Rhön

Location of the Rhön in Germany

Frozen waterfall on a phonolite rock

The Rhön are a group of low mountains in central Germany, in the states Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia. They are the product of ancient volcanic activity and are separated from the Vogelsberg Mountains by the Fulda River and its valley.

These mountains are a popular tourist attraction. Hikers come for the nearly 6,000 km (3,750 miles) of tracks through the picturesque scenery, and gliding has been done here since the early Twentieth century. Nowadays people come here to stay on a farm during holidays, too.

Since 1991, UNESCO has declared the Rhön a Biosphere Reserve.

The highest mountains of the Rhön are:

Wasserkuppe 950 m (3,110 ft), (Hessian Rhön)
Kreuzberg (mountain) 928 m (3,040 ft) (Bavarian Rhön)
Schwabenhimmel 926 m (3,040 ft) (Bavarian Rhön)
Heidelstein 913 m (3,000 ft) (Bavarian Rhön)
Milseburg 835 m (2,740 ft) (Hessian Rhön)
Feuerberg 832 m (2,730 ft) (Bavarian Rhön)
Ellenbogen 814 m (2,670 ft) (Thuringian Rhön)

Rhön Media

Landscape of central Rhön
Naturraumkarte der Rhön und ihres Umlandes - Achtung, noch in Bearbeitung!
The Wasserkuppe, at 950.0 m (3,117 ft) the highest mountain in the Rhön and in Hesse
View of the Dammersfeldkuppe (927.9 m (3,044 ft)) from the Eube
The Kreuzberg (927.8 m (3,044 ft))
The Baier (713.9 m (2,342 ft)) in the northeast of the Auersberg Kuppenrhön
The Hessian Skittles (up to 552.9 m (1,814 ft)) in the Soisberg Kuppenrhön
The Milseburg (835.2 m (2,740 ft))

Other websites

Rhön tourism portal
The Rhön hiking club (in German) Archived 2008-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
white pages and websites of Fulda and the hessian Rhön (in German) Archived 2015-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
360 degree virtual tour through the hessian Rhön (in German) Archived 2006-04-26 at the Wayback Machine
Orchids of the Rhön, with many informations about Rhön's nature (in German)

Landscape of central Rhön
Wasserkuppe, highest point of Rhön and also Hesse
Winter in the Rhön
Rhön landscape near Tann (in June)