Fränkische Saale
Encyclopedia
The Franconian Saale or is a 125 km long river
in Bavaria
, Germany
. It is a right-bank tributary
of the Main, in Lower Franconia
. It should not be confused with the larger Saxon Saale
, which is a tributary of the Elbe
River.
The Fränkische Saale flows through Bad Königshofen
, Bad Neustadt
, Bad Kissingen
, Hammelburg
and flows into the Main River in Gemünden am Main
.
east and southeast of Bad Königshofen
at the confluence of two headstreams:
The names of the two headstream sources indicate that they both claim to be the source of the Franconian Saale itself. A possible third source is Brennhausen
.
. It passes through Bad Neustadt
, Bad Bocklet
, Bad Kissingen
, Hammelburg
and Gräfendorf
to Gemünden
, where it joins the River Main from the northeast.
of the Franconian Saale is 2,765 km2. Its kilometrage is measured from its confluence with the Main (0.00 km on the Saale, 211.0 km on the Main) to its more distant source at Alsleben (135.0 km).
. These terms both have the general meaning of "flowing waters" and had already been documented by the Greek geographer, Strabo
(about 63 BC to 23 AD).
stations and weir
s were built and former flood
zones were built on.
All this has seriously affected the ecological
function of the river. Embankments and dams change its flow rate and consistency (Durchgängigkeit), destroying the unity of the river and meadow and encouraging devastating flooding. For several years the water authority in Schweinfurt
has instigated projects to try, at least in part, to return the Franconian Saale to its former ecological role by removing bank reinforcements, circumnavigating weirs and regenerating riparian woodland.
, Chub
, Ide, Grayling
, Brown trout
, Stone Loach
, Barbel
Bitterling
, Bream
, Minnow, Perch
, Gudgeon
, Dace
, Pike
, Ruffe
, Bullhead
, Nase, Roach, Rudd, Burbot
and Carp
, as well as the occasional Signal crayfish
.
, Westheim, Diebach, Gräfendorf
, Wolfsmünster and Gemünden
, as the highwater marks on historic buildings show. Bad Kissingen rarely escapes several flooding each year. However, flood protection measures involving the construction of weirs and defensive barriers have been implemented in its historic town centre.
A comprehensive list including the smaller tributaries is in the List of tributaries of the Franconian Saale.
s:
and the coupling of boats is not permitted. There is a requirement to notify organised advertised boating events. The weirs are, with a few exceptions, not navigable and boats must be carried around them.
runs along the lower course of the Franconian Saale. Until 1997 the Grabfeld Railway ran along its upper reaches linking Bad Neustadt and Bad Königshofen.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is a right-bank tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Main, in Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria , Germany ....
. It should not be confused with the larger Saxon Saale
Saale
The Saale, also known as the Saxon Saale and Thuringian Saale , is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale in Lower Saxony, a tributary of the Leine.-Course:The Saale...
, which is a tributary of the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
River.
The Fränkische Saale flows through Bad Königshofen
Bad Königshofen
Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld is a small spa town in the Rhön-Grabfeld district, in the north east of Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany on the Franconian Saale a few kilometers from the border with Thuringia.Several smaller villages exist within the town limits:...
, Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district in Lower Franconia. It is situated on the rivers Fränkische Saale and Brend, near the Rhön Mountains, 30 km north of Schweinfurt, and 47 km southeast of Fulda.- Town structure :Between...
, Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
, Hammelburg
Hammelburg
Hammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
and flows into the Main River in Gemünden am Main
Gemünden am Main
Gemünden am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and lies roughly 40 km down the Main from Würzburg.- Location :...
.
Headwaters
The Franconian Saale begins in the region of GrabfeldGrabfeld
The Grabfeld is a region in Germany, on the border between Bavaria and Thuringia. It is situated southeast of the Rhön Mountains. Its highest elevation is 679 m . The Grabfeld gave its name to the Bavarian district Rhön-Grabfeld and the Thuringian municipality Grabfeld....
east and southeast of Bad Königshofen
Bad Königshofen
Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld is a small spa town in the Rhön-Grabfeld district, in the north east of Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany on the Franconian Saale a few kilometers from the border with Thuringia.Several smaller villages exist within the town limits:...
at the confluence of two headstreams:
- The Saalbrunnen, its northern headstream, rises at the so-called "Source of the Franconian Saale" (Fränkische Saale Quelle), 1.7 km east of AlslebenTrappstadtTrappstadt is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany.-Famous Residents of the Village:* Joseph Brunner Born in Trappstadt and died in Altenstein - Suggested oldest Man in the World but new information suggests may have been born in 1739 * Marcus Goldman...
