Location and extent
The Harz has a length of 110 kilometres (68 mi), stretching from the town of Seesen in the northwest to Eislebenin the east, and a width of 35 kilometres (22 mi). It occupies an area of

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Origins
The Harz is the most geologically diverse of the German Mittelgebirge, although it is overwhelmingly dominated by base-poor rocks. The most common rocks lying on the surface are argillaceous shales, slaty (geschieferte)

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Flora
The vegetation of the Harz mountains is divided into six altitudinal zones:
• Subalpine zone: Brocken summit, over 1,000 m above NN

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Historic mining industry
The mining industry in the Harz has its origins about 3,000 years ago during the Bronze Age. The seven Upper Harz mining towns –

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Tourism is very important to the Harz, although the prevalence of cheap air travel has led to a decline in recent years. There are many spa towns, and almost every village in the Harz and

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The main dialects of the Harz region are Eastphalian and Thuringian.
A feature of the Upper Harz is, or was, the Upper Harz dialect

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The Harz was first mentioned as Hartingowe in an 814 deed by the Carolingian King Louis the Pious. Settlement within the mountains began only 1000 years ago, as in

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