| Fichtel Mountains | |
|---|---|
| Fichtelgebirge / Smrčiny | |
 The Schneeberg (left) and the Ochsenkopf (right), seen fromHeinersreuth | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Schneeberg |
| Elevation | 1,051 m (3,448 ft) |
| Geography | |
 The Fichtel Mountains in northeast Bavaria | |
| State(s) | Bavaria &Czech Republic |
| Range coordinates | 50°03′N11°51′E / 50.05°N 11.85°E /50.05; 11.85 |
| Parent range | Thuringian-Franconian Highlands |
TheFichtel Mountains[1][2][3][4][5] (German:Fichtelgebirge,pronounced[ˈfɪçtl̩ɡəˌbɪʁɡə]ⓘ;Czech:Smrčiny) is amountain range inGermany and theCzech Republic. They extend from the valley of theRed Main River in northeasternBavaria to theKarlovy Vary Region in western Czech Republic. The Fichtel Mountains contain an important nature park, theFichtel Mountain Nature Park. TheElster Mountains are a part of the Fichtel Mountains.
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The first person to write about the Fichtel Mountains, Matthias of Kemnath (actually Matthias Widmann, born 23 February 1429 inKemnath) reported in 1476:Ein bergk, hoch, weitt, wolbekant ligt in Beiern, gnant der Fichtelberg ("A mountain, high, wide and well-known, lies in Bavaria, known as the Fichtelberg"). In descriptions of the border in 1499 and 1536, the mountain that is now called the Ochsenkopf was calledVichtelberg; thereafter the name was extended to the whole mountain region. It is also mentioned in old documents: around 1317 the lords of Hirschberg were enfeoffedinter alia with thewalt zu dem Vythenberge. By the 14th century iron ore was being extracted in theSt. Veith Pit on the southern foot of the mountain.Vyth → Veit → Fichtel. High-profile local-history and name researchers have still not had the last word.
Afolk etymology connecting the nameFichtelgebirge with theGerman wordFichte (meaning "spruce tree") fails to account for the typically non-spruce forests which predominated in the area at the time when the nameFichtelgebirge became established.
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The Fichtel Mountains have an area of about 1,600 square kilometres (620 sq mi). The Czech part has an area of 289 km2 (112 sq mi).[6] TheFichtel Mountain Nature Park in Germany has an area of 1,020 km2 (390 sq mi).
The Fichtel Mountains lie between the towns ofHof andWeiden. In the west there is a good transport link to the nearby city ofBayreuth.
The county town in the heart of the Fichtel Mountains isWunsiedel with itsLuisenburg Rock Labyrinth. Other main settlements areMarktredwitz,Marktleuthen,Arzberg,Röslau,Bad Weißenstadt,Waldershof,Kirchenlamitz andTröstau (all on the upper reaches of theOhře and theRöslau rivers). The largest settlement in the Czech part of the Fichtel Mountains isAš.
Further to the southeast and south areBischofsgrün,Fichtelberg,Mehlmeisel,Nagel,Neusorg,Speichersdorf,Kemnath,Erbendorf,Wiesau andFuchsmühl, in the west areWeidenberg,Creußen,Bayreuth,Goldkronach,Bindlach andBad Berneck, in the northwest areGefrees,Zell im Fichtelgebirge,Weißdorf,Münchberg (Obere Saale), and in the northSelb,Rehau andHof.
The boundary between the(East) Franconian dialect in the north and west and the (North)Bavarian and Upper Palatine dialects in the east and south runs diagonally through the Fichtel from northeast to southwest. This language border does not coincide with the administrative boundary ofUpper Franconia and theUpper Palatinate, but, for example, Bavarian is also spoken in the Upper Franconian district of Wunsiedel. Moreover, there are descendants of those who, afterWorld War II came from Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and East Prussia into the Fichtel Mountains, and who make up a significant percentage of the population.
In terms of geomorphological division of Germany, the Fichtel Mountains forms a majornatural region called theThuringian-Franconian Highlands (no. D48 and 39) together with theThuringian Forest,Thuringian Highland andFranconian Forest. In terms ofgeomorphological division of the Czech Republic, the Fichtel Mountains is amesoregion within theOre Mountains Highlands together withOre Mountains andElbe Sandstone Mountains. TheElster Mountains are the northwestern part of the Fichtel Mountains.
