The East Hesse Highlands (German : Osthessisches Bergland) describes a heavily wooded range of hills lying mainly in the German state of Hesse, but also extending a little way into Lower Saxony to the north, Thuringia to the east and Bavaria to the southeast. The region is sandwiched between the West Hesse Depression to the west, the Weser Uplands to the north, the Thuringian Basin to the northeast, the northwestern edge of the Thuringian Forest to the east, the Spessart to the south and the Wetterau to the southwest.
The East Hesse Highlands forms a natural region (no. 35 or D47) and is both part of the European Central Uplands as well as the Rhine-Weser watershed. It includes the Vogelsberg-Meißner Axis, [1] also known as the Hessian Central Uplands, [2] the East Hesse Depression and the Rhön.
The West and East Hesse Highlands together form the Hesse Highlands and correspond to the geological unit of the Hesse Depression in its wider sense, because geologically recent layers of Zechstein and Bunter sandstone, and in places even younger Muschelkalk rocks, from the lower Jurassic and Tertiary periods have been preserved here. [3]
The Hesse Environmental Atlas [4] distinguishes the following major geographical units (three-figure numbers):
The East Hesse Highlands is bounded immediately to the east by the West Hesse Highlands and Lowlands. Almost all of the region is formed by Bunter sandstone and this defines both its relief and the surface of the land apart from occasional layers of overlying volcanic basalt.
All the prominent ridges are, at least partly, characterised by volcanic features. Between the Hoher Meissner (754 m) and Kaufungen Forest (up to 643 m high) in the north, the Knüll (636 m) in the centre, the Vogelsberg (773 m) in the southwest and the Rhön (950 m) in the southeast, there are numerous individual singularities which catalogue the volcanic activity between the two Central Uplands regions.
The northern part of this natural region includes the Fulda-Werra Uplands, with the Hoher Meissner and Kaufungen Forest, which descends to the Lower Werra Land in the northeast and into the Salzungen Werra Uplands in the southeast. In the southwest of the area are the Knüll Uplands, in the south the Fulda-Haune Plateau and in the southeast the Anterior Rhön and Kuppen Rhön (including the Landrücken) to the southeast, which run into the High Rhön still further to the southeast.
South of the Fulda-Haune Plateau and west of the Rhön are the Lower und High Vogelsberg hills, the former encircling the latter.
The central river in the area is the Fulda, which runs from south to north and leaves the East Hesse Highlands just before its confluence with the Werra in the West Hesse Depression. Left of the Fulda lie the Knüll and Vogelsberg, right of it the major part of the Fulda-Werra Highlands and the Rhön.
Right hand tributaries of the middle and lower reaches of the Schwalm, which lie almost entirely in the West Hesse Depression, drains the western part of the area, whilst left hand tributaries of the Werra drain the east. Only the source of the Schwalm and the mouth of the Werra lie within the Highlands themselves.
The tributaries are also north of the Rhine-Weser watershed, apart from the Ohm the only tributary of the Lahn, which is clearly oriented in a south-to-north direction, whilst the streams running into the Main tributaries of the Nidda, Kinzig and Franconian Saale flow south.
The most important rivers of the East Hesse Highlands are listed in the following table, in clockwise order, beginning on the north side of the Rhine-Weser watershed by the Vogelsberg. [5]
For a better overview or to see them listed in a downstream order, by river system, enter the DGKZ numbers after the number of the parent river followed by a dash.
River names and lengths listed in italics are those which clearly leave the region of the East Hesse Highlands (depressions on the perimeter excluded), where catchment areas and discharges are given in italics, it indicates that part of the catchment area is external and has significant tributaries from outside the East Hesse Highlands (see the notes below the table). Main rivers are linked if they are entirely located outside the area.
