Harz

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Harz
Range
Country	Germany
Regions	Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia

Highest point	The Brocken
- elevation	3,743 ft (1,141 m)

Geology	Paleozoic sedimentary, metamorphic and magmatic rocks
Orogeny	Hercynian

"Harz Mountains" redirects here. For the district of the same name, see Harz (district).

The Harz is a mountain range in central Germany. It is the highest mountain chain in northern Germany occupying parts of the German states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart (mountain forest).

1 Geography
2 History
3 Towns in the Harz and near the Harz
4 Transport in the Harz
5 Rivers originating in the Harz
6 External links

[edit] Geography

The Harz has a length of 110 kilometers (68 mi) (southeast to northwest) and a width of 35 kilometers (22 mi). It occupies an area of 2,226 square kilometers (859.5 sq mi), and reaches its highest point at The Brocken (1,141 meters (3,743 ft)), situated in Saxony-Anhalt. The Wurmberg (971 meters (3,186 ft)) is the highest peak in the portion located in the state of Lower Saxony. Approximately 600,000 people live in towns and villages of the Harz mountains.

Harz

Bode

Bode Gorge

Rappbode Reservoir in the Harz region, Germany

The Harz is divided into the Upper Harz (Oberharz) in the northwest and the Lower Harz (Unterharz) in the southeast. The Upper Harz has a higher elevation and features fir forests, while the Lower Harz gradually descends towards the surrounding land and has deciduous forests mingled with meadows.

The Harz National Park is located in the Harz; it covers the Brocken and surrounding wilderness areas.

[edit] History

The settlement of the Harz began only 1000 years ago. In ancient times dense forests made the region inaccessible. 968 saw the discovery of silver deposits near the town of Goslar, and mines became established in the following centuries throughout the mountains. During the Middle Ages ore from this region was exported along trade routes to far flung places such as Mesopotamia. The wealth of the region declined after these mines became exhausted in the early 19th century. People abandoned the towns for a short time, but prosperity eventually returned with tourism. Between 1945 and 1990 an international border ran through the Harz, the west belonging to the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the east to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Today the Harz forms a popular tourist destination for summer hiking as well as winter sports.

[edit] Towns in the Harz and near the Harz

[edit] Transport in the Harz

The Harz Narrow Gauge Railway is a very popular mode of transport, especially with tourists. Many people come to the Harz mountains just for this old fashioned steam train. Many cities around the Harz are also served by standard-gauge rail, including Halberstadt, Wernigerode, Thale, and Quedlinburg.

Aside from that, the Harz is connected to the rest of Germany by motorway A7 from Hamburg, Hanover or Kassel to Seesen/Rhüden and Lautenthal, A395 from Braunschweig to Bad Harzburg, the national roads B6, B 27, B 234 and many others. The motorway A 38 south of the Harz mountains connecting Leipzig and Göttingen is currently partly finished, partly under construction.