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Return Black Forest map This is how big this forest is The Black Forest is the largest and highest low mountain range in Germany. It is located in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg and extends over a length of 150 kilometers from the Kraichgau in the north to the High Rhine in the south. Its western border is formed by the Upper Rhine Graben, and to the east it is joined by various landscapes such as the Baar. Its total area is about 6,009 square kilometers. On the territory of the Black Forest there are several rural and urban districts. In the northwest lies the district of Rastatt, embedded in it is the city district of Baden-Baden. East of Rastatt follows the district of Karlsruhe, then the Enz district, which surrounds the city district of Pforzheim. This contains the second largest city in the Black Forest, namely Pforzheim. Further south are the districts of Calw and Freudenstadt, and a bit further south the Ortenaukreis district in the west and the Rottweil district in the east. Again more to the south, from west to east, lie the Emmendingen district and the Schwarzwald-Baar district, which extends far to the south and borders on the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen. To the south of the district of Emmendingen follow the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, embedded in it the large city of Freiburg im Breisgau, then the district of Lörrach in the extreme southwest of Baden-Württemberg and the district of Waldshut. The largest city in the Black Forest is Freiburg im Breisgau. The Black Forest is divided into a northern and a southern section, with the valley of the river Kinzig forming the border between these two regions. The northern section is up to 30 kilometers wide, while the southern section is up to 50. In the north, the highest mountain is the Hornisgrinde with 1,164 meters, while in the south it is the 1,493 meters high Feldberg, which is also the highest peak of a low mountain range in Germany and likewise the highest mountain that is not in the Alps. In total, there are over a hundred mountains in the Black Forest whose peaks rise higher than 1,000 meters above sea level. A small selection: Three mountains exceed the 1,400 meters mark: Feldberg (1,493), Herzogenhorn (1,416) and Belchen (1,414). Eleven reach more than 1,300 meters: Stübenwasen (1,389), Grafenmatte (1,376), Immisberg (1,373), Silberberg (1,359), Spießhorn (1,351), Toter Mann (1,322), Köpfle (1,321), Bärhalde (1,319), Blößling (1,309), Hochkopf (1,309) and Schweizerwald (1,305). Twenty-seven mountains are higher than 1,200, thirty higher than 1,100, and another thirty-five higher than 1,000 meters. The Black Forest is the westernmost section of the main European watershed. It divides the drainage basins of the Rhine and the Danube, with the Danube, the second longest river in Europe, originating in the Black Forest. In addition, the Neckar, the river that is considered particularly native to Baden-Württemberg, rises on the edge of the Black Forest. Similar to the Vosges Mountains in the west, the Black Forest on the eastern side of the Upper Rhine Graben has been gradually pushed upward over time. As a result, the mountains on the west side of the Black Forest rise quite steeply from the lowlands, while they slope more like hills to the east. The bedrock of the Black Forest, which rises to the surface on the western side, consists of gneiss, with some granite intercalations. Further to the east and north there is an overburden layer of red sandstone. Climatically, the Black Forest is maritime, which means that it has a lot of precipitation and rather mild winters. However, because the temperatures are lower on average than in the lowlands due to the altitude, the winters are usually cold and snowy. On the west side of the Black Forest there is more precipitation than on the east side. In winter, inversion weather often occurs at high altitudes. In the valleys it is then foggy and cold, but on the mountains sunny and mild. Therefore, especially in winter, you can enjoy a breathtaking distant view on the peaks of the Black Forest. Characteristic for the region are still the good air and a very special smell, which you will immediately notice when you visit the Black Forest. By the way, the area with the highest probability of hailstorms in Germany is also located in the Black Forest, more precisely in the Schwarzwald-Baar district. Already in the sixth century BC. Celts settled in the peripheral regions of the Black Forest. This is known from various archaeological finds, for example from near Villingen-Schwenningen. The interior of the Black Forest was considered impenetrable at that time. The Romans also saw it that way and gave this area various names. For example, it was called "Abnoba mons", i.e. "mountain (or mountains) of Abnoba", whereby Abnoba was a Celtic water goddess and was regarded in Badenweiler as the protective goddess of the healing springs. Another Latin name for the Black Forest was "Marciana silva", which probably means "border forest". But also "Silva nigra" was in use, "black forest", referring to the impenetrability of the primeval forest. In any case, there is evidence that the Black Forest was called as it is today in Old High German as early as the ninth century. The Romans did not settle the interior of the Black Forest, but they did build a road in the Kinzig valley to connect their settlements in Strasbourg