(a district of TrappstadtTrappstadtTrappstadt is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany.-Famous Residents of the Village:* Joseph Brunner Born in Trappstadt and died in Altenstein - Suggested oldest Man in the World but new information suggests may have been born in 1739 * Marcus Goldman...
) on the road to GompertshausenGompertshausenGompertshausen is a municipality in the district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany....
below the 390 metre high Kapellenberg at a height of 313 metres above sea level (NN). The first enclosed wellspring was made of sandstone in the 1940s, it was redesigned in 1973, but its present appearance dates to 1985. Since 1987, it has had a bronze plaque by the artist, Erich Husemann, affixed to it, explaining the significance of the Franconian Saale.
- The Salzloch, the southern headstream of the Franconian Saale, rises a few miles to the south near the mill of Heckenmühle at the "Source of the Saale" (Saale Quelle), which is found near Obereßfeld (part of the municipality of Sulzdorf an der LederheckeSulzdorf an der LederheckeSulzdorf an der Lederhecke is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. The Gemeinde is composed of six villages and one hamlet, Brennhausen.-References:*REINHOLD ALBERT: Chronik der Gemeinde Sulzdorf an der Lederhecke. hrsg...
). It is also known as the Saalegraben und Dagigbach and its confluence with the northern stream is near Bad Königshofen-Untereßfeld.
The names of the two headstream sources indicate that they both claim to be the source of the Franconian Saale itself. A possible third source is Brennhausen
Brennhausen
Brennhausen is a castle in the municipality of Sulzdorf a.d.Lederhecke in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. It is located the Haßberge Nature Park.-Houses of Springs:...
.
Course and mouth
From the confluence of its headwaters, south-east of Bath Königshofen, the Franconian Saale flows in a broadly southwesterly direction along the southeastern edge of the Rhön MountainsRhön Mountains
The Rhön Mountains are a group of low mountains in central Germany, located around the border area where the states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia come together. These mountains, which are at the extreme southeast end of the East Hesse Highlands , are partly a result of ancient volcanic activity...
. It passes through Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district in Lower Franconia. It is situated on the rivers Fränkische Saale and Brend, near the Rhön Mountains, 30 km north of Schweinfurt, and 47 km southeast of Fulda.- Town structure :Between...
, Bad Bocklet
Bad Bocklet
Bad Bocklet is a municipality in the district of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in Germany. It is a market town and a health spa.-Geography:Bad Bocklet lies in a bend in the river Fränkische Saale in Franconia about 10 km north of the district capital Bad Kissingen...
, Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
, Hammelburg
Hammelburg
Hammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
and Gräfendorf
Gräfendorf
Gräfendorf is a community in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Gemünden am Main....
to Gemünden
Gemünden am Main
Gemünden am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and lies roughly 40 km down the Main from Würzburg.- Location :...
, where it joins the River Main from the northeast.
Catchment area
The water catchment areaDrainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Franconian Saale is 2,765 km2. Its kilometrage is measured from its confluence with the Main (0.00 km on the Saale, 211.0 km on the Main) to its more distant source at Alsleben (135.0 km).
Name
The Franconian Saale is mentioned for the first time in the year 777 under the names Salu and Sala in a register from the town of FuldaFulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
. These terms both have the general meaning of "flowing waters" and had already been documented by the Greek geographer, Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
(about 63 BC to 23 AD).
Ecology
The Franconian Saale has been altered by man for centuries in order to farm the Saale valley more intensively. The river was straightened by cutting across its meanders. The width of the river has also been standardized for long sections. Riparian forests were cleared and its banks reinforced, water mills and small hydropowerHydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
stations and weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
s were built and former flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
zones were built on.
All this has seriously affected the ecological
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
function of the river. Embankments and dams change its flow rate and consistency (Durchgängigkeit), destroying the unity of the river and meadow and encouraging devastating flooding. For several years the water authority in Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
has instigated projects to try, at least in part, to return the Franconian Saale to its former ecological role by removing bank reinforcements, circumnavigating weirs and regenerating riparian woodland.
Fauna
The Franconian Saale is a habitat for the European eelEuropean eel
The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They can reach in exceptional cases a length of 1½ m, but are normally much smaller, about 60–80 cm, and rarely more than 1 m....
, Chub
European chub
The European chub , sometimes called the round chub, fat chub, chevin, pollard or simply "the" chub, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae...
, Ide, Grayling
Grayling (species)
The grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus. Native to the Palearctic ecozone, the grayling is widespread throughout northern Europe, from the United Kingdom and France to the Ural Mountains in Russia...
, Brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, Stone Loach
Stone Loach
The Stone loach, Barbatula barbatula, is a species of ray-finned fish in the Balitoridae family.It is found in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein,...
, Barbel
Barbus barbus
Barbus barbus is a species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family of minnows and carps. It shares the common name "barbel" with its many relatives in the genus Barbus and is properly known as the Common Barbel.B...
Bitterling
Rhodeus amarus
The European Bitterling, Rhodeus amarus, is a temperate freshwater fish belonging to the Acheilognathinae sub-family of the Cyprinidae family. It originates in Europe, ranging from the Rhone River basin in France to the Neva River in Russia...
, Bream
Carp bream
The common bream, freshwater bream, bream, bronze bream or carp bream, Abramis brama, is a European species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae....
, Minnow, Perch
European perch
The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is a predatory species of perch found in Europe and Asia. In some areas it is known as the redfin perch or English perch, and it is often known simply as perch. The species is a popular quarry for anglers and has been widely introduced beyond its native area,...
, Gudgeon
Gudgeon (fish)
Gudgeon is a common name for a number of small freshwater fishes of the families Cyprinidae, Eleotridae or Ptereleotridae. Most gudgeons are elongate, bottom-dwelling fish, many of which live in rapids and other fast moving water....
, Dace
Common dace
The common dace , also known as the dace or the Eurasian dace, is a fresh- or brackish-water fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. It is an inhabitant of the rivers and streams of Europe north of the Alps as well as in Asia. It is most abundant in France and Germany, and has also spread to...
, Pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, Ruffe
Ruffe
The Eurasian Ruffe or simply Ruffe is a freshwater fish found in temperate regions of Europe and northern Asia. It has been introduced into the Great Lakes of North America, reportedly with unfortunate results...
, Bullhead
European bullhead
The bullhead is a freshwater fish that is widely distributed in Europe, mainly in rivers. It is a member of the Cottidae family, a type of sculpin...
, Nase, Roach, Rudd, Burbot
Burbot
The burbot is the only gadiform fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk...
and Carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
, as well as the occasional Signal crayfish
Signal crayfish
The signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus, is a North American species of crayfish. It was introduced to Europe in the 1960s to supplement the Scandinavian Astacus astacus fisheries, which were being damaged by crayfish plague, but the imports turned out to be a carrier of that disease...
.
Flooding
Towns and villages close to the Saale that are particularly affected by regular flooding are Bad KissingenBad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
, Westheim, Diebach, Gräfendorf
Gräfendorf
Gräfendorf is a community in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Gemünden am Main....
, Wolfsmünster and Gemünden
Gemünden am Main
Gemünden am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and lies roughly 40 km down the Main from Würzburg.- Location :...
, as the highwater marks on historic buildings show. Bad Kissingen rarely escapes several flooding each year. However, flood protection measures involving the construction of weirs and defensive barriers have been implemented in its historic town centre.
Water gauges
Water gauges are located in Bad Kissingen (the Prinzregentenbau Gauge) and Wolfsmünster (Saale Bridge Gauge). The measurements are published by the Schweinfurt Water Authority (Wasserwirtschaftsamt Schweinfurt).Tributaries
After the confluence of the two headstreams the following tributaries flow into the Franconian Saale:- The Krummengraben near Bad Königshofen (from the right)
- The Barget near Kleineibstadt (from the left)
- The MilzMilz (river)Milz is a river of Bavaria, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Bavaria...
near Saal an der SaaleSaal an der SaaleSaal an der Saale is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. It is situated on the river Fränkische Saale. The municipality consists the two townships Saal an der Saale and Waltershausen....
(from the right) - The StreuStreu (river)Streu is a river of Bavaria, Germany....
near HeustreuHeustreuHeustreu is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in lower Franconia in Germany.Heustreu is situated in the Main-Rhön region in the very north of lower Franconia. The Rhön mountains are a low mountain range in the very north of Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia...
(from the right) - The BrendBrend (river)The river Brend is a right-bank tributary of the Fränkische Saale , in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the district Rhön-Grabfeld.Its source is in Oberweißenbrunn, which is part of the town Bischofsheim...
in Bad NeustadtBad NeustadtBad Neustadt is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district in Lower Franconia. It is situated on the rivers Fränkische Saale and Brend, near the Rhön Mountains, 30 km north of Schweinfurt, and 47 km southeast of Fulda.- Town structure :Between...
(from the right) - The LauerLauer (river)Lauer is a river of Bavaria, Germany....
near NiederlauerNiederlauerNiederlauer is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany....
