 A view on the Swabian Alb, with its typical hills and a juniper meadow
 The Albtrauf, which forms the western border of the Swabian Alb The Swabian Jura (German: Schwäbische Alb) is a plateau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, extending 220 km from southwest to northeast and 40 to 70 km in width. It occupies the region bounded by the Danube in the south and the upper Neckar in the north. In the southwest it rises to the higher mountains of the Black Forest. The highest mountain of the Swabian Alb is the Lemberg (1015 m). The Alb's profile resembles a high plateau, which slowly falls away to the east. The western edge is a steep cliff (called the Albtrauf or Albanstieg, rising up 300 m, covered with forests), while the top is flat or gently hilled. Download high resolution version (1200x900, 237 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Download high resolution version (1200x900, 237 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Species See text. ...
Download high resolution version (1328x1324, 516 KB) From the Swabian Alb Tourism site, explicitly allowed for listing in site as Wikipedia File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Download high resolution version (1328x1324, 516 KB) From the Swabian Alb Tourism site, explicitly allowed for listing in site as Wikipedia File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
A Swabian is a native of Swabia, a place that is located in the south-west region of Germany. ...
Baden-Württemberg is a federal state in southwestern Germany to the east of the Upper Rhine. ...
The Danube bend at Visegrád is a popular destination of tourists The Danube (ancient Danuvius) is Europes second-longest river (after the Volga). ...
The Neckar is a river in Germany, a major tributary of the River Rhine, which it joins at Mannheim. ...
The Black Forest (German Schwarzwald) is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. ...
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.
Geology
The Swabian Jura is mostly limestone, which formed the seabed during the Jurassic era. 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. White jura may be as pure as 99% Calcium carbonate. Since limestone is soluble in water, rain seeps through cracks everywhere and forms subterrenean rivers which flow through a large system of caves until they emerge. Thus there are hardly any rivers, lakes or other forms of surface water on the Swabian Alb. Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ...
The Jurassic period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 200 Ma (million years ago) at the end of the Triassic to 146 Ma at the beginning of the Cretaceous. ...
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with chemical formula CaCO3. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Solution. ...
In some places, former volcanic activity has left traces, such as maars and hills. In the west, the Zollerngraben (a tectonically active region) sometimes causes mild earthquakes. The Nördlinger Ries is a large meteorite crater (15 million years old). Ukinrek Maars, Alaska; the result of a 10-day eruption in 1977. ...
The Nördlinger Ries is a depression in western Bavaria, Germany, located north of the Danube in the district of Donau-Ries. ...
 The Blautopf (literally: "blue pot"), a source which owes its name to the almost surreal blue of its water 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. 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. Sometimes the discharge of the water from subterranean rivers can be spactacular, too, e.g. the Blautopf, a source for a tributary of the Danube. 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. Most of the water lost by the Danube resurfaces in the Aachtopf, a spring for a tributary to the Rhine. Download high resolution version (1202x871, 380 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Download high resolution version (1202x871, 380 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Stuttgart, a city located in southern Germany, is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg with a population of approximately 590,000 as of September 2005 in the city and around 3 million in the metropolitan area. ...
A stalactice hanging above subterranean water. ...
1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ...
1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...
1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...
1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...
The Aachtopf is Germanys biggest spring in terms of production, 8,500 liters per second on average. ...
Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ...
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 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. 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. Species See text. ...
Fossils
 A hammer and some loose stones are all you need to find fossils Fossils can be found everywhere. Children find them in their backyards. But large and important fossils were and also are found here. Download high resolution version (1235x1235, 411 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Download high resolution version (1235x1235, 411 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
A fossil Ammonite Fossils (from Latin fossus, literally having been dug up) are the mineralized or otherwise preserved remains or traces (such as footprints) of animals, plants, and other organisms. ...
Culture See also tourist destinations, below.
Prehistoric Culture
 The Lion man, the oldest known human-animal sculpture, found in the Hohlenstein-Stadel cave, near Asselfingen 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. The oldest known musical instrument has been found here, too: a flute made from bones of a swan, some 35,000 years old. Download high resolution version (628x950, 119 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Download high resolution version (628x950, 119 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
The restored statue The Lion man is a lion-headed ivory sculpture which is one of the oldest known sculptures in the world (the oldest human-animal sculpture). ...
