Where Is the Black Forest?

The Black Forest gets its name from the dense canopy of dark evergreen firs and spruces that historically made the interior so dark that little sunlight reached the forest floor. It stretches from Pforzheim in the north to Waldshut on the Swiss border in the south, with its highest peak, Feldberg, at 1,493 metres. The region has been inhabited since the Stone Age, but was considered impenetrable wilderness by the Romans, who called it "Silva Nigra" (Black Forest). It is the source of the Danube River (from Donaueschingen) and the Neckar and Kinzig rivers. The Black Forest has a rich cultural heritage: cuckoo clocks originated here in the 1740s, Black Forest ham and Black Forest gateau (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte) are famous German culinary exports, and the forest inspired many Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Today it is Germany largest nature park (3,700 square kilometres), a major tourist destination with hiking trails, spa towns (like Baden-Baden), and ski resorts.