Name | Main river | Length [km] | Catchment area [km2] | Discharge (MQ) [l/s] | Source region | Main geog. units | DGKZ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antreff | Schwalm (l) | 38.6 | 115.3 | 980 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 4288-2 |
Schwalm | Eder | 97.1 | 1,298.8 | 9,044 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 428-8 |
Berfa | Schwalm (r) | 20.0 | 42.2 | 218 | Ottrau Upland | 355.0 | 4288-16 |
Grenff | Schwalm (r) | 22.0 | 86.4 | 711 | Ottrau Upland | 355.0 | 4288-32 |
Efze | Schwalm (r) | 38.2 | 220.5 | 1,481 | Knüll | 356 | 4288-8 |
Rohrbach | Fulda (l) | 18.0 | 73.9 | 576 | Neuenstein-Ludwigseck Ridge | 357.0 | 42-714 |
Geisbach | Fulda (l) | 22.1 | 76.2 | 487 | Knüll | 356 | 42-596 |
Aula | Fulda (l) | 22.6 | 124.8 | 919 | Knüll | 356 | 42-56 |
Jossa | Fulda (l) | 22.9 | 122.0 | 780 | Schlitzer Land | 355.1 | 42-54 |
Schlitz | Fulda (l) | 43.3 | 314.6 | 3,715 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 42-4 |
Lüder | Fulda (l) | 36.4 | 190.0 | 2,306 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 42-36 |
Fliede | Fulda (l) | 22.1 | 271.4 | 3,627 | Landrücken | 353.0 | 42-2 |
Fulda | Weser | 220.7 | 6,946,6 | 66,924 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 42 |
Lütter | Fulda (r) | 17.5 | 50.7 | 672 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 42-14 |
Haune* | Fulda (r) | 66.5 | 499.0 | 4,113 | Kuppenrhön | 353.2 | 42-6 |
Nüst | Haune (r) | 22.8 | 97.2 | 1,029 | Kuppenrhön | 353.2 | 426-6 |
Solz | Fulda (r) | 21.4 | 91.5 | 682 | Kuppenrhön | 353.2 | 42-712 |
Ulfe | Fulda (r) | 27.6 | 71.5 | 552 | Seulingswald | 357.2 | 42-72 |
Pfieffe | Fulda (r) | 21.5 | 117.1 | 1,235 | Stölzinger Hills | 357.4 | 42-78 |
Losse | Fulda (r) | 28.9 | 120.6 | 1,418 | Stölzinger Hills | 357.4 | 42-96 |
Nieste | Fulda (r) | 21.8 | 88.1 | 921 | Kaufungen Forest | 357.7 | 42-98 |
Gelster | Werra (l) | 18.2 | 60.6 | 771 | Söhre | 357.7 | 41-96 |
Wehre** | Werra (l) | 36.5 | 451.7 | 4,147 | Söhre | 357.7 | 41-8 |
Taft*** | Ulster (l) | 11.8 | 61.6 | 564 | Kuppenrhön | 353.2 | 414-8 |
Ulster | Werra (l) | 55.5 | 421.0 | 5,279 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 41-4 |
Weid | Ulster (r) | 36.0 | 539 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 414-4 | |
Felda | Werra (l) | 38.8 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 41-? | ||
Streu | Franconian Saale (r) | 35.5 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 244-2 | ||
Brend | Franconian Saale (r) | 26.2 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 244-32 | ||
Sinn | Fränkische Saale (r) | 61.1 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 244-8 | ||
Schmale Sinn | Sinn (r) | 27.6 | 103.6 | 1,439 | Hohe Rhön | 354 | 2448-2 |
Steinaubach | Kinzig | 23.2 | 64.8 | 798 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 2478-16 |
Salz | Kinzig (r) | 29.8 | 91.3 | 1,219 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 2478-2 |
Bracht | Kinzig (r) | 31.5 | 117.7 | 1,644 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 2478-4 |
Seemenbach | NidThe (l) | 37.4 | 145.0 | 1,452 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 2486-6 |
Nidder | Nidda (l) | 68.6 | 435.7 | 3,875 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 248-6 |
Nidda | Main (r) | 89.7 | 1,942.4 | 13,065 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 24-8 |
Horloff | Nidda (r) | 44.5 | 279.2 | 1,004 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 248-2 |
Wetter | Nidda (r) | 68.8 | 517.0 | 2,994 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 248-4 |
Seenbach | Ohm (l) | 18.3 | 96.5 | 1,288 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 2582-2 |
Ohm | Lahn | 59.7 | 983.8 | 7,950 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 258-2 |
Felda | Ohm (r) | 29.9 | 107.4 | 1,276 | Vogelsberg | 350/1 | 2582-4 |
(*: the source of the Haune lies, strictly speaking, still just in the Western Rhön Foreland, 353.1
**: the Wehre rises, strictly speaking, in the Rommerode Hills, 357.53, the eastern foreland of the Söhre)
***: the values for catchment area and discharge of the Taft are limited to the Hessian part and do not include its confluence area in Thuringia)
The following parts of the (catchment areas of the) rivers listed are not in the East Hesse Highlands:
The Werra, a river in central Germany, is the right-bank headwater of the Weser. "Weser" is a synonym in an old dialect of German. The Werra has its source near Eisfeld in southern Thuringia. After 293 kilometres (182 mi) the Werra joins the river Fulda in the town of Hann. Münden, forming the Weser. If the Werra is included as part of the Weser, the Weser is the longest river entirely within German territory at 744 kilometres (462 mi).
Hersfeld-Rotenburg is a Kreis (district) in the east of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Werra-Meißner, Wartburgkreis, Fulda, Vogelsbergkreis, Schwalm-Eder.
