Taunus
Encyclopedia
The Taunus is a low mountain range in Hesse
, Germany
that composes part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. It is bounded by the river valleys of Rhine, Main and Lahn
. On the opposite side of the Rhine, the mountains are continued by the Hunsrück
. The mountains themselves span the districts of Hochtaunuskreis
, Main-Taunus, Rheingau-Taunus, Limburg-Weilburg
, and Rhein-Lahn.
Not to be confused with the more famous and higher Feldberg
in Black Forest
, the highest peak is the Grosser Feldberg (878 m
, which was also used for the Feldbergrennen hillclimbing
contest and rallying
stages). It is followed by the Kleiner Feldberg
and the Altkönig (798 m) with the remains of a late Iron Age
hill fort
(La-Tène A, ca. 400 BC
) near the summit.
The Roman
Limes was built across the Taunus. The Saalburg
, a restored Roman castellum, now houses a museum. After the fall of the Limes (in 259
/260
AD), the Alamanni
settled here. For this reason there are some Alemannic cemeteries in the southern foothills of the Taunus (Eschborn
). This area became Frankish after the Battle of Tolbiac
.
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, 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...
that composes part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. It is bounded by the river valleys of Rhine, Main and Lahn
Lahn
The Lahn River is a -long, right tributary of the Rhine River in Germany. Its course passes through the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia , Hesse , and Rhineland-Palatinate ....
. On the opposite side of the Rhine, the mountains are continued by the Hunsrück
Hunsrück
The Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the river valleys of the Moselle , the Nahe , and the Rhine . The Hunsrück is continued by the Taunus mountains on the eastern side of the Rhine. In the north behind the Moselle it is continued by the Eifel...
. The mountains themselves span the districts of Hochtaunuskreis
Hochtaunuskreis
The Hochtaunuskreis is a Kreis in the middle of Hesse, Germany and is part of the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Neighbouring districts are Lahn-Dill, Wetteraukreis, district-free Frankfurt, Main-Taunus, Rheingau-Taunus, Limburg-Weilburg.The Hochtaunuskreis and the Landkreis Starnberg...
, Main-Taunus, Rheingau-Taunus, Limburg-Weilburg
Limburg-Weilburg
Limburg-Weilburg is a Kreis in the west of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Lahn-Dill, Hochtaunuskreis, Rheingau-Taunus, Rhein-Lahn, Westerwaldkreis.-History:...
, and Rhein-Lahn.
Not to be confused with the more famous and higher Feldberg
Feldberg
* Feldberg , a mountain* Großer Feldberg and Kleiner Feldberg, mountains of the Taunus range* Feldberg, Baden-Württemberg, a village and commune* Feldberg, Mecklenburg, a populated place* Feldberg , a mountain...
in Black Forest
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 ....
, the highest peak is the Grosser Feldberg (878 m
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
, which was also used for the Feldbergrennen hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
contest and rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
stages). It is followed by the Kleiner Feldberg
Kleiner Feldberg
The Kleiner Feldberg is with an elevation of the second-highest mountain of the Taunus mountain range in Hesse, Germany. The Großer Feldberg is located in its immediate neighbourhood....
and the Altkönig (798 m) with the remains of a late Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
(La-Tène A, ca. 400 BC
400 BC
Year 400 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Esquilinus, Capitolinus, Vulso, Medullinus, Saccus and Vulscus...
) near the summit.
The Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Limes was built across the Taunus. The Saalburg
Saalburg
The Saalburg is a Roman fort located on the Taunus ridge northwest of Bad Homburg, Hesse, Germany. It is a Cohort Fort belonging to the Limes Germanicus, the Roman linear border fortification of the German provinces. The Saalburg, located just off the main road roughly halfway between Bad Homburg...
, a restored Roman castellum, now houses a museum. After the fall of the Limes (in 259
259
Year 259 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aemilianus and Bassus...
