The Hohe Warte (318–493 m above NN) is a largely forested upland with four striking hills on the southwestern fringe of the

Fichtel Mountains The Fichtel Mountains (, ; ) is a mountain range in Germany and the Czech Republic. They extend from the valley of the Red Main River in northeastern Bavaria to the Karlovy Vary Region in western Czech Republic. The Fichtel Mountains contain an ...

located in northern

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

, near

Bayreuth Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...

. Its highest peak is the Hirschberg (493 m). About 60% of the ridge lies on the territory of the parish of

Bindlach Bindlach is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the district of Bayreuth (district), Bayreuth in Upper Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. The town is adjacent immediately north of the town of Bayreuth. The population count of December 2006 wa ...

, the other 40% is divided between the town of Bayreuth and the parish of

Heinersreuth Heinersreuth is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the district of Bayreuth (district), Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany. People * Rolf Schmidt-Holtz (born 1948), German businessman and journalist References

Bayreuth (distric ...

. A number of lakes and streams have their origin in these hills and are an important source of drinking water for the surrounding settlements.

Parishes

To the north and east lies the hills are in the parish of

, in the south in the borough of

, in the west on the parish of

Bayreuth (distric ...

. The following villages lie on the hill range:

Peaks

* Hirschberg (493 m above NN) * Hohe Wart, Victory tower (''Siegesturm'') (463 m ANN) - erected after the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

of 1870/71 * Kühnleite (457 m ANN) * Schupfenschlager Höhe (452 m ANN)

Rivers and lakes

Rivers/streams: * Hirschbach rises on the Hirschberg and flows into the

Trebgast (White Main) Trebgast is a river of Bavaria, Germany. It is a left tributary of the White Main near the village Trebgast. See also *List of rivers of Bavaria A list of rivers of Bavaria, Germany: A * Aalbach * Abens * Ach * Afferbach * Affinger Bach * Ai ...

* Eisbach begins at the Eisbachsee and flows into the Trebgast * Cottenbach begins at the Hirschbergsee and flows into the

Red Main The Red Main ( or ''Rotmain'') is a river in southern Germany. It is the southern, left headstream of the river Main (river), Main. It rises in the hills of Franconian Switzerland, near Haag, Upper Franconia, Haag and flows generally northwest th ...

* Altbach rises at the foot of the Schupfenschlager Höhe and flows into the Trebgast Lakes: * Eisbachsee * Hirschbergsee * Schupfenschlager Weiher

Crags

Tourism

The main tourist attraction in the region is the Victory Tower (''Siegesturm'') in

, on the ''Hohe Warte''. The eastern part is less popular. Almost the entire areas is a

protected landscape IUCN protected area categories, or IUCN protected area management categories, are categories used to classify protected areas in a system developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The enlisting of such areas is part ...

. The ridge is also called the "Gateway to the Bavarian Northern Forests" (''Tor zum Bayrischen Nortwald'', the old name for the

Franconian Forest View to Döbraberg The Franconian Forest''Franconian Forest''
at www.britannica.com. Acce ...

and

, because it was the first range of hills in the Fichtel Mountains from the valley of the Red Main. The Bavarian Nortwald hiking trail also begins at Hirschberg. Neuhauser-Felsmassiv

Economy

The region is important for forestry, being used and maintained by the Bavarian State Forests. The source region around the Hohe Wart is almost exclusively used to supply water to the town of Bayreuth and there is also an elevated drinking water reservoir. East of the Hohe Warte lies the hospital named after it, the '' Klinik Hohe Warte''

References

{{reflist

External links

View from the Hohe Warte

The Fichtel Mountains
Hills of Bavaria Mountains of the Fichtel Mountains