Odenwald

The Odenwald is a mountain chain in southern Hessen, northern Bavaria and northern Baden-W?rttemberg. The name is probably derived from Odins Wald ("Odin's wood").

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The Odenwald is bounded by the Neckar River in the south and the Main River in the east, while it gradually slopes away to the north and the west. The highest peak is the Katzenbuckel (literally "cat's hump", 626 m).

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The Odenwald is known as a leisure destination easily accessible from the urban areas of Mannheim and Frankfurt. It is known for its clean thin air and was once known for its health sanitariums. There are many marked hiking paths through the rural areas. Wild blueberries, strawberries and mushrooms are to be found in the forests.

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Several small towns are particularly picturesque with Weinheim being a particularly good example. Its cobbled streets and medieval architecture create an idyllic atmosphere. The region is relatively unknown to mass market tour companies, though the mild climate of the area is well known. Urban sprawl and pollution have become problems at some fringes as small local service train networks have been abandoned and more people commute to the Mannheim / Frankfurt metro areas by car.

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Hessen: REDIRECT Hesse...

Bavaria: The Free State of Bavaria (German: Bayern or Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km? (27,241 square miles) and 12.4 million inhabitants, forms the southernmost of the 16 states of Germany. Its capital is Munich....

Odin: Odin is considered to be the supreme god of late Germanic and Norse mythology. His role, like many of the Norse pantheon, is complex: he is god of both wisdom and war. He is also attributed as being a god of magic, poetry, victory, and the hunt....

Odenwald related Images and Photos (experimental)

Lichtenberg Castle in Odenwald 1900