northeast Bavaria, Germany. It can be readily identified from a distance by its squat tower - a relic of the Cold War... |
1,051 | Former Cold War listening post |
| Ochsenkopf Ochsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge) The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk.... |
1,024 | |
| Nußhardt Nußhardt At the Nußhardt is the third highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in the south German state of Bavaria. It lies in the far northeast of the state and has a rocky summit characteristic of the Fichtelgebirge . The summit area with its felsenmeer and tor is a nature reserve with an area of... |
972 | |
| Platte (Steinwald) Platte (Steinwald) At the Platte is the highest mountain in the Steinwald, a forest in the Fichtelgebirge mountain range in central Germany.The Platte is a popular walking destination, not least because of the Upper Palatinate Tower, which is located on its summit... |
946 | |
| Kösseine Kösseine The Kösseine is a massif in the High Fichtelgebirge mountains in Germany, lying in northeast Bavaria south of Wunsiedel. The highest elevation of this granite massif is the summit of the Große Kösseine, . The border between the Bavarian provinces of Upper Franconia and Upper Palatinate runs over... |
939 | |
| Großer Waldstein Großer Waldstein The Großer Waldstein is part of the Waldstein range in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains of Germany. It is known primarily for its rock formations caused by so-called 'woolsack' weathering , its ruined castles and the only remaining bear trap in the region.The River Saale rises at the foot of the... |
877 | |
| Hohberg Hohberg (Fichtelgebirge) The Königsheide in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains is a high, forested ridge, made of gneiss-phyllite rock, to the southwest of the Ochsenkopf mountain. It is bordered to the east and south by the river of the Warme Steinach, and to the west by the Franconian Line... (Königsheide) |
863 | |
| Großer Kornberg Großer Kornberg With its high peak the Große Kornberg is the northeast cornerstone of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in south Germany. It forms a wooded ridge, which is recognisable from a long distance by its former military surveillance tower It is also the local 'house' mountain of Schönwald and Schwarzenbach an... |
827 | |
| Hohe Matze Hohe Matze The Hohe Matze, also known as the Hohe Mätze, is a mountain in the southern part of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains of central Germany. It lies between Nagel and Tröstau, and its high summit is a jumble of oval-shaped rocks... |
813 | |
| Epprechtstein Epprechtstein The Epprechtstein is a mountain in the northern Fichtelgebirge in northeast Bavaria, . It is mineralogically the most interesting mountain in the entire Fichtelgebirge range. Around the summit there are about 20 quarries, in three of which Epprechtstein granite is quarried. The others are closed... |
798 | |
| Háj u Aše Háj u Aše The Háj u Aše is the highest elevation in the Bohemian part of the Fichtelgebirge mountains . It is the local mountain of the town of Aš in the Czech Republic.- Location :... (Hainberg bei Asch) |
758 | Highest mountain on Bohemian soil |
| Kohlberg Kohlberg (Fichtelgebirge) The Kohlberg is a forested mountain made of quartz phyllite in northeast Bavaria, south of Arzberg . Its summit is high and it is one of the highest mountains in the Fichtelgebirge range.- History :... |
632 |
Early mountain building
Geologically the Fichtelgebirge massif consists mainly of graniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
. The history of its orogeny
Orogeny
Orogeny refers to forces and events leading to a severe structural deformation of the Earth's crust due to the engagement of tectonic plates. Response to such engagement results in the formation of long tracts of highly deformed rock called orogens or orogenic belts...
begins in the Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
Eon about 750–800 million years ago. From that time only the eroded root zones of the once-towering mountain chain are left.
Subsequently the area was covered by sea, and rivers transported sediments
Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...
from the old eroding mountains on the coast. These sediments were deposited as layers of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
.
At the beginning of the Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
Period, about 570 million years ago, these beds were folded and raised up to form new mountains. High temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
s and pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
during this mountain folding process, which lasted into the Upper Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
Period, created metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
. The shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
layers were transformed into phyllite
Phyllite
Phyllite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock primarily composed of quartz, sericite mica, and chlorite; the rock represents a gradation in the degree of metamorphism between slate and mica schist. Minute crystals of graphite, sericite, or chlorite impart a silky, sometimes golden sheen to the...
s and schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
s, sandstones metamorphosed into quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
and limestone produced Wunsiedel marble
Wunsiedel Marble
Wunsiedel Marble is a group of metamorphic carbonate rocks, which were, and are, mainly extracted in the German town Wunsiedel at several quarries. This Upper Franconian calcite marble occurs both in this region and beyond, particularly in Bavaria...