and Rottweil. Most likely, it also served mining, which was already practiced in the Kinzig valley in Roman times, as well as troop movements. Otherwise, the Romans built some settlements on the edges of the low mountain range, mainly with baths. It is assumed that the Alemanni settled the Black Forest for the first time from the eighth century. At that time an improvement of the climate occurred. Already in the tenth century, higher valleys were developed. However, the Upper Black Forest, i.e. the area surrounding the Feldberg massif, remained deserted until the Middle Ages. Today, the Black Forest is known and extremely popular with tourists primarily because of its many forests, good, healing air and several cultural features. Black Forest cake is eaten almost everywhere in the world, the cuckoo clock with its characteristic bird call is a prized souvenir, and successful winter athletes from this region have won medals. You can easily get through the Black Forest by car or train. Thus, there are some very famous vacation routes that lead to popular destinations. The Black Forest High Road, about sixty kilometers long, begins in Baden-Baden, then runs southeast on the B500 to Freudenstadt. It passes the Hornisgrinde, the highest mountain in the northern Black Forest, and crosses the Black Forest National Park. It is the oldest vacation road in the Black Forest. There is also the German Clock Road. It links the places where the watchmaking craft was alive, passes Furtwangen with the German Watch Museum, as well as Lenzkirch, Rottweil, St. Georgen, St. Peter, Titisee-Neustadt and Triberg. Railroad lines are mostly of high tourist value in the Black Forest because of the reduced travel speeds due to the climbs. Famous are the Black Forest Railway from Offenburg to Constance and the Höllental Railway from Freiburg to Donaueschingen. Trips with museum trains are offered on the Sauschwänzlebahn (or Wutachtalbahn) from Immendingen to Waldshut-Tiengen. In addition, there are a lot of smaller branch lines, in the main they branch off from the Upper Rhine Railway.

Return bear Now you must be rubbing your eyes. Are there really bears here? No, the animals are no longer found in the Black Forest, but they have left many traces in the culture of the region with their thick paws. Thus, you will find many inns called "bears" here, as well as fountains and squares. Also worth mentioning is the Bärental Valley not far from the Feldberg. It is known not least for its abundance of snow in winter, which can sometimes become a problem for traffic. How the valley got its name, however, cannot be clarified. There is also a "Bärhalde" with some bogs near the Feldberg. Since 1120, Freiburg has had the "red bear", an inn that boasts of being the oldest in all of Germany. The bear is the largest land predator on earth. The quadruped with the muscular back and stubby tail can grow up to 1.5 meters high and weigh a maximum of 250 kilos, although there are also much smaller specimens. Bears eat not only meat, but also berries, grasses as well as honey, which they steal from beehives. In the Black Forest, as well as in Europe in general, the brown bear was native. He, like all bears, can climb and swim well. In summer and autumn he has to eat a layer of fat, which he needs for the winter. In the cold season it hibernates and therefore cannot look for food. Unlike lynx and beaver, the brown bear is unlikely to return to the Black Forest, as its presence would cause too many problems. After all, an adult animal is potentially dangerous to humans. Only a few years ago there was "Bruno, the problem bear", which caused a big fuss in Bavaria and had to be shot in the end.

Return Wedding couple Always a special celebration A traditional wedding in the Black Forest is different from the celebrations that are common nowadays. It contains several program points. The dances of honor shortly after the actual wedding ceremony are followed by the tipple around noon, with only the bride and groom's closest relatives kept free. This is followed by a wedding dinner that can be described as opulent. After more dancing, a supper is served, usually potato salad with sausages. At midnight the celebration is over. It is followed, however, by a post-wedding ceremony, where the bride and groom are treated to a meal, usually the next day or the next Sunday. Also, the newlyweds move in together only after the wedding. The wedding was a turning point in the costume for women. For unmarried women, the "Bollenhut" hat was red, then black after the wedding. Also the "Schäppelekrone" known from St. Georgen was only allowed to be worn until the marriage. Since both the Bollenhut and the Schäppelekrone belonged to a certain traditional costume, this meant that the bride at a Black Forest wedding was not dressed in white, as is widespread today. There is also a special feature on the subject of weddings in Triberg. With an area of 1.5 square meters, Germany's smallest registry office is located here. Only one registrar and the bride and groom fit into it. Would you prefer to get married in the highest wedding room in Baden-Württemberg? Then that is also possible in the Black Forest, namely in the Feldberg Tower. You don't have a fiancé(e) yet? Then you should travel to Freiburg and visit the old town. A legend says that someone who comes from out of town and accidentally steps into one of the Freiburger "Bächle" (the small channels in the city) will marry a Freiburg citizen in the future.

