Frankenwald

If you are out and about in the Franconian Forest, you will always discover the battlements and towers of the numerous castles, palaces and ruins between the dense treetops. A touch of history wafts through the entire region and invites you on a journey into the past.

Most castles and palaces offer various themed tours. Of course, history plays a major role, but also the lives of the former inhabitants and the many sagas and legends that surround the old walls.

The Iron Curtain separated the divided Germany for four decades. Barbed wire, expanded metal fencing, concrete walls, watchtowers and, at times, mines and automatic firing systems shaped the landscape along the border.

Because this area was not used and was sporadically cleared of bushes, nature was able to develop freely. The border strip developed into a varied mosaic of open, semi-open and bushy habitats and thus into valuable retreats for rare and endangered animal and plant species.

Since 1989, this biotope network has been known as the "Green Belt", which runs for 1393 km across Germany - from the Baltic Sea to the Vogtland region between Plauen and Hof.

In the Franconian Forest, the Green Belt stretches from its birthplace Mitwitz along the Franconian-Thuringian border to the formerly divided village of Mödlareuth, also known as "Little Berlin". Numerous reminders of the former division can still be discovered along the Green Belt.