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A view on the Swabian Alb, with its typical hills and a juniper meadow
A view on the Swabian Alb, with its typical hills and a juniper meadow
The Albtrauf, which forms the northwestern border of the Swabian Alb
The Albtrauf, which forms the northwestern border of the Swabian Alb
The Swabian Alb near Tübingen
The Swabian Alb near Tübingen

The Swabian Alb (German: Schwäbische Alb) is a plateau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, extending 220 km from southwest to northeast and 40 to 70 km in width. Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Tübingen, a traditional University town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is situated 30 km (19 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. It is named after the region of Swabia. Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic

The Swabian Alb occupies the region bounded by the Danube in the southeast and the upper Neckar in the northwest. The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj The Neckar is a 367-km long River, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse In the southwest it rises to the higher mountains of the Black Forest. For the suburb of Adelaide, please see Black Forest South Australia; for the CDP in Colorado, please see Black Forest Colorado. The highest mountain of the Swabian Alb is the Lemberg (1015 m). Lemberg is a Mountain located in the Tuttlingen district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The Alb's profile resembles a high plateau, which slowly falls away to the southeast. The northwestern edge is a steep escarpment (called the Albtrauf or Albanstieg, rising up 400 m, covered with forests), while the top is flat or gently hilled.

In economic and cultural terms "Swabian Alb" includes regions just around the mountain range. For these heavily-populated industrial regions, the Swabian Alb is a popular recreation area.

Contents

Geology

The Swabian Alb is mostly limestone, which formed the seabed during the Jurassic era. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Ma (million years ago to  Ma that is from the end of the Triassic to the beginning 50 million years ago, the sea receded. Three layers of different limestones are stacked over each other to form the range: black jura, brown jura, and white jura. The Jura Mountains are a small Mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of White jura may be as pure as 99% Calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is a Chemical compound with the Chemical formula Ca[[Carbon C]] O 3 Since limestone is soluble in water, rain seeps through cracks everywhere and forms subterranean rivers which flow through a large system of caves until they emerge. Solubility is the characteristic Physical property referring to the ability of a given substance the Solute, to dissolve in a Solvent. Thus there are hardly any rivers, lakes or other forms of surface water on the Swabian Alb.

In some places, former volcanic activity has left traces, such as maars and hills. A maar is a broad low- Relief Volcanic crater that is caused by a Phreatomagmatic eruption, an Explosion caused by Groundwater In the west, the Zollerngraben (a geological depression in a tectonically active region) sometimes causes mild earthquakes. The Nördlinger Ries is a large meteorite crater (15 million years old). Ries Crater Rimjpg|thumb|right|250px|The crater rim near the village of Mönchsdeggingen

Constant rain and other weather influences are slowly dissolving the entire range. Each year, it loses approximately 5 cm. Some millions of years ago, the mountains reached as far as Stuttgart. Stuttgart (ˈʃtʊtgaɐ̯t is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. In some places, the limestone was more resistant to decay and thus the recession of the main range has left small mountains (called "Zeugenberge" — "witness mountains"; e. g. the Achalm or the Hohenstaufen) which testify to the former territory of the range. The omnipresent caves are great tourist spots, beautiful and not very crowded. Many different types can be found, from dry dripstone caves to caves that can only be entered by boat. A stalactite ( Greek stalaktites, (Σταλακτίτης from the word for "drip" and meaning "that which drips" is a type of Speleothem Sometimes the discharge of the water from subterranean rivers can be spectacular, too, e. g. the Blautopf, a source for a tributary of the Danube. The Blautopf (German for Bowl of the Blau, "blau" means blue) is a spring that serves as the source of the river Blau in the karst Also due to the porous limestone, the Danube nearly disappears near Immendingen (in 1911, 1921, 1928 and 1943 it disappeared completely), only to reappear several kilometers further down. Immendingen is a town in the district of Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Most of the water lost by the Danube resurfaces in the Aachtopf, a spring for a tributary to the Rhine. The Aachtopf is Germany 's biggest natural spring, producing an average of 8500 liters per second The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge

The soil is not very fertile, the humus is often as thin as 10 cm. Many small limestone pebbles are found on the surface.

Landscape

Typical Swabian Alb landscape, the "Salmendinger Kapelle" (Chapell) on top of the "Kornbühl"-Mountain
Typical Swabian Alb landscape, the "Salmendinger Kapelle" (Chapell) on top of the "Kornbühl"-Mountain

Mostly gently hilly, in the east often flat. The hills are often covered with small forests. Many small fields (often colza and other frugal plants). Mostly small villages.

The traditional landscape was grass fields with juniper bushes. Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Sheep ate everything else. Today this has become a comparatively rare sight. However, in certain places it is protected by the government of Baden-Württemberg.

Fossils

Fossils can be found everywhere. FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Children find them in their backyards. But large and important fossils were and also are found here.

Culture

See also tourist destinations, below.

Prehistoric Culture

In four caves (Vogelherd, Hohlenstein-Stadel, Geißenklösterle and Hohle Fels), all just a few kilometers apart, the oldest signs of human arts can be found. Best known are: a horse head, a water bird, and two statues of a lion-man (see lion man), all of surprising quality and all more than 30,000 years old. A lion headed figure first called the Lion man (Löwenmensch then the Lion Lady (Löwenfrau is an Ivory Sculpture that is the oldest known The oldest known musical instrument has been found here, too: a flute made from bones of a swan, some 35,000 years old, and in 2004 a flute carved from the tusk of a mammoth dating from the Ice Age, around 37,000 years ago.

The Roman Empire

This region, located south of the limes, was part of the Roman Empire from around the first to third century A. A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. D. . A Roman road ran along the Neckar river and the Alb. In Hechingen-Stein a Roman outpost along this road was discovered in the 1970s and has been turned into an outdoor museum.

