Merkur (Baden-Baden)
Encyclopedia
Merkur is a mountain of the northern Black Forest
, Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
. It is located between Baden-Baden
and Gernsbach
. A funicular railway, the Merkurbergbahn
, climbs the mountain from Baden-Baden. An observation and radio tower
stands atop the Merkur.
The mountain was named after Mercury
, the Roman god of trade. An ancient Roman
votive relief
of Mercury was found on the mountain in the 17th century.
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 ....
, 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...
, 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 is located between Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
and Gernsbach
Gernsbach
Gernsbach is a town in the district of Rastatt, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the river Murg, east of Baden-Baden in the Black Forest. Twin towns are Baccarat in France and Pergola, Marche in Italy....
. A funicular railway, the Merkurbergbahn
Merkurbergbahn
The Merkurbergbahn is a funicular railway in the town of Baden-Baden in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The line climbs Mount Merkur, the location of the Observation Tower Baden-Baden Merkur.The line opened in 1913 and closed in 1967...
, climbs the mountain from Baden-Baden. An observation and radio tower
Observation Tower Baden-Baden Merkur
The observation tower Baden-Baden Merkur is an observation tower on Mount Merkur near Baden-Baden, at 8°16'50" E and 48°45'52" N. The tower has been in use since April 8, 1950 by the former SWF as a transmission tower for FM-radio and, since 1953, television.At the end of the 1970s the tower was...
stands atop the Merkur.
The mountain was named after Mercury
Mercury (mythology)
Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
, the Roman god of trade. An ancient Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
votive relief
Votive offering
A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favor with supernatural...
of Mercury was found on the mountain in the 17th century.