. These mountains, which may have been several kilometres high, were also eroded to sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
again.
Variscan orogeny: mountains from the depths of the sea
In the next phase, great, deep-sea sediments were laid down under the present-day Fichtelgebirge and the Franconian Forest from the SilurianSilurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
, Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
and Lower Carboniferous periods; these are especially well recorded in the Franconian Forest, whose rocks were only subject to very low-grade metamorphism
Metamorphism
Metamorphism is the solid-state recrystallization of pre-existing rocks due to changes in physical and chemical conditions, primarily heat, pressure, and the introduction of chemically active fluids. Mineralogical, chemical and crystallographic changes can occur during this process...
(associated with volcanism and ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
formation) and which contain easily-dated fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s. Finally, in the Upper Carboniferous period 285 million years ago, the Hercynian mountain building phase began and raised the Fichtelgebirge, Franconian Forest and Münchberg
Münchberg
Münchberg is a small town in Upper Franconia , Germany. It is sometimes referred to as the Textile Town of Bavaria. Its sister city is Jefferson City, Missouri, USA.-The city district's:-History:...
gneiss
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
plateau into high mountains - like almost all the fold mountain
Fold mountain
Fold mountains are mountains formed mainly by the effects of folding on layers within the upper part of the Earth's crust. In the time before either plate tectonic theory developed, or the internal architecture of thrust belts became well understood, the term was used for most mountain belts, such...
s formed during the Hercynian period.
This mountain building episode was the Variscan orogeny
Variscan orogeny
The Variscan orogeny is a geologic mountain-building event caused by Late Paleozoic continental collision between Euramerica and Gondwana to form the supercontinent of Pangaea.-Naming:...
, named after Hof's Latin name (and the tribe of Varisci
Varisci
thumb|350px|The Varisci be seen as Narister ca. 50 CE.The Varisci were a Germanic tribe, the presumed prior inhabitants of a medieval district, Provincia Variscorum, the same as the Vogtland district of Saxony in Germany...
) of Curia variscorum. At the same time, magma intruded in several phases into the folds
Fold (geology)
The term fold is used in geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation. Synsedimentary folds are those due to slumping of sedimentary material before it is lithified. Folds in rocks vary in...
, where it solidified under the Earth's surface into the present-day granites. As granite formed, secondary rocks were only affected by slight contact metamorphism
Metamorphism
Metamorphism is the solid-state recrystallization of pre-existing rocks due to changes in physical and chemical conditions, primarily heat, pressure, and the introduction of chemically active fluids. Mineralogical, chemical and crystallographic changes can occur during this process...
. The rest of the molten rock with its ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
-containing fluids formed pegmatite
Pegmatite
A pegmatite is a very crystalline, intrusive igneous rock composed of interlocking crystals usually larger than 2.5 cm in size; such rocks are referred to as pegmatitic....
, as well as veins of ore and minerals - the basis of the medieval mining industry and early industrialisation
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
of this region.
During the Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
(Rotliegendes) large quantities of rock debris were deposited in intramontane basins and onto the foreland of the mountain range. These basins were formed by extensional tectonics
Extensional tectonics
Extensional tectonics is concerned with the structures formed, and the tectonic processes associated with, the stretching of the crust or lithosphere.-Deformation styles:...
which were accompanied by an intermediate to acidic volcanism
Volcanism
Volcanism is the phenomenon connected with volcanoes and volcanic activity. It includes all phenomena resulting from and causing magma within the crust or mantle of a planet to rise through the crust and form volcanic rocks on the surface....
. The sediments
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
of the Rotliegendes are only exposed in a few places, but have been confirmed across a wide area by drilling beneath the platform
Platform (geology)
In geology, a platform is a continental area covered by relatively flat or gently tilted, mainly sedimentary strata, which overlie a basement of consolidated igneous or metamorphic rocks of an earlier deformation...
southwest of the Franconian Line
Franconian Line
The Franconian Line is a geological fault in central Germany that forms the border between the South German Scarplands in the west and the Fichtelgebirge mountains in the east....
