German Timber-Frame Road

The German Timber-Frame Road is a German tourist route leading from the river Elbe in the north to the Black Forest and Lake Constance in the south. Numerous cities and towns each with examples of the vernacular timber-framed houses traditional to the German states are situated along the road. The total length of the route is nearly.
The route is divided into seven sections, each of which follow the traditional areas of: Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Hesse, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg.

History

In 1975, the 'ARGE Historische Fachwerkstädte e.V.' was founded. Its aim is to preserve the cultural heritage of a huge variety of different styles of half-timbering in Germany. To share this knowledge with other interested people, the 'German Timber-Frame Road' was founded in 1990. In the meantime, more than 100 timber-framed towns have joined up under the slogan "Timber-framed houses unite".

Sights

The German Timber-Frame Road runs almost the entire length of Germany and therefore links many varied landscapes, historic cities and carefully restored sites and monuments. Numerous events, festivals and markets throughout the year are publicised as part of the route's attractions.

Regional routes

The German Timber-Frame Road is divided into the following seven regional sections, roughly from north to south:

From the river Elbe to the Weser Uplands
From the river Elbe plains to the Harz mountains
From the Weser Uplands via Northern Hesse to the Vogelsberg mountains and the Spessart mountains
From the Harz mountains to the Thuringian Forest
From the river Lahn valley to the Rhine District
From the river Rhine to the river Main and the Odenwald mountains
From the river Neckar to the Black Forest and Lake Constance