The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) - is a natural massif of Germany, striking with its pristine beauty of every traveler. The dense coniferous trees covering the mountain landscape, meadow valleys and preserved evidence of medieval architecture form an incomparable atmosphere, plunging every tourist into a beautiful and mysterious world, which is already impossible to forget. The mild climate, fertile soil, a large number of vineyards and mineral springs of the Black Forest create an ideal resort suitable for everyone.
A bit about history
In ancient times, the Black Forest was called "Abnoba mountains", later it was called Martsiev Forest and Raurinsky Mountains. The Romans, who owned the lands of the Black Forest until the IV century, called it Marciana Silva, which translates as “border forest”, since it was in the Black Forest that the border with the lands of the ancient German tribe of Macromanes passed.
In the Middle Ages, the Black Forest was valuable for its natural deposits of valuable metals (silver, lead), which were mined for several centuries. The plague epidemic, reforms and peasant uprisings in the XVI century led to the fact that the Black Forest was completely empty. It was only in the 17th century that the region managed to restore economic activities and people began to return there.
Black Forest today
Along the Rhine river valley, from north to south, on the territory of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, there is the famous mountain range of Germany - the Black Forest. Its area reaches 11,000 square kilometers, while two-thirds of the Black Forest are low mountains covered with dense coniferous forests.
The massif is 158 km long: its narrowest part (30 km) is in the north, and the widest (60 km) in the south. The highest mountain peak of the Black Forest is Mount Feldberg, whose height reaches 1493 m. The western slopes of the massif are the highest and steep, while the eastern ones are smoother.
The northern Black Forest, located in the southwestern part of Germany, is famous for:
- Schwarzwald Mitte / Nord Nature Park with the highest waterfalls in the country
- Winery in Sasbachwalden
- Mineral springs in Baden-Baden
- Kneipp Resort Freudenstadt.
South Black Forest attracts tourists with a healthy vacation and interesting places:
- Historic Area Markgräflerland
- Wutachschlucht Nature Reserve
- The resorts of Freiburg im Breisgau, Bad Dürheim, Lenzkirch or Münstertal offer outdoor recreation directly in the mountains.
The nature of the Black Forest: not at all gloomy
Black Forest has a unique nature and wildlife. In the dense coniferous forest you can find rare three-fingered woodpeckers, peregrine falcon, lynx, wild boar and other animals. Throughout the array are majestic waterfalls, mysterious gorges, blue lakes and green meadows.
The Black Forest is famous for its favorable climate at any time of the year, which makes local resorts quite popular. In addition, the air of the Black Forest itself has healing properties, as it is saturated with negatively charged ions and volatile. In cold weather, the forest is often covered with fog, and in winter, under a thick cover of snow, it turns into a fairy tale.
Popular tourist places: spa holidays and unity with nature
Baden Baden
Baden-Baden - the legendary balneological resort of the Black Forest, which is often called the summer capital of Europe, is known for its mild climate and therapeutic thermal and mineral springs. The water from them is used for therapeutic purposes in swimming pools, SPA centers, the Trinkhalle drinking gallery and helps with problems with:
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Upper respiratory tract
- Cardiovascular system
- Metabolism
- Musculoskeletal system.
Spa treatment in Baden-Badan is quite expensive. A simple medical examination will cost 400 €, and the prices of standard and complete diagnostics range from 1,600 € to 5,000 €.
- Caracalla is the largest thermal complex and has no analogues in Europe. There are several indoor and outdoor pools equipped with natural hot water from 33 sources at a temperature of 60 ° C. The cost of visiting the thermal complex = 15 € - 23 €.
- Friedrichsbad - Roman Irish baths, built at the end of the 19th century under Frederick I. Here you can visit baths and saunas of different temperature regimes, hot tubs, pools with warm and icy mineral water. Cost of visit = 25 € - 50 €.
Stuttgart
When traveling to the Black Forest, you should definitely visit the capital of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Here you can see:
- Palace XIII surrounded by a moat
- New 19th Century Palace
- Wine Museum
- Automobile Museums Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
Idyllic Lake Mummelsee
Mummelsee is located at an altitude of 1036 m above sea level and is the highest of the seven lakes in the region, and its depth reaches 17 m. The lake is the most visited place in the Northern Black Forest, because many hiking trips start from here. Here you can comfortably sit in a mountain hotel and dine in a local restaurant, surrounded by pristine natural beauty.
Triberg Waterfalls
On the territory of the small town of Triberg im Black Forest is the pearl of the Black Forest - Triberg waterfalls! The ten-tier cascade originates on the Gutakh River and reaches up to 163 m in height. You can not visit the Black Forest and not see the highest waterfalls in Germany!
Outdoor activities in the open spaces of the Black Forest
For tourists who love mountain hiking, a network of hiking trails has been laid in the Black Forest. You can take an unforgettable walk along the oldest Westweg route, 30 km long, over high peaks. For travelers who prefer mountain biking, a special trail has been created in the Black Forest with a start in Karlsruhe.
The resort has infrastructure for skiing and snowboarding:
- 240 km of equipped ski runs
- 140 lifts
- 12 springboards.
The Black Forest can be considered an ideal place for geocaching: hiding places in cities, among ancient sights and in a mysterious forest in the open air.
Interesting Facts
- The Black Forest is an ideal place for gastronomic tourism. Each gourmet will appreciate the skill of local chefs. The culinary highlight of the Black Forest is cherry pie
- Among the regions of winemaking in Germany, Schwarzwald takes third place, producing excellent quality wine.
Object type: mountain massif.