Return Black Forest Railway Across the Black Forest: With the Black Forest Railway from Offenburg to Constance Do you know the Black Forest Railway? It is one of the most famous mountain lines in Germany and was put into operation in 1873, about 150 years ago. It runs from Offenburg via the Black Forest towns of Hornberg, Triberg, St. Georgen and Villingen to Constance on Lake Constance and is a total of 150 kilometers long. When you travel on the Black Forest Railway, it's quite a steep climb at first. Especially from Hornberg, the line winds its way over 447 meters in altitude until it reaches its highest point in the Sommerautunnel at just over 830 meters above sea level. Of course, a train cannot simply climb such a steep incline. Therefore, when the railroad line was built, care was taken to ensure that the gradient did not exceed 1:50 and that there were no curves with a radius tighter than 300 meters. This was planned so that even long and heavy trains could run on the Black Forest Railway without any problems. In addition, one has tried to lay the tracks always on the southern slope of the mountains, so that in winter the load of the snow is not too strong. Because the train line winds around the mountains several times, there is a place a little below Triberg station where you can see the Black Forest Railway three times on top of each other. The towns of Hornberg and St. Georgen are only twelve kilometers apart as the crow flies, but the railroad line between them is 29 kilometers long. This is due to the fact that it contains two large reversing loops. But probably the most famous thing about the Black Forest Railway is its 39 tunnels. The longest of them is the Sommerautunnel with 1,697 meters. It is located near the town of St. Georgen, which is the highest town on the railroad line. If you take all the tunnels together, they make up a length of 9.5 kilometers. St. Georgen is not only the highest place on the Black Forest Railway, but it also has something that is rare elsewhere: a fire engine that can also travel on rails. At first, of course, the good old steam locomotives ran on the Black Forest Railway. Later, they were replaced by diesel locomotives. In the seventies, the entire line was electrified. For this, the tracks in the tunnels had to be lowered so that they were not too high together with the overhead line. Today, steam locomotives can once again be admired on the line. They are harnessed in front of museum trains that can puff through the tunnels mostly on Sundays in summer. The Black Forest Railway is not the only railroad line that runs through the Black Forest. Besides it, the Höllental Railway from Freiburg to Donaueschingen, which was completed in 1901, is particularly worth seeing. Like the Black Forest Railway, it was planned by Robert Gerwig. At least on the edge of the Black Forest runs the very elaborately routed Sauschwänzlebahn ("sow's tail line"), whose trademark is a "Sauschwänzle" in the figurative sense, namely a tunnel that contains a complete switchback loop, so that the railroad line runs under itself. This really doesn't happen very often, only once in Germany. In addition, part of this line is operated as a museum railroad with steam locomotives.