. Late Variscan volcanic rock
Volcanic rock
Volcanic rock is a rock formed from magma erupted from a volcano. In other words, it is an igneous rock of volcanic origin...
s occur in the Fichtelgebirge as layers of rhyolite
Rhyolite
This page is about a volcanic rock. For the ghost town see Rhyolite, Nevada, and for the satellite system, see Rhyolite/Aquacade.Rhyolite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition . It may have any texture from glassy to aphanitic to porphyritic...
.
Alpine orogeny creates new pressures
In the neogeneNeogene
The Neogene is a geologic period and system in the International Commission on Stratigraphy Geologic Timescale starting 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and ending 2.588 million years ago...
(Upper Tertiary beginning 26 million years ago) period, tectonic activity increased again – just as the Alpine orogeny
Alpine orogeny
The Alpine orogeny is an orogenic phase in the Late Mesozoic and Tertiary that formed the mountain ranges of the Alpide belt...
(Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, Carpathians etc.) slowly came to an end. In that time, parts of this and other older massifs (such as the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands
The Bohemian-Moravian Highlands is an extensive range of hills and low mountains over long, which runs in a northeasterly direction across the Czech Republic and forms the border between Bohemia and Moravia...
or Bohemian Massif
Bohemian Massif
The Bohemian Massif; or Český masiv; is in the geology of Central Europe a large massif stretching over central Czech republic, eastern Germany, southern Poland and northern Austria...
in the Alpine foothills) sometimes ended up underneath younger rock. In the Upper Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
(10 million years ago), molten basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
broke through in northern Upper Palatinate
Upper Palatinate
The Upper Palatinate is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria.- History :The region took its name first in the early 16th century, because it was by the Treaty of Pavia one of the main portions of the territory of the Wittelsbach Elector...
as the Eger Graben
Eger Graben
The Eger Graben is a geographical unit in the Czech Republic. It runs southwards, parallel to the Ore Mountains and its formation is linked with that of the mountain range.- Topography :...
was being formed. Through erosion, the remains of former diatreme
Diatreme
A diatreme is a breccia-filled volcanic pipe that was formed by a gaseous explosion. Diatremes often breach the surface and produce a tuff cone, a filled relatively shallow crater known as a maar, or other volcanic pipes.- Word origin :...
s have been uncovered and may be seen e.g. on the Rauher Kulm or at Parkstein near Weiden
Weiden in der Oberpfalz
Weiden in der Oberpfalz is a district-free city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located 100 km east of Nuremberg and 35 km west of the Czech border. A branch of the German Army's NCO Academy is located here...
. Basaltic surface layers, i.e. extensive flows of low-viscosity lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
, are visible e. g. on the Teichelberg near Pechbrunn
Pechbrunn
Pechbrunn is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany....
. These basaltic nappe
Nappe
In geology, a nappe is a large sheetlike body of rock that has been moved more than or 5 km from its original position. Nappes form during continental plate collisions, when folds are sheared so much that they fold back over on themselves and break apart. The resulting structure is a...
s should not however be confusd with the formation of tectonic layers.
The formation of the present landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
finally took place in the younger Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
about 5 million years ago: an earlier-formed Franconian fault line came under pressure again and the Fichtelgebirge, Franconian Forest, the Münchberg
Münchberg
Münchberg is a small town in Upper Franconia , Germany. It is sometimes referred to as the Textile Town of Bavaria. Its sister city is Jefferson City, Missouri, USA.-The city district's:-History:...
Gneiss Massif and the northern Upper Palatine Forest were uplifted along it. This last uplift
Tectonic uplift
Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by plate tectonics which increases elevation. The opposite of uplift is subsidence, which results in a decrease in elevation. Uplift may be orogenic or isostatic.-Orogenic uplift:...
gave the forces of erosion more to do again and the rivers cut deeply into the already, almost levelled, mountain range. So the present day structure was created from a plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
: a low mountain range which is being gnawed away at on all sides, with a long and varied history. Although often difficult to interpret, it is an 'Eldorado' for geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s from a wide range of specialisms.
Most important rocks in the Fichtelgebirge
GraniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
( for grain
Granular material
A granular material is a conglomeration of discrete solid, macroscopic particles characterized by a loss of energy whenever the particles interact . The constituents that compose granular material must be large enough such that they are not subject to thermal motion fluctuations...
) and its derivatives
make up about 40% of the area – its impact being all the more striking because this very hard, yet hydrous, rock forms the highest peaks
Summit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
in the area. Its stark appearance and the early emergency of industry here have made their mark on landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
and people.
