Lichtenau (river)

BW

The Lichtenau is a 20.7 km long left tributary of the Schwarza district Schmalkalden- Meiningen in Thuringia.

The creek originates near the Rennsteig on the northwest slope of the Great Beer mountain in central Thuringian Forest and flows initially, close to the city limits to Oberhof, counterclockwise in the form of a downwardly open semicircle to the north, west and south, to reach its central location Zella- Mehlis. Here it flow to the few significant inflows from the right.

The Lichtenau leaves the city and at the same time the actual Thuringian Forest in Western, later southwesterly direction to reach the sandstone foreshore Benshausen plus Ebertshausen and finally with the coming of the northeast Schönau to flow together in Schwarza from the left or east and the roll-call Schwarza to start.

The Lichtenau is one of the main arms of the fan of the hazel. In its valley the now defunct Federal Highway 280 from Zella- Mehlis was to Meiningen.