Königsheide (Fichtel Mountains)

The Königsheide in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains is a high, forested ridge, made of gneiss-phyllite rock, to the southwest of the Ochsenkopf mountain. It is bordered to the east and south by the river of the Warme Steinach, and to the west by the Franconian Line. The villages of Warmensteinach and Weidenberg and the town of Goldkronach lie on the Königsheide.

In a narrower sense the Königsheide refers to the partly boggy high plateau around its highest peak, the Hohberg (863 m above sea level (NN)). The origin of the name of this forested ridge has not been fully established. In 1317 the region was called Wulwingesheide and then, in 1542, the Königsheide ("King's Heath").

Access

The wooded area is a state forest; there are no public roads, only forestry tracks. Local history researchers have determined that an important historic road (Altstraße) ran from Nemmersdorf (part of Goldkronach) over the ridge to Warmensteinach. It came from the Franconian Jura and went to Eger, which is why it is referred in the literature as Egerer Straße ("The Eger Road").