In detail there is:
- Porphyritic Granite of the WeißenstadtWeißenstadtWeißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :...
/Liebenstein massif (including the towns of MarktleuthenMarktleuthenMarktleuthen is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Eger, 10 km north of Wunsiedel and 11 km southwest of Selb....
/RöslauRöslauRöslau is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany....
) and extending into the Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
as far as HaslauHazlovHazlov is a village and municipality in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. In 2008 the village had a population of 1 665.- Geography :...
. The porphyryPorphyry (geology)Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
contains biotiteBiotiteBiotite is a common phyllosilicate mineral within the mica group, with the approximate chemical formula . More generally, it refers to the dark mica series, primarily a solid-solution series between the iron-endmember annite, and the magnesium-endmember phlogopite; more aluminous endmembers...
(dark micaMicaThe mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
) and phenocrystPhenocrystthumb|right|300px|[[Granite]]s often have large [[feldspar|feldspatic]] phenocrysts. This granite, from the [[Switzerland|Swiss]] side of the [[Mont Blanc]] massif, has large white [[plagioclase]] phenocrysts, [[triclinic]] [[mineral]]s that give [[trapezium|trapezoid]] shapes when cut through)...
s of feldsparFeldsparFeldspars are a group of rock-forming tectosilicate minerals which make up as much as 60% of the Earth's crust....
up to 8 cm across. - Reut Granite near GefreesGefreesGefrees is a town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 21 km northeast of Bayreuth. It was the site a of battle during the Napoleonic Wars....
is, by contrast, finer with a bluish-grey hue. SelbSelbSelb is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, on the border with the Czech Republic, 20 km northwest of Cheb and 23 km southeast of Hof.-Notable people:...
Granite (found northeast of the upper massif near Schwarzenhammer and running through the Selb Forest and the Czech Republic into SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
/ ElstergebirgeElstergebirgeThe Elstergebirge is a small range of hills, in Saxony and the Czech Republic, on the west of the Ore Mountains. They lie in a region known as Vogtland, and take their name from the River Elster, or more precisely the White Elster which has its source in these hills, near the Czech town of Aš.The...
) is fine-grained, but grey again. - Holzmühl Granite occurs in just two small outcrops near Holzmühl, 3 km southeast of Marktleuthen and near Längenau on the Wartberg, east-northeast of SelbSelbSelb is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, on the border with the Czech Republic, 20 km northwest of Cheb and 23 km southeast of Hof.-Notable people:...
; medium-grained with a higher biotite content, unevenly grained microstructure. - Redwitzite is also called Syenite Granite and occurs in the MarktredwitzMarktredwitzMarktredwitz is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 22 km west of Cheb, 50 km east of Bayreuth and 50 km south of Hof/Saale.The town celebrated the Horticultural Show 2006 in cooperation with Cheb....
/ArzbergArzbergArzberg may refer to:*Arzberg, Bavaria, a town in the district of Wunsiedel, Bavaria, Germany*Arzberg, Saxony, a municipality in the district of Torgau-Oschatz in Saxony, Germany*Arzberg, Austria, a municipality in Styria, Austria...
/ThiersheimThiersheimThiersheim is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.Grafenreuth, now a part of Thiersheim, was the seat of the noble family Gravenreuth for centuries....
triangle; medium- and also fine-grained, its variable mineral composition produces colourations from light grey, dark grey and dark green-grey to almost black. - Rand Granite (Dach Granite) occurs in all the prominent massifs of the Fichtelgebirge (the OchsenkopfOchsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge)The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk....
, the southern part of the SchneebergSchneeberg (Fichtelgebirge)At , the Schneeberg is the highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge, a mountain range in Upper Franconia in northeast Bavaria, Germany. It can be readily identified from a distance by its squat tower - a relic of the Cold War...
and the Haberstein, the Platte to the Hohe Matze, the KösseineKösseineThe Kösseine is a massif in the High Fichtelgebirge mountains in Germany, lying in northeast Bavaria south of Wunsiedel. The highest elevation of this granite massif is the summit of the Große Kösseine, . The border between the Bavarian provinces of Upper Franconia and Upper Palatinate runs over...
and the Großer KornbergGroßer KornbergWith its high peak the Große Kornberg is the northeast cornerstone of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in south Germany. It forms a wooded ridge, which is recognisable from a long distance by its former military surveillance tower It is also the local 'house' mountain of Schönwald and Schwarzenbach an...