/260
260
Year 260 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Saecularis and Donatus...
AD), the Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
settled here. For this reason there are some Alemannic cemeteries in the southern foothills of the Taunus (Eschborn
Eschborn
Eschborn is a town near Frankfurt am Main in the Main-Taunus district, Hesse, Germany. As of 2009, it had a population of 20,789, but boasts fulltime employment of over 30,000 people...
). This area became Frankish after the Battle of Tolbiac
Battle of Tolbiac
The Battle of Tolbiac was fought between the Franks under Clovis I and the Alamanni, traditionally set in 496. The site of "Tolbiac", or "Tulpiacum" is usually given as Zülpich, North Rhine-Westphalia, about 60km east of the present German-Belgian frontier, which is not implausible...
.
Highest mountains
- Großer FeldbergGroßer FeldbergThe Großer Feldberg is the highest mountain in the Taunus mountains. It is situated in the Hochtaunuskreis district in Hessen, Germany....
(878 m), HochtaunuskreisHochtaunuskreisThe Hochtaunuskreis is a Kreis in the middle of Hesse, Germany and is part of the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Neighbouring districts are Lahn-Dill, Wetteraukreis, district-free Frankfurt, Main-Taunus, Rheingau-Taunus, Limburg-Weilburg.The Hochtaunuskreis and the Landkreis Starnberg...
(district) - Kleiner FeldbergKleiner FeldbergThe Kleiner Feldberg is with an elevation of the second-highest mountain of the Taunus mountain range in Hesse, Germany. The Großer Feldberg is located in its immediate neighbourhood....
(825 m), Hochtaunuskreis - AltkönigAltkönigAltkönig is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(798 m), Hochtaunuskreis - WeilsbergWeilsbergWeilsberg is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(701 m), Hochtaunuskreis - GlaskopfGlaskopfGlaskopf is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(685 m), Hochtaunuskreis - PferdskopfPferdskopf (Taunus)Pferdskopf is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(663 m), Hochtaunuskreis - KolbenbergKolbenbergKolbenberg is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(684 m; Fernmeldeanlage), Hochtaunuskreis - Klingenkopf (683 m), Hochtaunuskreis
- SängelbergSängelbergSängelberg is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(665 m), Hochtaunuskreis - PferdskopfPferdskopfPferdskopf is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(663 m), Hochtaunuskreis - Weißeberg (660 m), Hochtaunuskreis
- Fauleberg (633 m), Hochtaunuskreis
- Großer Eichwald (633 m), Hochtaunuskreis
- RoßkopfRoßkopf (Taunus)Roßkopf is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(632 m; Fernmeldeanlage), Hochtaunuskreis - Kalte HerbergeKalte HerbergeKalte Herberge is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(619 m), Rheingau-Taunus district - Hohe WurzelHohe Wurzel (Taunus)Hohe Wurzel , at 618 m, is the highest peak in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis mountain range and the 2nd highest mountain near Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. A 133m reinforced concrete telecommunications tower is located on the peak, which supplies the Rhine Main area and other locations with digital...
(618 m; Fernmeldeanlage), Rheingau-Taunus - Hohe KanzelHohe KanzelHohe Kanzel is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(592 m), Rheingau-Taunus - Erbacher Kopf (580 m), Rheingau-Taunus
- KuhbettKuhbettKuhbett is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
(526 m), Kreis Limburg-Weilburg at WeilrodWeilrodWeilrod is a municipality made up of several villages in the northwest Hochtaunuskreis lying in the Weil Valley in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Weilrod lies north of the crest of the Taunus, from 210 to 600 m above sea level...
-HasselbachHasselbachHasselbach is the name of:Places in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany:* Hasselbach, Altenkirchen* Hasselbach, Rhein-HunsrückPeople:* Carl Gustav Friedrich Hasselbach , German politician* Harald Hasselbach , American football player... - Steinkopf (518 m), Hochtaunuskreis