Return Feldberg You can't get any higher here: The Feldberg. With an altitude of 1,493 meters, the Feldberg is the highest elevation in the Black Forest. At the same time, it is the highest mountain of all low mountain ranges in Germany and outside the Alps. It is located southeast of Freiburg in an area known as the Upper Black Forest. The Feldberg massif has a total of four peaks. Not far from the main peak, which is also called the "Höchste" ("highest"), is the Mittelbuck, with an altitude of 1,472 meters. To the north of it, 900 meters away from the Höchsten, is the Baldenweger Buck with 1,460 meters. About two kilometers southeast of the main peak rises the Seebuck, which at 1,449 meters forms a kind of foothill. Below it, at 1,109 meters, lies Feldsee, a glacial cirque lake. A total of five valleys are cut into the Feldberg, some of them very deep, especially those to the west. The Zastlertal and the St. Wilhelmer Tal open to the northwest, the Wiesental to the southwest. To the east extends the valley of the Seebach, the later river Wutach, which crosses the Feldsee. The St. Wilhelmer Tal offers a wonderful view of the Feldberg, which can be seen from there above the peaks of the surrounding mountains. Because of its height, the Feldberg is predestined for weather observation. Regular measurements have taken place since 1915, and a station with radar has existed since 1937. Visitors are also amazed by the fantastic and unrestricted distant view of the Vosges, Swabian Alb, Hegau and Alps. In favorable weather, you can even make out the Zugspitze, Germany' highest mountain. Especially in summer, a hike in the surroundings of the Feldberg is worthwhile. Then the diversity becomes clear, which results from the interaction of high forests and moors, the ice-age cirque lakes and the pastures and is unique in this form. It is worth mentioning that the Upper Black Forest is formed and influenced by ice-age glaciers. The Feldsee is thus a cirque lake, the largest of its kind in the Black Forest. It reaches a depth of up to 32 meters and is almost round. The Feldsee forest around it has been declared a ban forest on an area of 102 hectares. The Feldberg is also known for its skiing area. The offer there includes sixteen slopes of various degrees of difficulty as well as five chairlifts and nine lifts. In addition, there are six trails for cross-country skiing. It is amazing that the oldest still existing ski club in Germany was founded here on the Feldberg, the SC Todtnau of 1891. In 1897 the first women's ski race was also held here. The Feldberg can come up with even more special features. Around it lies a nature reserve of the same name, which was even the first in Baden-Württemberg and with 4,227 hectares is also the largest. And in an adjacent valley is Feldberg-Bärental, at 967 meters, Germany's highest standard-gauge railroad station, which is part of the Dreiseenbahn from Titisee to Seebrugg. On the Seebuck there is a tower that can be climbed as a lookout point. It was used as a radio tower, but since 2013 it has contained a museum dedicated to Black Forest ham and a wedding room, the highest in Baden-Württemberg. Not far from the tower is a monument in honor of the Chancellor of the Reich, Bismarck. In the Upper Black Forest there are other prominent mountains, for example the Herzogenhorn with 1,415 meters or the Belchen with 1,414 meters. The highest elevation in the Northern Black Forest is the Hornisgrinde at 1,164 meters. In the entire Black Forest, there are over a hundred mountains that exceed the one-thousand-meter mark. Particularly to the Black Forest Belchen there is a special feature. From its peak you can see in the distance two other mountains with the same name, one is in the Vosges, the other in Switzerland. If you stand on the Belchen in the Black Forest in the evening on March 21 as well as on September 23, i.e. at the equinox, you can see that the sun sets over the Belchen in the Vosges. If you are at the same place in the morning on December 21, at the winter solstice, the sun rises directly over the Belchen in Switzerland.

Return cow A few cows and a lot of effort: agriculture in the Black Forest When the Black Forest was settled from the eighth century onwards, it was mainly for the reason of opening up new areas for agriculture. In addition, various mineral resources were mined. However, agriculture was the element that visibly spread throughout the region. Since the invention of the plow at that time led to the practice of agriculture even on more difficult soils, from then on agriculture was able to expand into areas that had previously been denied to it, especially high altitudes, typical of the Black Forest. The farms in the Black Forest were not built on the mountain tops, but on the slopes, which had several reasons. On the one hand, on slopes the burden of storms and snowdrifts in winter was less, and on the other hand, the farm was thus closer to water, because there are often springs on the slopes. In the valley, on the other hand, it was too wet because a brook flows there, which often swells considerably when the snow melts. However, the stream does have one advantage. It irrigates the meadows in the valley, so that the farmers could obtain suitable hay from the lush grass. Characteristic for the agriculture in the Black Forest is above all the brown-white cattle of the variety "Hinterwälder", which is also called "Hirschvieh" ("stag cattle"). It can be recognized by its white head. This breed is well adapted to the conditions in the low mountain ranges and therefore copes well with the poor soils of the Black Forest. The animals have firm claws, which allows them to graze on steep slopes. Their intestines are relatively long, which enables the Hinterwald cattle to utilize their feed optimally. Their bodies are quite small compared to other breeds, a cow weighing up to 420 kilograms, a bull up to 800 kilograms. Surprisingly, this cattle breed had almost disappeared. It is only since the seventies that farmers in the Black Forest have been trying to increase the population again. Besides cattle, there were many other animals on the farms, namely pigs, chickens, goats and sheep. Horses were also kept, which were needed for the heavy field work. The pastures for the cows were mostly located at the top of the mountain. In fact, halfway up the mountain are the fields for arable farming. In the Black Forest, these were usually used in the so-called "crop rotation", which means that the same crops were not cultivated every year. So sometimes rye and other cereals were sown, sometimes potatoes. In some years the fields were used as pastures to let the cattle fertilize them. Among the cereals, rye dominated, as it was more resistant to cold than wheat or barley. The Black Forest farmers mostly worked for their own needs, so almost everything that was needed was made on one farm. There was a saw for wood processing, which was driven by water power, as was the grain mill. The grain was baked into bread, which was often done outside the main building in a separate baking kitchen. Since here, too, work had to be done sparingly, there was only one day a month when baking took place, and then also several loaves at a time, in order to make the best use of the firewood. Since agriculture did not yield any profit in earlier times, the peasants have always tried other work to earn a little money. Especially clock-making is one of these activities. In modern times, many farms rely on tourism. So you can make wonderful farm vacations in the Black Forest, mostly in outbuildings that have been specially developed for vacation guests.

