Radau
Encyclopedia
The Radau is a river
in the German
state of Lower Saxony
and is a right tributary of the Oker
.
It rises at around 800 m (2,624.7 ft) in the Harz
mountain range, in a bog known as the Torfhaus Moor (also Radauborn Moor) east of the Torfhaus
village in the municipality of Altenau
. The river flows northwards through the Radau valley that it has carved out and feeds the 23 m high Radau Waterfall south of Bad Harzburg
immediately next to the B 4
federal road. The artificial waterfall
was constructed as a tourist attraction in 1859 on behalf of the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
, which had operated the Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway line since 1841. After passing through Vienenburg
, the Radau discharges into the Oker river northeast of the town.
In the Middle Ages
the Radau was used for the rafting
of logs and wooden palettes stacked with peat. To that end the river was dammed by 6 raft locks. The goods to be rafted, that had previously been dropped in the river, were transported downstream with the additional weight of water.
At the Radau Waterfall is a restaurant and a children's railway integrated into the landscape.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
state of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
and is a right tributary of the Oker
Oker
The Oker is a river in Lower Saxony, Germany, that has historically formed an important political boundary. It is a left tributary of the River Aller, in length and runs in a generally northerly direction.- Course :...
.
It rises at around 800 m (2,624.7 ft) in the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
mountain range, in a bog known as the Torfhaus Moor (also Radauborn Moor) east of the Torfhaus
Torfhaus
Torfhaus is a village in the borough of the mining town of Altenau in the Harz mountains of Germany and lies at a height of about .This small settlement consists mainly of restaurants, youth hostels, ski huts and large car parks. It is the highest settlement in Lower Saxony...
village in the municipality of Altenau
Altenau, Lower Saxony
Altenau is a town in the district of Goslar, in Lower Saxony, Germany.It is situated in the middle of the Harz mountains, between Clausthal-Zellerfeld and the Brocken...
. The river flows northwards through the Radau valley that it has carved out and feeds the 23 m high Radau Waterfall south of Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg is a town in central Germany, in the Goslar district of Lower Saxony. It lies on the northern edge of the Harz mountains and is a recognised saltwater spa and climatic health resort.- Location :...
immediately next to the B 4
Bundesstraße 4
The Bundesstraße 4 is a German federal highway running in a northwesterly to southly direction from the state of Schleswig-Holstein to Bavaria...
federal road. The artificial waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
was constructed as a tourist attraction in 1859 on behalf of the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
Duchy of Brunswick State Railway
The Duchy of Brunswick State Railway was the first state railway in Germany. The first section of its Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway line between Brunswick and Wolfenbüttel opened on 1 December 1838.-Opening:...
, which had operated the Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway line since 1841. After passing through Vienenburg
Vienenburg
Vienenburg is a town in the district of Goslar, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the north of the Harz mountain range on the river Oker, approx. northeast of Goslar...
, the Radau discharges into the Oker river northeast of the town.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the Radau was used for the rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
of logs and wooden palettes stacked with peat. To that end the river was dammed by 6 raft locks. The goods to be rafted, that had previously been dropped in the river, were transported downstream with the additional weight of water.
At the Radau Waterfall is a restaurant and a children's railway integrated into the landscape.
Remarks on pronunciation
- Radau (river): stress on the first syllable
- Radau (GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for noise, riot, cf. "row"): stress on the last syllable