Geomorphologically the Fichtel Mountains are a horseshoe-shapedmassif consisting of several linked ridges, hence the term Fichtel Mountain Horseshoe (Fichtelgebirgs-Hufeisen). The most important are the:
To the northeast the Fichtel Mountains transitions into theOre Mountains, to the southeast is theUpper Palatine Forest, theBohemian Forest and theBavarian Forest. To the northwest is a clear geological divide with theFranconian andThuringian forests. To the southwest it descends to the morphologically very different Franconian fault-block landscape.
In early times the Fichtel was known as the 'navel of Germany' (Nabel Deutschlands) or the 'wellspring of Europe' (Herzbrunnen Europas) because four important rivers rise here and flow in four different directions of the compass:
Numerous moors and marshes, which are now protected, are valuable water collectors. The Europeanwatershed from theNorth Sea to theBlack Sea runs over these mountains.
The highest mountain is theSchneeberg at 1,051 metres (3,448 ft). Rivers rising from the Fichtel Mountains are theWhite Main, theSaxon Saale, theOhře and theFichtelnaab which later joins theWaldnaab. Major towns on the edge of the mountain region areBayreuth andHof.
While the mountains dip gradually away to the north and the south, they form a steep slope in the west where the Red Main forms the boundary of the mountains.
The Ochsenkopf ("Ox Head") is the second highest mountain of the Fichtel Mountains, at 1,024 metres (3,360 ft). There are two chair-lifts to the summit, one fromBischofsgrün in the north and one fromFleckl in the south. The "Asenturm" (Æsir Tower) is anobservation tower on the summit with a restaurant attached.
The following are the highest and best-known mountains in the Fichtel Mountains (listed with heights in metres (m) abovesea level (NN):
| Mountain | Height (m) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Schneeberg | 1,051 | Former Cold War listening post |
| Ochsenkopf | 1,024 | |
| Nußhardt | 972 | |
| Platte (Steinwald) | 946 | |
| Kösseine | 939 | |
| Großer Waldstein | 877 | |
| Hohberg (Königsheide) | 863 | |
| Großer Kornberg | 827 | |
| Hohe Matze | 813 | |
| Epprechtstein | 798 | |
| Háj | 758 | Highest mountain of the Czech part |
| Fürstenstein | 675 | |
| Kohlberg | 632 |
Geologically the Fichtel massif consists mainly ofgranite. The history of itsorogeny begins in thePrecambrian Eon about 750–800 million years ago. From that time only thetruncated uplands of the once-towering mountain chain are left.
Subsequently, the area was covered by sea, andrivers transportedsediments from the old eroding mountains on the coast. These sediments were deposited as layers ofclay,sand andlimestone.
At the beginning of theCambrian Period, about 570 million years ago, these beds were folded and raised up to form new mountains. Hightemperatures andpressure during thismountain folding process, which lasted into theUpper Carboniferous Period, createdmetamorphic rock. Theshale layers were transformed intophyllites andschists, sandstones metamorphosed intoquartzite and limestone producedWunsiedel marble. These mountains, which may have been several kilometres high, were also eroded tosea level again.
In the next phase, great, deep-sea sediments were laid down under the present-day Fichtel Mountains and theFranconian Forest from theSilurian,Devonian andLower Carboniferous periods; these are especially well recorded in the Franconian Forest, whose rocks were only subject to very low-grademetamorphism (associated with volcanism andore formation) and which contain easily datedfossils. Finally, in theUpper Carboniferous period 285 million years ago, theHercynian mountain building phase began and raised the Fichtel Mountains, Franconian Forest andMünchberggneiss plateau into high mountains – like almost all thefold mountains formed during the Hercynian period. This mountain building episode was theVariscan orogeny, named afterHof's Latin name (and the tribe ofVarisci) ofCuria variscorum. At the same time, magma intruded in several phases into thefolds, where it solidified under the Earth's surface into the present-day granites. As granite formed, secondary rocks were only affected by slightcontact metamorphism. The rest of the molten rock with itsore-containing fluids formedpegmatite, as well as veins of ore and minerals – the basis of themedievalmining industry and earlyindustrialisation of this region.