(from the left) - der Kellersbach between Steinach and Roth an der Saale (from the right)
- The Aschach near Aschach (from the right)
- The ThulbaThulbaThulba is a river of Bavaria, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Bavaria...
near HammelburgHammelburgHammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
(from the right) - The SchondraSchondra (river)Schondra is a river of Bavaria, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Bavaria...
in GräfendorfGräfendorfGräfendorf is a community in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Gemünden am Main....
(from the right) - The SinnSinn (river)The Sinn is a river that flows through the state of Hesse and the Bavarian province of Lower Franconia in southern Germany. It is about long and is a right, northerly tributary of the Franconian Saale.- Course :...
in Gemünden (from the right)
A comprehensive list including the smaller tributaries is in the List of tributaries of the Franconian Saale.
Towns on the Franconian Saale
The Franconian Saale flow through or past the following towns:- Bad BockletBad BockletBad Bocklet is a municipality in the district of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in Germany. It is a market town and a health spa.-Geography:Bad Bocklet lies in a bend in the river Fränkische Saale in Franconia about 10 km north of the district capital Bad Kissingen...
- Bad KissingenBad KissingenBad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
- Bad Königshofen
- Bad Neustadt an der Saale
- ElfershausenElfershausenElfershausen is a municipality in the district of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in Germany.Elfershausen is a market town or municipality that includes the following towns:*Elfershausen*Engenthal*Langendorf*Machtilshausen*Trimberg-History:...
- EuerdorfEuerdorfEuerdorf is a municipality in the district of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in Germany.-Geography:Euerdorf lies in the Main-Rhön region at the confluence of Sulz brook and the Saale River.-Divisions of the municipality:...
- GräfendorfGräfendorfGräfendorf is a community in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Gemünden am Main....
- Gemünden am MainGemünden am MainGemünden am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and lies roughly 40 km down the Main from Würzburg.- Location :...
- GroßeibstadtGroßeibstadtGroßeibstadt is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. The municipality consists of the following villages: Großeibstadt and Kleineibstadt. The township is a member of the administrative community called "Verwaltungsgemeinschaft" Saal an der Saale....
- HammelburgHammelburgHammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
- HollstadtHollstadtHollstadt is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany....
- Kleineibstadt
- NiederlauerNiederlauerNiederlauer is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany....
- Saal an der SaaleSaal an der SaaleSaal an der Saale is a municipality in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. It is situated on the river Fränkische Saale. The municipality consists the two townships Saal an der Saale and Waltershausen....
- Wülfershausen an der Saale
Castles in the Saale valley
There are several picturesque castles in the Saale valley:- The Salzburg near Bad NeustadtBad NeustadtBad Neustadt is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district in Lower Franconia. It is situated on the rivers Fränkische Saale and Brend, near the Rhön Mountains, 30 km north of Schweinfurt, and 47 km southeast of Fulda.- Town structure :Between...
- The ruins of Steineck Castle near Roth an der Saale
- AschachCastle in Aschach
- Ruins of Botenlauben Castle near Bad KissingenBad KissingenBad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
- Eiringsburg near Bad KissingenBad KissingenBad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
- The ruins of Aura Castle above Aura an der SaaleAura an der SaaleAura an der Saale is a municipality in the district of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in Germany.-Geography:Aura lies on the left bank of the Saale in Franconia about 7 km from the district capital of Bad Kissingen. It is the smallest municipality in the district.-History:A Benedictine monastery...
- The Trimburg above TrimbergElfershausenElfershausen is a municipality in the district of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria in Germany.Elfershausen is a market town or municipality that includes the following towns:*Elfershausen*Engenthal*Langendorf*Machtilshausen*Trimberg-History:...
- The Red Castle in HammelburgHammelburgHammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
- Saaleck Castle above HammelburgHammelburgHammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
- ArnsteinCastle near Morlesau
- KiliansteinCastle auf dem SodenbergSodenbergSodenberg is a 481m high basalt cone , the remnant of an extinct volcanic crater, located in the Franconian Saale , in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia...
- Thüngensch Castle in Wolfsmünster
- The Scherenburg in GemündenGemünden am MainGemünden am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and lies roughly 40 km down the Main from Würzburg.- Location :...