The Fulda is a river of Hesse and Lower Saxony, Germany. It is one of two headstreams of the Weser. The Fulda is 220.4 kilometres (137.0 mi) long.
The Rhön Mountains are a group of low mountains in central Germany, located around the border area where the states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia come together. These mountains, which are at the extreme southeast end of the East Hesse Highlands, are partly a result of ancient volcanic activity. They are separated from the Vogelsberg Mountains by the river Fulda and its valley. The highest mountain in the Rhön is the Wasserkuppe, which is in Hesse. The Rhön Mountains are a popular tourist destination and walking area.
The Kaufungen Forest is a range of steep, wooded hills straddling the border between the states of Hesse and Lower Saxony in central Germany. It takes its name from the town Kaufungen.
The West Hesse Highlands, also known as the West Hessian Lowlands and Highlands, are a heavily forested region of the Central Uplands in Germany. These highlands lie mainly within the state of Hesse, between that part of the Rhenish Massif right of the Rhine in the west, the Weser Uplands to the north, the Hessian Central Uplands to the east and the Wetterau to the south.
The West Hesse Depression is part of the West Hesse Highlands and Lowlands region in the north of the German state of Hesse. Like the East Hesse Depression, it is a series of separate depressions that form a natural corridor and have been an important historical trade route.
The Haferberg is a hill, 580.4 m above sea level (NN), in the Kaufungen Forest in Hesse and Lower Saxony in Germany.
The region of Middle Hesse is one of three planning regions in the German state of Hesse, alongside North and South Hesse. Its territory is identical with that of the administrative province of Gießen and covers the counties of Limburg-Weilburg, Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Gießen, Marburg-Biedenkopf and Vogelsbergkreis. The Middle Hesse Regional Assembly, which decides on the regional plan, currently consists of 31 members chosen by the five counties and the three towns with special status: Gießen, Marburg and Wetzlar. The regional assembly has tasked the governing president (Regierungspräsident) with delivering regional management. The Mid-Hesse Regional Management Association was founded on 22 January 2003.
The East Hesse Depression is one of two fault troughs trending from north-northeast to south-southwest in the state of Hesse, Germany. Like the West Hesse Depression, it is a series of separate depressions that form a natural corridor and have been an important historical trade route.
The Hessian Central Uplands are an area of volcanic highland in Central Hesse in Germany. It is also referred to as the Vogelsberg-Meissner Axis.
The Hesse Highlands, Hessian Highlands or Hessian Highlands and Lowlands, are a largely densely forested low mountain area in the German state of Hesse that lies between the Rhenish Massif and the western edge of the Thuringian Basin. The Hesse Highlands are both part of the German Central Uplands and the Rhine-Weser Watershed.
The Upper Hessian Ridge or Upper Hesse Ridge is a hill chain in the West Hesse Highlands in North and Middle Hesse, which lies on the Rhine-Weser watershed and links the montane Central Upland ranges of the Kellerwald and the Vogelsberg in a north-south direction. The swell is divided into the Gilserberg Heights in the north, the central Neustadt Saddle and the Northern Vogelsberg Foreland in the south.
The is a large volcanic mountain range in the German Central Uplands in the state of Hesse, separated from the Rhön Mountains by the Fulda river valley. Emerging approximately 19 million years ago, the Vogelsberg is Central Europe's largest basalt formation, consisting of a multitude of layers that descend from their peak in ring-shaped terraces to the base.
The Salzungen Werra Upland is a natural region in Germany that forms part of the East Hesse Highlands in the German states of Hesse and Thuringia.
The Seulingswald is a hill range in the German Central Uplands which reaches heights of up to 480.3 m above sea level (NHN). It is part of the Fulda-Werra Uplands in the East Hesse Highlands within the Hessian county of Hersfeld-Rotenburg; small ridges extend into the Thuringian county of Wartburgkreis. It is a sandstone range and one of the largest contiguous woodland areas in Hesse.
The Toter Mann near Friedewald in the Hessian county of Hersfeld-Rotenburg is, at 480.3 m above sea level (NHN), the highest natural hill in the Seulingswald range. This small upland is the southernmost spur of the Fulda-Werra Uplands.
The Fulda-Werra Uplands are a major natural regional unit in the East Hesse Highlands in East and North Hesse and, with small elements in the southeast, in the German state of Thuringia. Most of the range lies right of the River Fulda and left of the Werra. The uplands extend from the Rhön mountains northwards, to the River Weser near Hann. Münden.
The Söhre is a forested hill range of the German Central Uplands and a subordinate natural region of the Fulda-Werra Uplands in North Hesse, Germany.