Lichte (river)

Dam of Leibis - light

The light is a 17 km long tributary of the Schwarza in the Thuringian Forest Nature Park / Thuringian Slate Mountains.

Source

The light originates as a small light in Neuhaus ( district Igelshieb ) close to the Rennsteig the watershed between Thuringia and Franconia.

History and mouth

From the headwaters of them takes its course in a northerly direction initially as small light by the same parcel to the village washing village. There she joins the pebble creek ( ⊙ 50.5144511.17563 ) and now follows as light ( flow ) of Laundry village road to the sun Straße. Then it follows the Lichtetal along the federal highway 281 to Walldorf and continue until Geiersthal.

At the northern end of the village, below Geiersthal, the river feeds the Leibis - light ( 50.6008311.17333 ⊙ ) with the pre-dam Deesbach ( ⊙ 50.5740811.16915 ). West of the church Unterweißenbach opens the light at the Mankenbach mill in the Schwarza.

Naming

The name of the river in the valley of the light is mh. for lichtaha, that goes back to water, and can mean a bright, clear river. To distinguish from the schwarzaha ( black water) was given in neighboring Schwarzatal. The " Lichta " is already in 1386 as a border river in documents with still other distinctions such as Mark Lamprechtstal, Schlage Bach and others mentioned. From this place of light water got its name. Only in the second half of the 19th century, until today common form of light has emerged.

Particularity

The slopes of the valleys of the light and Piesau fall off steeply and are often more than 100 m high.

Light, Piesau and the numerous tributaries from the surrounding valleys have been known for centuries for its deposits of gold and soap are among the richest gold rivers of Germany. Amateur prospectors are still occasionally successful.