); its groundmass is small-grained with phenocrysts of feldsparFeldsparFeldspars are a group of rock-forming tectosilicate minerals which make up as much as 60% of the Earth's crust....
, quartzQuartzQuartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
and biotiteBiotiteBiotite is a common phyllosilicate mineral within the mica group, with the approximate chemical formula . More generally, it refers to the dark mica series, primarily a solid-solution series between the iron-endmember annite, and the magnesium-endmember phlogopite; more aluminous endmembers...
, sometimes sprinkled with muscoviteMuscoviteMuscovite is a phyllosilicate mineral of aluminium and potassium with formula KAl22, or 236. It has a highly-perfect basal cleavage yielding remarkably-thin laminæ which are often highly elastic...
as well; - Kösseine-Rand Granite occurs on the Kösseine, including the Burgstein, Haberstein and Schauerberg, and the southern part of the Großer Kornberg massif; small- to medium-grained, porphyritic structure weak or missing; low in phenocrysts.
- Kern Granite is found in the central Fichtelberg/Ochsenkopf/NußhardtNußhardtAt the Nußhardt is the third highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in the south German state of Bavaria. It lies in the far northeast of the state and has a rocky summit characteristic of the Fichtelgebirge . The summit area with its felsenmeer and tor is a nature reserve with an area of...
block and on the eastern perimeter of the Schneeberg; it forms outcrops of in the shape of numerous rock formations; medium- to coarse-grained. - Kösseine and Wolfsgarten Kern Granite. There are numerous pockets of Kösseine Granite containing hornfels, cm-large biotite-rich shreds and nodules of host rock, rounded or round quartz-feldspar rich pockets on the Kösseine massif: narrow band on the north, east and southern edge, small labyrinth, Kleinwendern quarry, Hirschensprung rock formation, Wolfstein, Hohenstein, Ochsenkopf, Hundslohe and Gregnitz valley; on the Kornberg: the Wolfsgarten forest and the south-southwestern part of the Großer Kornberg; relatively coarse, has an unusual appearance due to the blue feldspar, black biotite and richly sprinkled dark foreign bodies; Wolfsgarten Granite is somewhat lighter blue.
- Zinn Granite is restricted to the central massif and occurs on the Rudolfstein, on the Drei Brüder almost to the summit of the Schneeberg, western slope of the Seehügel, between Seehügel and Platte, Fuchsbau and Zufurt west of LeupoldsdorfLeupoldsdorfLeupoldsdorf is a village in the municipality of Tröstau in the district of Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge in Bavaria, Germany.- Geography :Leupoldsdorf is located in the Fichtelgebirge in the province of Upper Franconia in northeast Bavaria. The river Röslau flows through area, but numerous smaller...
; very even, medium grain; little biotite, a lot of muscovite; lighter, brighter hue. - Rand Granite of the Steinwald massif: in the western part of the Steinwald, e. g. on the Dachsfelsen, and the northwestern part of the Grandfelsen; small-grained.
- Steinwald Granite occurs in the centre, including the Weißenstein, Platte, Katzentrögel, Reiseneggerfelsen and Hackelstein; coarse-grained.
- Friedenfels Granite is the transitional faciesFaciesIn geology, facies are a body of rock with specified characteristics. Ideally, a facies is a distinctive rock unit that forms under certain conditions of sedimentation, reflecting a particular process or environment....
between the Steinwald Granite and the Falkenberg Porphyritic Granite; it forms the basement of the Pechbrunn basalt region and surfaces there at various places between the basalt nappes; porphyritic structure, especially rich in feldspar phenocrysts.
Mining industry
By the Early Middle AgesEarly Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
man had begun to mine in the Fichtelgebirge. The most important products were gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, minerals, earths and rock (basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
, brown coal, diabase
Diabase
Diabase or dolerite is a mafic, holocrystalline, subvolcanic rock equivalent to volcanic basalt or plutonic gabbro. In North American usage, the term diabase refers to the fresh rock, whilst elsewhere the term dolerite is used for the fresh rock and diabase refers to altered material...
, granite, silt, marble
Wunsiedel Marble
Wunsiedel Marble is a group of metamorphic carbonate rocks, which were, and are, mainly extracted in the German town Wunsiedel at several quarries. This Upper Franconian calcite marble occurs both in this region and beyond, particularly in Bavaria...