Bridges over the Saale
Important crossings include:- A 71Bundesautobahn 71is an Autobahn under construction in Germany. When completed, it will connect the A 38 and Erfurt to the A 70 near Schweinfurt.Construction on the A 71, supervised by DEGES, began in 1996, most parts were being opened by December 2005. Completion is projected for 2008...
motorway bridge at km post 108.3 near Hollstadt - B 279 road bridge at km post 108.0 near Hollstadt
- SchweinfurtSchweinfurtSchweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
– SchmalkaldenSchmalkalden- Notable people :*Christoph Cellarius, scholar, born 22 November 1638, died 4 June 1707 in Halle*Christian Karl August Ludwig von Massenbach, colonel, born 16 April 1758, died 21 November 1827 at Białokosz...
main line railway bridge at km post 99.8 - B 19 road bridge at km post 96.5 near Bad NeustadtBad NeustadtBad Neustadt is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district in Lower Franconia. It is situated on the rivers Fränkische Saale and Brend, near the Rhön Mountains, 30 km north of Schweinfurt, and 47 km southeast of Fulda.- Town structure :Between...
- Bad KissingenBad KissingenBad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
road bridge at km post 60.4 - Two road bridges at km post 51.5 near Euerdorf
- Road bridge at km post 48.0 in Aura linking Groß- and Klein-Aura
- Saale Valley RailwayFranconian Saale Valley RailwayThe Franconian Saale Valley Railway is a 55 kilometre long, single-tracked, railway line in the northern part of the province of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany...
bridge at km post 44.2 near Trimberg - Road bridge at km post 41.5 at the edge of Elfershausen
- A 7 Kassel-Würzburg motorway bridge at km post 41.0
- B 287 road bridge at km post 32.8 in Hammelburg-Fuchsstadt
- Hammelburg ring road bridge at km post 29.8
- Road bridge at km post 26.4 in Hammelburg
- Road bridge at km post 20.0 in Morlesau
- Roßmühle pontoon bridge at km post 17.1 near Weikersgrüben
- Road bridge at km post 15.0 in Michelau
- Road bridge at km post 9.8 near Schonderfeld
- Historic road bridge at km post 7.9 in Wolfsmünster
- Footbridge at km post 4.0 near Schönau Abbey
- Two road bridges at km post 0.6 in Gemünden
- Main-Spessart RailwayMain-Spessart RailwayThe Main-Spessart Railway is a 110 kilometre long railway line in the Bavarian province of Lower Franconia and the neighbouring state of Hesse in south central Germany. It runs from Würzburg via Gemünden and Aschaffenburg to Hanau...
(WürzburgWürzburgWürzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
-Frankfurt am Main) bridge at km post 0.1 in Gemünden
Weirs
There are numerous weirs on the Franconian Saale, originally built in order to drive water mills, but today some are used to generate electricity. All weirs are equipped with fish ladderFish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...
s:
- Weir at km post 58.5 near Bad Kissingen
- Weir at km post 50.5 Karwinkelsmühle
- Two weirs at km post 48.0 near Aura
- Weir at km post 43.8 near Trimberg
- Saalemühle mill weir at km post 41.9 near Elfershausen
- Weir at km post 38.5 near Langendorf
- Weir at km post 37.7 near Westheim
- Fuchsstätter Mühlen mill weir at km post 36.8
- Hammelburg Herrenmühle mill weir at km post 29.1
- Weir at the old power station for Altstadt Abbey (Hammelburg) at km post 28.1
- Saaleck Castle weir at km post 27.6
- Rödermühle mill weir km post 24.1
- Weir at km post 22.5 Neumühle power station
- at km post 17.0 Weir Roßmühle power station
- Weir at km post 7.7 Wolfsmünster
- Schönau Abbey weir at km post 4.0
- Weir at km post 1.5 Gemünden (ruined)
Water sport
In spite of the many weirs the Franconian Saale is popular with canoeists as a slowly flowing and dreamy verträumter river route. The river may be canoed from Bad Neustadt to Gemünden with a few restrictions. There is also night canoeing from 01 March to 31 July between 18:00 and 7:00, otherwise between 21:00 and 07:00. Boots may have up to four seats, be no longer than 6.00 metres and no wider than 1.10 metres. RaftingRafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
and the coupling of boats is not permitted. There is a requirement to notify organised advertised boating events. The weirs are, with a few exceptions, not navigable and boats must be carried around them.
The Saale Valley Railway
The railway line from Bad Kissingen to Gemünden via Hammelburg and Gräfendorf known as the Saale Valley RailwayFranconian Saale Valley Railway
The Franconian Saale Valley Railway is a 55 kilometre long, single-tracked, railway line in the northern part of the province of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany...
runs along the lower course of the Franconian Saale. Until 1997 the Grabfeld Railway ran along its upper reaches linking Bad Neustadt and Bad Königshofen.