Always a borderline case

Humans and the Großer Arber

For many centuries now, the Großer Arber has been a mountain held close to people’s hearts. Various countries have laid claim to the highest point of the Bavarian-Bohemian Forest, and so borders have changed many times.

A protracted dispute between Bavaria and Bohemia led to the creation of a map in 1514, when for the first time, the border running through the Bohemian Forest was charted. The first official border survey took place in 1596, when 82 people from the surrounding settlements climbed the Arber to show that the mountain is in Bavaria. Later, however, the borders changed again, and the Hofmark Eisenstein with the Arber was annexed by Bohemia from 1708 to 1764.

Since 1872, most of the Großer Arber and the surrounding forest areas have been owned by the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Today, unnoticed by most visitors, the boundaries between the municipalities of Bayerisch Eisenstein and Lohberg, the districts of Regen and Cham, and the administrative districts of Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate run across the summit of the Arber.

A brief history:

1806      Construction of the first Arber Chapel

1886      Construction of the first mountain hut

1892       First ascent of the Großer Arber on skis

1903      Construction of the first shelter

1936      Construction of the second shelter

1949      Opening of the first ski lift

1983      Completion of the NATO radar and meteorology station

1993      First snowmaking system

1999      Construction of the 6-seater gondola lift

2012       Construction of a disabled access lift at the mountain station

2015       General renovation of the Arber Chapel

A great team!

Humans have always felt a close affinity with the Großer Arber. Much of the summit has been excavated to house a major Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) facility. “Giant golf balls, ice cream scoops, salt and pepper shakers”. There are many names for the two radar towers. What do the radar towers remind you of?