, soapstone
Soapstone
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock, a talc-schist. It is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich in magnesium. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occurs in the areas where tectonic plates are subducted, changing rocks by heat and pressure, with influx...
, clay and peat). In earlier times uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
ore deposits were discovered. The metals were worked in hammer mills (hence the many place names ending with -hammer) on the Fichtelgebirge's rivers, in furnaces and at metalsmiths. The forests of the Fichtelgebirge supplied the wood necessary for the manufacture of charcoal. During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
the mining industry became depressed and the ore deposits were largely exhausted. In the 18th century Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
tried to revive the mining industry again. Many towns and villages (e. g. Wunsiedel
Wunsiedel
Wunsiedel is the county town of the Upper Franconian district of Wunsiedel in northeast Bavaria, Germany. The town became well known for its annual Luisenburg Festival and the Rudolf Hess Memorial March held by the Neo-Nazis here until 2005.- Geography :...
, Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :...
, Arzberg, Fichtelberg-Neubau, Goldkronach
Goldkronach
Goldkronach is a town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 12 km northeast of Bayreuth.-History:On 25 June 1836, at 22:15, residents awoke to a man yelling "Fire! Fire!"...
) owe their emergence to the mining industry.
An insight into the history of mining in the Fichtelgebirge may be gained from:
- the visitor mine of Gleissinger Fels near Fichtelberg-Neubau
- the Schmutzler gallery near Goldkronach
- the gold mining museum in Goldkronach
- the mining exhibition in the Fichtelgebirge MuseumFichtelgebirge MuseumThe Fichtelgebirge Museum is a regional museum in Wunsiedel, formerly the 'capital' of the Sechsämterland and the county town in the Fichtelgebirge mountains of central Germany....
at Wunsiedel - the mining industry information point at Arzberg
- the local heritage and mining museum in Erbendorf
Traditions
The Hugenots introduced the Easter decorations on wells, so-called Osterbrunnen, in the shape of a lily (emblem of the BourbonHouse of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
kings) (as described e.g. in the April 2007 of the Fränkische Post).
Economy and tourism
Although the mining industry is only of historic interest today, there are many places in the Fichtelgebirge that still produce glassware at competitive prices. The porcelain industry, centred on the town of SelbSelb
Selb is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, on the border with the Czech Republic, 20 km northwest of Cheb and 23 km southeast of Hof.-Notable people:...
, is internationally renowned and the foremost in Germany. Local firms such as Rosenthal and Hutschenreuther
Hutschenreuther
Hutschenreuther is the name of the family that established the production of porcelain in Northern Bavaria, in 1814. Hutschenreuther was a trend-setter and enabled Germany to gain an excellent reputation in the European porcelain industry...
are of international standing.
Tourism is the main source of income for many places in the Fichtelgebirge today. In some towns such as Bischofsgrün
Bischofsgrün
Bischofsgrün is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany.Bischofsgrün is situated within the Fichtelgebirge mountain range between the range's two largest mountains; Schneeberg and the Ochsenkopf...
tourism has a long tradition going back to the 1920s. After the Second World War the stream of holidaymakers increased sharply, both in summer for walking and in winter for winter sports. The Fichtelgebirge became the local mountain range (Hausgebirge) for (West-)Berliners who, unable to holiday in East Germany, were able to get there on the transit route of the A 9 motorway. This has changed since German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
and the opening up of other mountainous holiday areas.
The Fichtelgebirge is a nationally important holiday destination in winter. Several lifts, the longest being two chair lifts on the Ochsenkopf
Ochsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge)
The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk....
, but also a plethora of cut cross-country trails are the mainstay of this industry.
The Fichtelgebirge attract many tourists throughout the year. In the winter the mountains are a common destination for people seeking outdoor recreational sports like alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, cross country skiing, and sledding
Sledding
Sledding , sledging , sleding or tobogganing is a common activity in wintry areas, similar to sliding, but in a prone or seated position requiring a device or vehicle generically known in the US as a sled or in other countries as a sledge or toboggan...
. The warmer summer months find people mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, and sight seeing amongst the many large rock formations.