Return lathe Precision engineering at its best The Black Forest was already known for its clocks in the eighteenth century. At that time, these were made on the farms and sold by the clock carriers at markets in different parts of the world. In the nineteenth century, the production of clocks shifted more and more to factories established for this purpose, such as those in Triberg, St. Georgen or Schramberg. They also changed the method of production. Until then, the farmers had primarily used wood as a material, but industrial production now used metal. In addition, from now on, highly specialized timekeepers such as alarm clocks or control clocks were also developed. However, there were some companies in the Black Forest, especially in St. Georgen, that already in the nineteenth century produced simple lathes and sold them to the clock-makers on the farms. These companies were initially blacksmiths, which subsequently grew steadily. In the beginning, in addition to the lathes, they also manufactured other components for the clocks, so they were a link in the division of labor in clock-making in the Black Forest. Thanks to the lathe, the individual parts of the clocks could be worked on more quickly and easily by the farmers. The principle of this tool is to clamp a component in such a way that it is fixed but can be rotated around its own axis. Thus, it is possible to machine the workpiece from different sides and even rotate it while it is being machined. In addition, clamping leaves both hands free, allowing for more accurate tool guidance. The use of a lathe, provided that the clamped workpiece is one made of metal, is also called "metal cutting". The former blacksmiths mentioned above grew in the course to become specialists in lathes, which they manufactured not only for clock-making, but also for other fields. They built milling machines and industrial tools. Based on this orientation, in the twentieth century other companies in the field of precision engineering were established, specifically dedicated to the field of consumer electronics, especially in St. Georgen and Villingen. Brands such as Dual, PE and SABA are well known, although they no longer exist. These companies manufactured record players, cassette recorders and tape recorders. Today, the German Phonomuseum in St. Georgen is a reminder of that era. There is also the Hotel Federwerk in St. Georgen, which is set up in a former factory building and brings the industrial history of the place to life. Each room is dedicated in its design to a company or a technical innovation. Thus, the house contains a total of 51 different episodes about the inventors of the city.

Return Glassblowing The Black Forest was once almost gone. The glassblowing craft in the Black Forest is very old. Its beginnings probably date back to the twelfth century. Glass was produced along several river courses such as the Kinzig and the Murg. The first glassworks were established on the Feldberg around 1579, mainly due to the nature of the soil with its high content of quartz, a raw material indispensable for glass production. Originally, glassworks were not tied to a fixed location. They were usually leased by a landowner to the master glassblowers. Since a lot of wood was needed for their work, the forest around a glassworks was quickly cleared and the workshop had to be moved to another location. The exact knowledge for the production of the glass was kept secret by the master glassblowers. Moreover, it is rumored that the master glassblowers all came from a single widespread family that was only intermarried. Since the glassworks of the Black Forest were very far from the actual place of use of the glass produced, it had to be transported there. This was done by glass carriers who brought the material on their backs with a large stretcher, the so-called "Krätze", to the towns where it was sold at markets. Glassblowing then changed significantly in the eighteenth century. As the demand for glass increased enormously, especially for windows, larger factories sprang up in various places, around which entire villages were settled to accommodate and supply the needed labor. Together with rafting and charcoal burning, glassblowing also led to the almost complete deforestation of the Black Forest. Incidentally, this was originally a mixed forest and not a coniferous one as it is today. The fact that there are many spruce trees today is primarily due to their rapid growth, which predestined them for reforestation. Nevertheless, the industry of glass production has survived to the present day. Traditionally working glassblowing factories still exist today. You can watch the glassblowers at work in various places, such as Alpirsbach, Altglashütten near the Feldberg, Buhlbach near Baiersbronn or Herrischried. This is also possible in the Dorotheenhütte in Wolfach, where there is even a glass museum. In addition, many place names with the component "glass" remind of the long tradition in the Black Forest. There is often a "Glashalde" ("glass dump") or a "Glasbach" ("glass brook") and the Black Forest Railway even has three "Glasträgertunnel", which means "glass carrier tunnels". Click here to go to the Dorotheenhütte in Wolfach.

