!!!Bregenzerwald

Bregenzerwald, Mountain Region, Vorarlberg, forested mountain range 
between Lake Constance and Hochtannberg mountain, drained by the 
Bregenzerach river. The Bregenzerwald forms the westernmost part of 
the Austrian northern Alps and has the same geological structure as 
the eastern ranges of the Swiss Alps, which are characterised by the 
broad molasse zone with conglomeratic stone reaching up to 1,000 m 
above sea level (Nagelfluh) in the north, the Helvetian zone with 
folded limestone and marl in the middle (Hoher Freschen mountain, 
Hoher Ifen mountain, Winterstaude mountain, Kanisfluh mountain) and 
the  Flysch Zone with sandstone which is bounded by the high alpine 
limestone massifs of the northern limestone massifs in the south east 
(Zitterklapfen mountain, Widderstein mountain). The Subersach Stream, 
an eastern tributary of the Bregenzerach River, subdivides the 
Bregenzerwald into Vorderwald and Hinterwald. The Vorderwald in the 
northwest is a low mountain range, almost completely covered by 
grassland, with scattered settlements and cattle raising. The 
narrow-gauge railway "Waelderbahn" from Bregenz to Bezau (36 km 
long), built in 1902, is nowadays used as a museum railway line 
between Schwarzenberg and Bezau. The Hinterwald in the southeast has 
high alpine character (Braunarlspitze mountain 2,649 m, Hoher 
Ifen mountain 2,230 m, Kanisfluh mountain 2,044 m) and is 
partly covered with woods; mainly linear settlements. In the 
14%%sup th/%  century the Bregenzerwald and the county of Feldkirch 
became part of the Habsburg Empire; the farmers enjoyed considerable 
freedom ("Waelderparlament" in  Bezegg Pass) until the area fell under 
Bavarian rule. Economy: textile industry, power industry, tourism, 
agriculture (cattle raising, dairy farming, fruit-growing and 
viticulture). Culture: The Bregenzerwald is the home of the Vorarlberg 
School of Baroque architects and the painter A.  Kauffmann. Regional 
costumes and customs and traditions still play a major role in 
everyday life. The Bregenzerwaelderhaus farmhouse type(usually a 
two-storey building) is still common in the B. Important towns and 
villages: Hittisau, Alberschwende, Egg, Andelsbuch, Bezau, Mellau, Au, 
Damuels, Reuthe.


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