Places in the Fichtelgebirge
|
Höchstädt im Fichtelgebirge Höchstädt im Fichtelgebirge is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.-References:... Kemnath Kemnath is a town in the district of Tirschenreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 24 km southeast of Bayreuth.... Kirchenlamitz Kirchenlamitz is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 13 km northwest of Wunsiedel and 19 km south of Hof.... Marktleugast Marktleugast is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Marktleugast is arranged in the following boroughs:... Marktleuthen Marktleuthen is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Eger, 10 km north of Wunsiedel and 11 km southwest of Selb.... Marktredwitz Marktredwitz is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 22 km west of Cheb, 50 km east of Bayreuth and 50 km south of Hof/Saale.The town celebrated the Horticultural Show 2006 in cooperation with Cheb.... Marktschorgast Marktschorgast is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Marktschorgast is arranged in the following boroughs:... Mehlmeisel Mehlmeisel is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany.... Münchberg Münchberg is a small town in Upper Franconia , Germany. It is sometimes referred to as the Textile Town of Bavaria. Its sister city is Jefferson City, Missouri, USA.-The city district's:-History:... |
Neusorg Neusorg is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany.... Rehau Rehau is a town in the district of Hof, in Bavaria, Germany. The first documented name of Rehau was "Resawe" in the year 1234. Rehau is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 12 km southeast of Hof, and 12 km west of Aš... Röslau Röslau is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.... Schirnding Schirnding is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.... Schönbrunn (Fichtelgebirge) Schönbrunn is a village in the heart of the Fichtelgebirge mountains in Bavaria, Germany. It is not far from Wunsiedel and has about 1,400 inhabitants along including Furthammer. It was founded around 1200 as a small settlement within the castle. The oldest building is the church built around... Selb Selb is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, on the border with the Czech Republic, 20 km northwest of Cheb and 23 km southeast of Hof.-Notable people:... Sparneck Sparneck is a municipality in Upper Franconia in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany.- Location :The market town of Sparneck lies at an average height of in the Pfarrbach valley, which forms the larger part of the area. The Saxon Saale river flows through this valley in a northerly direction... Speichersdorf Speichersdorf is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany. It is situated near the Fichtelgebirge, 18 km eastern of Bayreuth. It has a population of about 6,200.-External links:*... |
Thiersheim Thiersheim is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.Grafenreuth, now a part of Thiersheim, was the seat of the noble family Gravenreuth for centuries.... Tröstau Tröstau is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.... Waldershof Waldershof is a town in the district of Tirschenreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 22 km northwest of Tirschenreuth, and 3 km southwest of Marktredwitz.... Warmensteinach Warmensteinach is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany.From here there is a chairlift, the Ochsenkopf South Chairlift, to the summit of the Ochsenkopf, the second highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge.... Weidenberg Weidenberg is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany. The Ölschnitz river discharges near Weidenberg-Neunkirchen into the Red Main.... Weißdorf Weißdorf is a municipality in Upper Franconia in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany.... Weißenstadt Weißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :... Wunsiedel Wunsiedel is the county town of the Upper Franconian district of Wunsiedel in northeast Bavaria, Germany. The town became well known for its annual Luisenburg Festival and the Rudolf Hess Memorial March held by the Neo-Nazis here until 2005.- Geography :... Zell im Fichtelgebirge Zell im Fichtelgebirge, formerly Zell is a market town in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany.- Geography :... |
Approaches to the Fichtelgebirge
- Rail: MarktredwitzMarktredwitzMarktredwitz is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 22 km west of Cheb, 50 km east of Bayreuth and 50 km south of Hof/Saale.The town celebrated the Horticultural Show 2006 in cooperation with Cheb....
station has rail services to Eger, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Munich, Hof, Bayreuth, Dresden and Leipzig - Road:
- Federal roads (BundesstraßeBundesstraßeBundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
n): B 303Bundesstraße 303The Bundesstraße 303 is a German federal highway that runs from west to east, beginning at the A 7 autobahn west of Schweinfurt and ending at the border with the Czech Republic east of Schirnding...
and B 15 - Motorways (Bundesautobahnen): A 93Bundesautobahn 93The Bundesautobahn 93 is an autobahn in Bavaria with a length of 276 km. It consists of two parts one is a short track, from the A 8, near the Austrian border, to the Inntal Autobahn in Tyrol, Austria, the other from Hof A 72 in the north of Bavaria to Holledau A 9. A...
and A 9
- Federal roads (Bundesstraße
- Air: Hof-Plauen AirportHof-Plauen AirportHof-Plauen Airport is an airport serving Hof, a city in the German state of Bavaria. The airport is located southwest of Hof.- Facilities :...