Lies in unserem großen Schwarzwaldlexikon viel Wissenswertes, Spannendes und manch Amüsantes über Deutschlands größtes Mittelgebirge, seine Menschen, Sehenswürdigkeiten und Spezialitäten sowie seine Tierwelt und einmalige Natur. Deine DEINDESIGNWERK GmbH In our large Black Forest lexicon, read a lot of interesting, interesting and sometimes amusing information about Germany's largest low mountain range, its people, sights and specialties as well as its animal world and unique nature. Find out more about the Black Forest by simply clicking on the individual motifs. MOTIVES Auerhahn Bär Bannwald Barockkirche St. Peter (Schwarzwälder-) Bauernstube Baumwipfelpfad Besucherzentrum Bierbrauerei (Gutacher-) Bollenhut Der Hof von innen Dom St. Blasien Donauquelle (Uhrmacher-) Drehbank Feldberg Flößerei (Gebackene Schwarzwald-) Forelle Freiburger Münster Gerberei Glasbläserei Hirsch Hochzeitspaar Kartoffeln und Bibeleskäs (Schwarzwälder-) Kirschtorte (Schwarzwälder-) Kirschwasser Köhlerei

Return Source of the Danube Brigach and Breg bring the Danube to way. The Danube, the second longest river in Europe, has its source in the Black Forest. But exactly where it is located is not entirely undisputed. In Donaueschingen, for example, there is a source of the Danube, which is located in the Fürstenberg Palace Garden. It is set like a round fountain and elaborately decorated. However, a proverb knows: "Brigach and Breg bring the Danube to way." Brigach and Breg are two small rivers that join in the Donaueschingen district. From the point of their confluence, the Danube begins. In fact, the water that comes from the source of the Danube in the castle garden also flows underground as a so-called Danube brook into the Brigach, so it does not reach the beginning of the Danube by a direct route. Apart from that, the Brigach and the Breg each contain considerably more water than the Danube brook. The Brigach rises at 925 meters above sea level near St. Georgen, namely at the Hirzbauernhof farm. It is 40 kilometers long. The Breg, the longer of the two rivers at 46 kilometers, begins at the Martinskapelle chapel not far from the town of Furtwangen, with its source at 1,078 meters above sea level. At the confluence of the two, the Black Forest merges into the high plateau of the Baar, where the young Danube flows off to the east. In its further course, it flows for 2,857 kilometers through European metropolises such as Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade, before it flows from the Black Forest into the Black Sea. But the "black" in the names "Black Forest" and "Black Sea" is not the only correspondence in name between the beginning and the end of the Danube. As already mentioned, one of its headwaters begins at St. Georgen, while on the Black Sea coast the southernmost arm of the Danube delta is called St. George's Arm. It takes its name from a small place called Sfântu Gheorghe, which is the Romanian spelling for "Saint George". Thereby, the place is located at the outflow of the Danube arm into the sea. Because of this, Sfântu Gheorghe can be reached only by boat. To make the competition among the sources to the point, the source of the river Inn has also been called the actual source of the Danube, which is due to the fact that it is higher than those of Brigach and Breg. However, when it meets the Danube, the Inn is shorter than the latter and is thus considered its tributary. In any case, the Romans considered the Danube to be under the protection of the source goddess Abnoba, after whom they also named the Black Forest, namely "Abnoba mons", which, however, was not the only Latin name for the low mountain range. Even if the source of the Danube in Donaueschingen is not the actual source of the Danube according to common understanding, it is still worth a visit. In its present form by Adolf Weinbrenner, it has existed since 1828. The decorations on its enclosure are by the artist Franz Xaver Reich, who also created a sculpture that can be seen here. It bears the title "The young Danube in the bosom of the Baar". Another work of art is by Adolf Heer and shows the mother Baar with her daughter Danube. You can also visit the Fürstenberg castle.