The restored statue The Lion man is a lion-headed ivory sculpture which is one of the oldest known sculptures in the world (the oldest human-animal sculpture). ...
The Roman Empire This region, located south of the limes, was part of the Roman Empire from around the first to third century A.D.. A Roman road ran along the Neckar river and the Alp. 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. A Swabian is a native of Swabia, a place that is located in the south-west region of Germany. ...
A Swabian phrase, 'Schaffa, Spara, Häusle baua' – loosely translated 'work, save, build a house', reflects these attributes.
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.
- Zug (train) becomes Zügle
- Haus (house) becomes Häusle
- Kerl (guy) becomes Kerlle
- Mädchen (girl) becomes Mädle
- Baum (tree) becomes Bäumle
There are also a few sound shifts.
"t" to "d"
- Tasche (bag) becomes Dasch'
- Tag (day) becomes Dag
"p" to "b" - putzen (to clean) becomes butzen
The "ch" is sometimes omitted or replaced. - "ich" becomes i
- "dich" becomes di
- "mich" becomes mi
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. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
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. 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). The 1950s were a decade that spanned the years 1950 through 1959, although some sources say from 1951 through 1960. ...
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. 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 Daimler-Chrysler, followed by Robert Bosch. Daimler-Benz AG was founded on May 1, 1924 by the merger of Benz & Cie. ...
Neckar-Alb is one of three regions (Regionalverband) in the Tübingen administrative region (Regierungsbezirke) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ...
DaimlerChrysler AG (Xetra: DCX) , (NYSE: DCX), with headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany and Auburn Hills, Michigan, is a prominent automobile and truck manufacturer, formed in 1998 by the buyout of the Chrysler Corporation (USA) by Daimler-Benz (Germany). ...
Robert Bosch at the age of 27 Robert Bosch (September 23, 1861 - March 12, 1942), German industrialist and philanthropist, born in Albeck near Ulm as the 11th child of Servatius and Margarete Bosch, themselves children of wealthy farmers. ...
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". To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup, as it does not appear to have been written by a native English speaker. ...
Locations The Swabian Alb is not densely populated (by German standards). Most larger towns are just next to the Alb (yet the 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 are several military training grounds, some also used by NATO troops. The region has several larger and many small nature reserves. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ...
Important Towns Position of Reutlingen in Germany Reutlingen is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ...
Sigmaringen is a city in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, formerly Hohenzollern, capital of the Sigmaringen district. ...
Tübingen, Neckar front Tübingen, a traditional university town of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is situated 20 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between the River Neckar and the Ammer. ...
Göppingen is a town in southern Germany, part of the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg. ...
Ulm is a city in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube, about 100 km south-east of Stuttgart and 130 km north-west of Munich. ...
Map of Germany showing Rottweil Watershed of the Neckar River Watershed of the Rhine River 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. ...
Tourist Locations
 Burg Hohenzollern at Hechingen There are many castles, monasteries, churches, ruins and old towns. Here only a small selection. Download high resolution version (2059x1386, 322 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Download high resolution version (2059x1386, 322 KB) Explicitly allowed by the Swabia Tourist bureo, see http://www. ...
Castles Burg Hohenzollern Burg Hohenzollern is a castle in the rough vicinity of Stuttgart, Germany. ...
Churches and Monasteries Zwiefalten Abbey (in German Kloster Zwiefalten, Abtei Zwiefalten or after 1750, Reichsabtei Zwiefalten) was a Benedictine monastery situated at Zwiefalten near Reutlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. ...
Ulm is a city in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube, about 100 km south-east of Stuttgart and 130 km north-west of Munich. ...
Caves - Nebelhöhle (mist cave)
- Bärenhöhle (bear cave)
Towns Blaubeuren is a town near Ulm in Germany. ...
Tübingen, Neckar front Tübingen, a traditional university town of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is situated 20 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between the River Neckar and the Ammer. ...
Other - Blautopf
- Donauversickerung (Danube disappearing)
- Nusplingen (fossil hunting)
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. ...
Nördlingen is a town in Bavaria, Germany. ...
Map of Germany showing Aalen Aalen is a town in Germany, capital of the Ostalbkreis, in the Baden-Württemberg Bundesland. ...
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. The West face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ...
External links - Tourist website
- List of caves and other sites
- Finding fossils in Nusplingen
- Hohenzollern castle
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