Lenzkirch
Encyclopedia
Lenzkirch is a municipality in the Black Forest
. It lies in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald
in Baden-Württemberg
in Germany
.
, which near the south east border of the municipality merges with the Gutach to become the Wutach. The Urseetal, a glacial
valley, falls from the southwest corner of the municipality. The highest point of the municipality is the 1192m Hochfirst peak, marked by the Hochfirst Tower
, on the boundary with the neighbouring municipality of Titisee-Neustadt
.
, Friedenweiler
, Löffingen
, Bonndorf
, Schluchsee
and Feldberg
. All are in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district, except Bonndorf which is in Waldshut.
Saig is a health resort on the southern flank of the Hochfirst, and at about 1000m elevation is the highest community in the municipality. It has about 1200 beds available for tourists.
Kappel, at around 900m, is also a health resort, with about 600 beds. The Wutachschlucht begins in the outskirts of Kappel, and the Schwarzwald-Querweg Freiburg-Bodensee
long-distance footpath runs through the village. On this path above the village to the north is a monument, the Franzoezische Kreuz commemorating the turning back of French troops by the Austrians during the Napoleonic Wars
. Raitenbuch is a farming settlement to the west of the town of Lenzkirch at about 940m elevation. Grünwald, the smallest of the communities in the municipality, and is at about 1000m altitude. It is the site of a former Monastery, founded in 1350, and the tiny village church has a late-Gothic sandstone relief of the life of Christ.
plays a significant role in the local economy; as well as the long-distance route passing through Keppel, there are numerous waymarked walking and cycling trails within the municipality. Precision engineering, developed from the traditional Black Forest industry of clockmaking, is also of importance.
in Switzerland to Titisee; this is mainly used by summer tourist traffic. Two bus routes pass through the town: the 7257 from Neustadt via Titisee, Saig and Lenzkirch to Seebrugg on the Schluchsee
, and the 7258 from Neustadt via Kappel and Lenzkirch to Bonndorf.
A railway branch line from Titisee and the Kappel-Gutachbrücke station on the Höllentalbahn to Bonndorf was built in 1907. This passed through Lenzkirch, where it made a Zig Zag
to gain height in a short distance. The line was closed in 1976, and the tracks taken up. A cycle path now follows its route, providing a way of riding to Bonndorf without severe gradients.
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
. It lies in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald
Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald
Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald is a district in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Emmendingen, Schwarzwald-Baar, Waldshut, Lörrach and the French départements of the Haut-Rhin and the Bas-Rhin. The district-free city of Freiburg is surrounded by the district...
in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in 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...
.
Geography
Lenzkirch is on the Black Forest plateau, in the valley of the river HaslachHaslach
Haslach is a small city in south-west Germany, in the district Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. As of 2010 it had a population of 7,010.-History:...
, which near the south east border of the municipality merges with the Gutach to become the Wutach. The Urseetal, a glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
valley, falls from the southwest corner of the municipality. The highest point of the municipality is the 1192m Hochfirst peak, marked by the Hochfirst Tower
Hochfirst Tower
Hochfirst Tower is a 25 metre tall lattice observation tower on the Hochfirst mountain near Titisee-Neustadt at 47°54'04" N and 8°11'03" E.It was built in 1890 as the replacement to a wooden observation tower...
, on the boundary with the neighbouring municipality of Titisee-Neustadt
Titisee-Neustadt
Titisee-Neustadt is a municipality in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is made up of the six communities of Neustadt, Langenordnach, Rudenberg, Titisee, Schwärzenbach and Waldau.The town of Neustadt is a spa known for its Kneipp hydrotherapeutic...
.
Neighbouring municipalities
Clockwise from the north, Lenzkirch borders on Titisee-NeustadtTitisee-Neustadt
Titisee-Neustadt is a municipality in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is made up of the six communities of Neustadt, Langenordnach, Rudenberg, Titisee, Schwärzenbach and Waldau.The town of Neustadt is a spa known for its Kneipp hydrotherapeutic...
, Friedenweiler
Friedenweiler
Friedenweiler is a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is 10 km north of Titisee-Neustadt....
