Black Forest

The Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) is a large forested mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany.

The Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) is a large forested mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is known for its dense forests, rounded highlands, and as the source region of the Danube and Neckar rivers. Its highest peak is the Feldberg, at 1,493 metres.

Geography

The Black Forest is an oblong mountain range in Baden-Württemberg with a broad south-to-north extent and a narrower width. It rises sharply from the Rhine plain on the west and slopes more gently toward eastern valleys and uplands. The region stretches roughly 160 km from the High Rhine in the south to the Kraichgau in the north, and is bounded by the Upper Rhine Plain to the west and transitions toward the Gäu and Baar to the east.

Physical features

The region is a granite highland with rounded summits, while its northern part includes sandstone landscapes and its southern part includes higher peaks such as Feldberg. The Kinzig valley divides the range into northern and southern parts. The Black Forest covers about 6,009 km² and is up to 50 km wide.

Natural and cultural significance

The Black Forest is heavily wooded and forms a distinctive cultural landscape in Germany. UNESCO describes the biosphere reserve as a diverse low mountain range with forests, meadows, and moors, alongside long-standing local traditions and handicrafts. About 70% of the biosphere reserve area is forested.

Protected areas

Part of the region is protected as Black Forest National Park, established in 2014 in the northern Black Forest. The broader area also includes the UNESCO-listed Black Forest Biosphere Reserve.