The Harz mountains are the most northerly of Germany's mountain ranges with a plethora of unique habitats. They rises up from the surrounding countryside and stretch over high plains and hills right up to the Brocken area. The park's special charm is its mountain climate and its endangered species such as the lynx. Both national parks, the Harz and Hochharz, have information centres giving visitor an insight into the ecological value of this natural space.
At the nature park's higher altitudes there are spruce woods, becoming beech and mixed beech woods at lower altitudes. A plethora of brooks and rivers criss-cross the countryside, forming deep valleys. The numerous dammed reservoirs and more than 200 kilometres long man-made trench system of the upper Harz water shelf are a unique monument to the Harz's mining history. The historical importance of the Harz as a centre of religious and worldly power is shown by the number of castles and religious buildings – such as in Goslar, where the Kaiserpfalz and old town have been designated a UNESCO world cultural heritage site.
Contact:
Regionalverband Harz
Hohe Straße 6 06484 Quedlinburg