Sources
- Franz X. Bogner: Das Fichtelgebirge im Luftbildportrait. Ellwanger Verlag, Bayreuth 2009 (twote Auflage). ISBN 978-3-925361-68-5.
- Dietmar Herrmann: Vom Bergbau im Fichtelgebirge. Heft 11 und 12 der Schriftenreihe „Beiträge zur Geschichts- und Landeskunde des Fichtelgebirges“, Verlag Buchhandlung Kohler, Wunsiedel
- Dietmar Herrmann: "Rund um den Großen Waldstein im Fichtelgebirge", Heft 16/2008 der FGV-Schriftenreihe Das Fichtelgebirge, HG: Fichtelgebirgsverein, Theresienstraße 2, 95632 Wunsiedel
- Reinhard Feldrapp, Bernd Häuser: Fichtelgebirge. Streifzüge durch das granitene Hufeisen. Echter Verlag 2003, ISBN 3-429-02539-7
- Dietmar Herrmann: Lexikon Fichtelgebirge. Ackermann-Verlag, Hof, ISBN 3-929364-18-2
- Reinhard Müller, Horst Ruhl: Mit Kindern im Fichtelgebirge. Wo Wandern zum Erlebnis wird. Fleischhauer & Spohn Verlag, Bietigheim 1994, ISBN 3-87230-520-4
- Gerhard Bayerl, Manfred Schultes, Bernhard Settwon: Steinmeer und Siebenstern. Druckhaus Oberpfalz 2000, ISBN 3-924350-84-1
- Karl-Heinz Mayer: Die Forstgeschichte des Fichtelgebirges. (Dissertationsschrift.) Forstliche Forschungsberichte München, Nr. 167. Frank, München 1998, 297 (VII/XI) S.
- Fichtelgebirge, Frankenwald, Coburger Land. Vom Oberen Maintal bis zum Vogtland. HB-Verlags- und Vertriebsgesellschaft 1998 (HB Bildatlas: H.190), ISBN 3-616-06290-X
- Gernot Messarius: Fichtelgebirge. Steinwald. Bayreuth, Kulmbach, Hof. Goldstadtverlag, Pforzheim 2002 (Goldstadt Reiseführer Bd. 318), ISBN 3-89550-318-5
- Godehard Schramm, Bernd-Heinz Häuser: Fichtelgebirge-Frankenwald-Steinwald. Die schönsten Ausflugsziele. Rosenheimer Verlagshaus 1992, ISBN 3-475-52732-4
- Reinhard Feldrapp, Günter Hertel: Das Fichtelgebirge. H. Stürtz, Würzburg 1984, ISBN 3-8003-0220-9
- Friedrich Wilhelm Singer, Georg Pöhlein: Fichtelgebirge. Das granitene Hufeisen. Oberfränkische Verlagsanstalt, Hof 1983, ISBN 3-921615-54-2
- Dietmar Herrmann: "Der Ochsenkopf im Fichtelgebirge", Heft 17/2009 der FGV-Schriftenreihe Das Fichtelgebirge
Maps
- Naturpark Fichtelgebirge and Naturpark Steinwald. Walking map with tourist tips, coloured path marking and car parks for walkers.. Official walking map of the Fichtelgebirge ClubFichtelgebirge ClubThe Fichtelgebirge Club is a large walking club and local heritage society in Bavaria and recognised conservation group with 20,000 members in 55 local groups. As the name says, its main sphere of activity is in the Fichtelgebirge mountains in north Bavaria...
and Fichtelgebirge Nature ParkFichtelgebirge Nature ParkThe Fichtelgebirge Nature Park lies in the tri-border area of Saxony, the Czech Republic and Bavaria and has an area of . It is maintained by the Naturpark Fichtelgebirge e. V. in Wunsiedel.- Landscape :...
1:50.000 16th edn. Fritsch Landkarten-Verlag Hof (Fritsch Karten: No. 52) o. J., ISBN 3-86116-052-8
External links
- The Fichtelgebirge, described by a resident of Franconia
- Official Fichtelgebirge tourist portal
- Fichtelgebirge holiday country
- http://www.fichtelgebirge.net
- Homepage of the 'Fichtelgebirgsverein'
- http://www.fichtelgebirge-oberfranken.de
- www.auf-ins-fichtelgebirge.de - Map, photographs and information about the Fichtelgebirge