Return Hornberg Castle Ruin Always an adventure: knight's castles and palaces Who doesn't know the Hornberg shooting? It is not exactly clear what it was really about. The most probable incident is the following: In 1564, the then sovereign, the Duke of Württemberg, wanted to visit Hornberg. Therefore, the people of Hornberg wanted to pay tribute to him and fire salute shots from their castle upon his arrival. But since they did not know when exactly he would arrive, they started firing whenever they noticed something on the approach road. Thus two carriages and a herd of cows came along the way and each time the inhabitants thought it was the duke. The end of the story was that by the time he actually arrived, all the ammunition had already been shot. That was a long time ago and the former Hornberg Castle is now a ruin, the Hornberg shooting, however, is world famous. A fountain was built for it in the town. In addition, annual festivals are held to re-enact the mishap surrounding the squandered ammunition. After all, the town became famous because of this, since the Hornberg shooting also found its way into literature in the form of a saying. Another interesting feature of Hornberg is its location. The district is located at an altitude between 344 and 970 meters. There, the Reichenbach valley flows into the Gutach valley. The Reichenbach viaduct, on which the Black Forest Railways cross the side valley, is a landmark of the town. Hornberg is located on the river Gutach, a tributary of the Kinzig. There are several other castles in the Kinzig valley, such as Schenkenburg Castle in Schenkenzell, Willenburg Castle and Schiltach Castle in the town of the same name, Wolfach Castle and Fortress, and Husen Castle near Hausach. Hornberg has something else great to offer, namely the largest toilet in the world. You can't use it because it's about seven meters high, but it's worth a visit. Just imagine how wide the toilet paper must be. Photographer: B. Pieper

Return (Baked Black Forest) trout This is how fish tastes especially good. When you visit the Black Forest, you will notice that hospitality is very important here. This is especially evident in the many great restaurants that can be found in all towns in the region. The Black Forest cuisine is known for its many trout recipes. There are said to be a total of 29 different ones, all prepared with this type of fish. This is no wonder, since trout is quite common in the narrow rivers and streams of the Black Forest, so it is primarily fished. It is not uncommon for trout to be the subject of elaborate breeding. In this process, the young fish created by artificial insemination are first kept and fed in ponds and finally released into flowing waters. The ponds must have fresh, oxygen-rich water and are usually specially constructed for this purpose. Trout are often boiled blue. This involves boiling the gutted fish whole in salt water, with vinegar added. During the process, the fish skin takes on a bluish color. In blue boiling, the trout is not scaled. It is different with the preparation according to "Müllerinart" ("the miller's way"). Here the fish is first soaked in salted milk, then in flour, and then fried. It is served with lemon juice and parsley. The name "Müllerinart" has probably spread because of the use of flour. Anyway, you don't have to be a miller to prepare such a dish. But not only fish dishes are typically Black Forest. Other recipes also come from here, although they originally came from the farmers, who had to be thrifty with the food they earned. This is how the "Bibeleskäs", a curd cheese, "Schäufele", "Leberle" and "Nierle" were created. Nowadays, the Black Forest is characterized by outstanding gastronomy, especially in Baiersbronn. This is due to the fact that it is home to two three-star restaurants. In fact, there are only ten of these in the whole of Germany. Enjoy your meal. But what are these stars and what do they mean? Basically, you can think of them as school grades, ranging from one to three stars, with "three stars" being the highest award. The stars are awarded in what is known as the "Guide Michelin", a guide published annually by the tire manufacturer of the same name. The Guide has been published since 1900, initially only for France, and since 1910 also for Germany and Switzerland. Finally, from 1926 onwards, stars were awarded to restaurants, which brought the Guide to high fame. However, it does not always have to be a star restaurant if you want to eat well. It also tastes delicious in a Versperbeiz, a kind of pub, and there are many of them in the Black Forest.