, Löffingen
Löffingen
Löffingen is a town in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 14 km southwest of Donaueschingen, and 40 km southeast of Freiburg....
, Bonndorf
Bonndorf
Bonndorf is a town in the Waldshut district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the southern Black Forest, 14 km southeast of Titisee-Neustadt. It comprises the villages Boll, Brunnadern, Dillendorf, Ebnet, Gündelwangen, Holzschlag, Wellendingen and Wittlekofen. The town is...
, Schluchsee
Schluchsee, Baden-Württemberg
Schluchsee is a town in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located near the reservoir Schluchsee.-External links:*...
and Feldberg
Feldberg, Baden-Württemberg
Feldberg is a municipality in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is located near the Feldberg. At an elevation of 1277m, it is considered the highest village in Germany.-External links:*...
. All are in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district, except Bonndorf which is in Waldshut.
Constituent communities
The municipality is made up of the town of Lenzkirch (3341 inhabitants, including about 50 in the adjacent village of Grünwald) and the villages of Saig (812 inhabitants), Kappel (785), and Raitenbuch (152).Saig is a health resort on the southern flank of the Hochfirst, and at about 1000m elevation is the highest community in the municipality. It has about 1200 beds available for tourists.
Schwarzwald-Querweg Freiburg-Bodensee
The Schwarzwald-Querweg Freiburg-Bodensee is a long-distance footpath that runs in an east–west direction in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany....
long-distance footpath runs through the village. On this path above the village to the north is a monument, the Franzoezische Kreuz commemorating the turning back of French troops by the Austrians during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Raitenbuch is a farming settlement to the west of the town of Lenzkirch at about 940m elevation. Grünwald, the smallest of the communities in the municipality, and is at about 1000m altitude. It is the site of a former Monastery, founded in 1350, and the tiny village church has a late-Gothic sandstone relief of the life of Christ.
Climate
Because of its high altitude, Lenzkirch has a somewhat cooler climate than most places in Baden-Württemberg. The climate is claimed to be healthy, on the grounds of clean air, high oxygen content, and plentiful wind and sun. In consequence, Lenzkirch has the official status of a "climatic health resort", meaning that visitors can be recommended by their doctors (and supported by their health insurance) to "take the cure" there.Municipal Council
The local elections on 13 June 2004 resulted in a council with the following constitution:| CDU | 44,2 % | +2,3 | 9 Seats | +1 |
| FDP/FWV | 28,3 % | -6,1 | 5 Seats | -2 |
| SPD | 27,4 % | +7,0 | 5 Seats | +1 |
| Others | 0,0 % | -3,3 | 0 Seats | ±0 |
Economy and Infrastructure
Since its climate gives Lenzkirch the status of a health resourt, tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
plays a significant role in the local economy; as well as the long-distance route passing through Keppel, there are numerous waymarked walking and cycling trails within the municipality. Precision engineering, developed from the traditional Black Forest industry of clockmaking, is also of importance.
Transport
Lenzkirch lies on the B315 Bundesstrasse from SchaffhausenSchaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
in Switzerland to Titisee; this is mainly used by summer tourist traffic. Two bus routes pass through the town: the 7257 from Neustadt via Titisee, Saig and Lenzkirch to Seebrugg on the Schluchsee
Schluchsee
The Schluchsee is a reservoir lake in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, southeast of the Titisee in the Black Forest near Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.- Location :...
, and the 7258 from Neustadt via Kappel and Lenzkirch to Bonndorf.
A railway branch line from Titisee and the Kappel-Gutachbrücke station on the Höllentalbahn to Bonndorf was built in 1907. This passed through Lenzkirch, where it made a Zig Zag
Zig Zag (railway)
A railway zig zag, also called a switchback, is a way of climbing hills in difficult country with a minimal need for tunnels and heavy earthworks. For a short distance , the direction of travel is reversed, before the original direction is resumed.A location on railways constructed e.g...
to gain height in a short distance. The line was closed in 1976, and the tracks taken up. A cycle path now follows its route, providing a way of riding to Bonndorf without severe gradients.
The carved street signs
Carved street signs can be found all around the city center.External links
- Google map showing Lenzkirch
- Municipal website (the Tourism section has an English version)