Holzland (Palatinate)
Wood Country is the name of an undertaking in the western part of the Palatinate Forest area.
Location and structure
The wood land is significantly limited by the surrounding rivers, to the south and southeast by the Schwarzenbach, in the west and north by the tributary Moosalb. Only in the extreme east, Steinberg, the wood country goes to the Franks pasture without pronounced terrain profiling.
The valleys that limit and pull through the wood country, are partly still largely unspoilt. On the slopes occur frequently mighty sandstone formations -a-days. Slopes and heights - except in the immediate vicinity of the villages - covered with high-quality mixed forest. The harvested here, often several centuries old sessile oak ever achieving some of the highest timber prices.
History
Quality and coherence of the forest gave the wooden country its name. Even in times when large-scale exploitation was operated by forest grazing, charcoal burning and mining in many parts of the Palatinate Forest, here always valuable stocks have survived the centuries.
Nevertheless, there were some clearing, in the 9th century were primarily related to the settlement policy of the monastery of Hornbach, where the previously belonging to the kingdom land area was probably given by the Count of Homburg. The basic rule of the area received the Palatinate. After the dissolution of the monastery of Hornbach in 1558 as a result of the Reformation, whose ownership fell to the House of Palatinate -Zweibrücken, which was henceforth in constant dispute with the Palatinate. Therefore, it came in 1776 to a swap contract, with two bridges ceded his rights in the wood land to the Electoral Palatinate.
Population and traffic
The largest municipality and seat of the municipal administration, forest Fischbach Castle albums, situated on the southwestern edge of the area in Moosalbtal. Moosalbaufwärts the villages Steinalben and Schopp are located. In the center of the wooden country is situated on 430 m above sea level. NN the tourist Heltersberg also height places are Geiselsberg and Narrow mountain. A total population of about 11,500 people in the wood country.
Major route is the extend in a north-south direction in Moosalbtal B 270 Pirmasens Kaiserslautern and running parallel to it Biebermühlbahn. The latter has with forest Fischbach, rock albums and Schopp three railway stations in the timber country.
Attractions
- In forest Fischbach Castle albums, the going back to the 12th century pilgrimage Maria Rosenberg is with an ever held on Thursday after Pentecost pilgrimage.
- The local museum Heltersberg is particularly interesting because of its bulk and shingle-maker 's workshop.
- Is one of the largest trout farm establishments in Germany at the Deer Alber mill at Schmalenberg.
- Between Schopp and Steinalben the ruins of a powder mill, which was destroyed in 1927 when a massive explosion find. Until then, here made explosives were exported around the world, especially for the construction of railway lines.
Leisure and Tourism
The wooden rural communities are trying to regain some share of tourism in the Palatinate Forest. The nature lovers and the Palatinate Forest Club entertained several mountain huts. On Clausensee, the dog pond and in the Schwarzbach there are tent sites.
From the Palatinate Forest Club an extensive trail system is marked, and there are also several designated mountain bike trails. Especially popular are the gorge-like valleys with ponds and springs around Heltersberg and the Valley of the Hirschalb, which opens at the powder mill in the Moosalb.
In Heltersberg there is a Bergbad, which was renewed in 2001 from the ground up.