Traditional Alb Life

Life was extremely hard on the Swabian Alb. The lack of water and the poor quality of the soil made it a backward region. For many villages fetching water required a long journey by horse. Since water often needed to be stored over a long time, it was often stagnant. Thus disinfection via alcohol was very popular: "Most" (apple wine) was mixed with water and even given to babies. A modern water supply system (outstanding for its time) was built in the late 1880s, which eased the situation.

People

Due to their harsh living conditions, the Swabians were, and are to this day, notorious for their tight-fistedness, hard work and resourcefulness — all important attributes where there are only very limited resources available. Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic

Especially in the remoter regions of the Alb, the inhabitants tend to be rather provincial and direct. However, straightforwardness, pragmatism and honesty are often associated with them as well.

Dialect

The Alb dialect is strong, even stronger than in the rest of Swabia. If politely asked, most are able to speak an understandable version of standard German. Generally, Swabians are rather proud of their dialect.

One simple thing to look for is the addition of a "-le" suffix on many words in the German language. With the addition of this "-le", the article of the noun automatically becomes "das" in the German language. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The Swabian "-le" is the same as standard German "-lein" or "-chen", which is a diminutive: A small house (German: Haus) is a Häuschen (standard German) or a Häusle (Swabian).

There are also a few sound shifts.

"t" to "d"

"p" to "b"

The "ch" is sometimes omitted or replaced.

Many surnames in Swabia are also made to end in "-le".

Tradition

The "Swabian–Alemannic" carnival is an important tradition in many of the villages. Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic Alemannic German ( Alemannisch) is a group of Dialects of the Upper German branch of the Germanic language family.

Industry

Since raising crops was not easy, raising sheep was popular. This yielded the development of a strong textile industry. In the 1950s, Reutlingen was the German town with the highest number of millionaires, until the decline of the German textile industry hit them as well. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive Still, many high quality textile companies can be found, such as Hugo Boss, Trigema, Reusch, Groz-Beckert and others (the town of Metzingen is widely known as a "luxury outlet town", with people from all over Europe coming to buy expensive clothes cheaper).

From this, machine building and advanced engineering developed. With the invention of cars and the founding of Daimler-Benz, right next to the Swabian Alb, the car industry and later also electronics and computer industries developed. Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles motor vehicles and engines which was founded in 1926 The "Neckar-Alb" region is the third largest industrial zone in Germany, and the most stable. The best known company is still Daimler-Benz, today known as DaimlerChrysler, followed by Robert Bosch. Daimler AG ( (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG) is a German car corporation (not to be confused with the British car-maker Daimler Motor Company) and Robert Bosch ( September 23, 1861 - March 12, 1942) was a German industrialist founder of Robert Bosch GmbH.

The region has one of the highest patents-to-population ratios in the world. Many products fall into the high-tech category. The small and medium enterprise sector (100-5,000 employees) predominates. In general, products are expensive but compete through high quality. Several districts are recognised as especially attractive to business, e. g. Reutlingen as the town in Germany where it is simplest to open a new business. Educational resources are at a high level. The schools and universities of the region all reach top places in German rankings. The Swabian Alb and its neighbouring region have developed from one of the poorest regions of Germany to one of its richest. The unemployment rate is low.

Climate

Moderate. In winter often snow. Skiing is sometimes possible (though the hills are not steep or high). Often windy and a bit colder than the rest of Germany. Due to a special micro climate, a small weather station near the town of Stetten am kalten Markt is known as the "coldest spot in Germany". Stetten am kalten Markt (Stetten akM is a Municipality in the Sigmaringen district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Locations

The Swabian Alb is not densely populated (by German standards). Most larger towns are just next to the Alb (yet they are often counted as part of the region). These towns often have some of the highest rents in Germany, while land on the Swabian Alb itself is considered cheap (by south German standards). Many town names end in "-ingen". There were several military training grounds, some also used by NATO troops. The North Atlantic Treaty On the Münsingen training ground which existed for over 100 years, a biosphere reserve is in the making. The region has several larger and many small nature reserves.

Important Towns

Tourist Locations

Burg Hohenzollern near Hechingen
Burg Hohenzollern near Hechingen

There are many castles, monasteries, churches, ruins and old towns. Reutlingen is a city in southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Sigmaringen is a Town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Albstadt is a city in the district of Zollernalbkreis in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Münsingen is a town in the district of Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Tübingen, a traditional University town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is situated 30 km (19 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between Göppingen is a city in southern Germany, part of the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg. Ulm (ˈʊlm is a City in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. Rottweil is the oldest Town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Balingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, capital of the district of Zollernalbkreis. Heidenheim an der Brenz (short Heidenheim is a city in eastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Hohenzollern Castle ( German: Burg Hohenzollern) is a Castle, about 50 km south of Stuttgart Germany, considered home to the Hohenzollern Hechingen is a Town in the Zollernalbkreis of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Here is a small selection.

Castles

Churches and Monasteries

Caves

Towns

Other


A good way for tourists to get to know the Swabian Alb is to travel on the Schwäbische Albstaße, a "National Scenic Byway", leading from Tuttlingen or Trossingen to Nördlingen or Aalen. Tuttlingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, capital of the district Tuttlingen. Trossingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in a region called Baar between the Swabian Alb and the Black Forest. Nördlingen is a Town in the Donau-Ries district in Bavaria, Germany, with a population of 20000 Aalen ( pronounced) is a Town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Note

Note that the translation "Swabian Alps" is incorrect, since these mountains are not part of the Alps, though the words "Alb" and "Alps" are of the same etymological origin. The Alps (die Alpen) is plural, whereas the Alb (die Alb) is singular.

External links

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