AKuppe is the term used in German-speaking central Europe for amountain orhill with a rounded summit that has norock formation, such as ator, on it. A range of such hills is called aKuppengebirge. In geology the term also refers to correspondingstratigraphic forms. The term is similar to the English topographical and geological terms,knoll anddome.[1] It is also analogous to the French wordballon which means a mountain with a rounded summit.
Incartography in German-speaking countries, the term is used more widely to refer to all eminences (biaxially convexlandforms) i.e. including those with a more pointed appearance.
Kuppen are a common feature of many ranges within the GermanCentral Uplands including theRhön Mountains.
Kuppe comes from theMiddle High German language of the 18th century, probably deriving from the Late Latin/Common Roman wordcuppa = "beaker", which then became commonly used in the sense ofHaube ("helmet" or "covering") for a summit.
Kuppengebirge ("kuppe hills") is ageomorphological term. Their formation usually arises as a combination of certain types ofrock and the onset of steadyerosion processes.
Kuppen are typical of theCentral Uplands and thePrealps of Europe. For example, the many domed summits of theFichtel Mountains or thePohorje are calledkuppen, but they also occur in hilly areas. In this connexion, for example, a part of theRhön Mountains is known as the Kuppen Rhön (Kuppenrhön) andKuppe orKoppe is often part of the name of mountains and hills, e.g. theWasserkuppe and theSchneekoppe.
Places where sedimentary beds have bulged and where risingoil ornatural gas has accumulated, are also calledkuppen.