During theUpper Carboniferous and LowerPermian (Rotliegendes) large quantities of rock debris were deposited in intramontane basins and onto the foreland of the mountain range. These basins were formed byextensional tectonics which were accompanied by an intermediate to acidicvolcanism. Thesediments of theRotliegendes are only exposed in a few places, but have been confirmed across a wide area by drilling beneath theplatform southwest of theFranconian Line. Late Variscanvolcanic rocks occur in the Fichtel Mountains as layers ofrhyolite.
In theneogene (Upper Tertiary beginning 26 million years ago) period,tectonic activity increased again – just as theAlpine orogeny (Alps,Carpathians etc.) slowly came to an end. In that time, parts of this and other older massifs (such as theBohemian-Moravian Highlands orBohemian Massif in theAlpine foothills) sometimes ended up underneath younger rock. In the UpperMiocene (10 million years ago), moltenbasalt broke through in northernUpper Palatinate as theEger Graben was being formed. Through erosion, the remains of formerdiatremes have been uncovered and may be seen e.g. on theRauher Kulm or at Parkstein nearWeiden. Basaltic surface layers, i.e. extensive flows of low-viscositylava, are visible e. g. on the Teichelberg nearPechbrunn. These basalticnappes should not however be confused with the formation oftectonic layers.
The formation of the presentlandscape finally took place in the youngerPliocene about 5 million years ago: an earlier-formedFranconian fault line came under pressure again and the Fichtel Mountains,Franconian Forest, theMünchberg Gneiss Massif and the northernUpper Palatine Forest were uplifted along it. This lastuplift gave the forces of erosion more to do again and the rivers cut deeply into the already, almost levelled, mountain range. So the present day structure was created from aplateau: a low mountain range which is being gnawed away at on all sides, with a long and varied history. Although often difficult to interpret, it is an 'Eldorado' forgeologists from a wide range of specialisms.
Granite (Latin:granum forgrain) and its derivativesmake up about 40% of the area – its impact being all the more striking because this very hard, yet hydrous, rock forms the highestpeaks in the area. Its stark appearance and the early emergency of industry here have made their mark onlandscape and people.
In detail there is:
By theEarly Middle Ages man had begun to mine in the Fichtel Mountains. The most important products weregold,tin,iron, minerals, earths and rock (basalt,brown coal,diabase, granite, silt,marble,soapstone, clay and peat). In earlier timesuranium ore deposits were discovered. The metals were worked in hammer mills (hence the many place names ending with -hammer) on the Fichtel's rivers, in furnaces and at metalsmiths. The forests of the Fichtel Mountains supplied the wood necessary for the manufacture of charcoal. During theThirty Years' War the mining industry became depressed and the ore deposits were largely exhausted. In the 18th centuryAlexander von Humboldt tried to revive the mining industry again. Many towns and villages (e. g.Wunsiedel,Bad Weißenstadt,Arzberg, Fichtelberg-Neubau,Goldkronach) owe their emergence to the mining industry.
An insight into the history of mining in the Fichtel Mountains may be gained from:
TheHuguenots introduced the Easter decorations on wells, so-calledOsterbrunnen, in the shape of a lily (emblem of theBourbon kings) (as described e.g. in the April 2007 of theFränkische Post).
There are many places in the Fichtel Mountains that still produce glassware at competitive prices. The porcelain industry, centred on the town ofSelb, is internationally renowned and the foremost in Germany. Local firms such asRosenthal andHutschenreuther are of international standing.
Tourism is the main source of income for many places in the Fichtel Mountains today. In some towns such asBischofsgrün tourism has a long tradition going back to the 1920s. After theSecond World War the stream of holidaymakers increased sharply, both in summer for walking and in winter for winter sports. The Fichtel Mountains became the local mountain range (Hausgebirge) for (West-)Berliners who, unable to holiday in East Germany, were able to get there on the transit route of theA 9 motorway. This has changed sinceGerman reunification and the opening up of other mountainous holiday areas.
The Fichtel Mountains are a nationally important holiday destination in winter. Several lifts, the longest being two chair lifts on the Ochsenkopf, but also a plethora of cut cross-country trails are the mainstay of this industry.
The Fichtel Mountains attract many tourists throughout the year. In the winter the mountains are a common destination for people seeking outdoor recreational sports likealpine skiing,cross country skiing, andsledding. The warmer summer months find peoplemountain biking,hiking, and sight seeing amongst the many large rock formations.
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