Top 20 Natural Monuments around Hungen

Origin from the Wölfersheim opencast mine From 1937, the Braunkohlen-Schwel-Kraftwerk Hessen-Frankfurt AG (HEFRAG), a subsidiary of the Preußische Elektrizitäts AG (PREAG), operated several brown coal opencast mines in the Wetterau lignite mining area to supply the Wölfersheim opencast power plant. One of the first of these was the Wölfersheim opencast mine, right next to the power plant. After the fields there had been mined out in 1943, they were partially filled with waste and the area was recultivated. This left several remaining holes, which filled with groundwater over time. In addition to the largest, the Wölfersheimer See with 37 hectares, there are two smaller lakes a few hundred meters further east (Schwelteich in the Schwelteich nature reserve of Echzell) and to the north (Heldteich). Overall, the water areas take up less than half of the former open-cast mine.

The Wölfersheimer See is a lake east of the Hesse town of Wölfersheim. At almost 40 hectares, the lake is the largest in the Wetterau. It was created as an opencast mine residue lake after the closure of the Wölfersheim lignite opencast mine. It was later used as a cooling pond for the Wölfersheim power plant. Today it serves as a natural area, as a sailing area, as a fishing area and for local recreation. Swimming is prohibited. The lake (2023) no longer contains oxygen from a depth of two and a half meters; According to the State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, the phosphate content is 15 to 20 times higher than is acceptable for inland water.

A detour to the sequoia trees not far from the reservoir is highly recommended. They are giant sequoias from North America - the largest trees in the Vogelsberg.

The leisure lake is a popular meeting place for athletes, weekend trippers, anglers, walkers and those seeking relaxation. Boat rental, surfing and sailing school, a large children's playground and sunny meadows provide variety. The 5 kilometer long asphalted circular path around the reservoir is ideal for inline skaters, cyclists and skaters as well as for a relaxing walk. Benches and sensory loungers invite you to rest along the way.

The giant sequoia stands southwest of the town of Schotten in the Vogelsberg district in Hesse and is a natural monument. The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), also known as the mountain sequoia, is located north of the Schotten district of Wingershausen, about one kilometer southeast of the Nidda reservoir and west of the Vogelsberg in the Hoher Vogelsberg Nature Park. It stands 315 meters above sea level on an open area of about 100 by 60 meters, sloping to the north in the Upper Läunsbachschneise within a forest area in the former Läunsbachkamp nursery. Three other giant sequoias stand immediately north of the clearing within the forest, two of them close together at the Heller-Häuschen, a small forest house that used to belong to the old nursery of the village of Rainrod. The Sauberg nature trail, which begins and ends on the banks of the Nidda reservoir, leads past the sequoia. In the immediate vicinity there is an information board about the sequoia from the 1960s. The sequoia was planted in the spring of 1900 by the forester Schott on the occasion of the birth of his son. The young plant came from the Gießen Botanical Garden and had been bred by senior forester Walther, the head of the Griesheim forestry office near Darmstadt at the time. He had received the seeds from the plant collector Carl Albert Purpus via the Darmstadt tree nursery Appel. https://www.biologie-seite.de/Biologie/Riesenmammutbaum_bei_Schotten?utm_content=cmp-true

The giant sequoia stands southwest of the town of Schotten in the Vogelsberg district in Hesse and is a natural monument. The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), also known as the mountain sequoia, is located north of the Schotten district of Wingershausen, about one kilometer southeast of the Nidda reservoir and west of the Vogelsberg in the Hoher Vogelsberg Nature Park. It stands 315 meters above sea level on an approximately 100 by 60 meter large open space sloping to the north in the Obere Läunsbachschneise within a forest area in the former Läunsbachkamp nursery. The Sauberg nature trail, which begins and ends on the banks of the Nidda reservoir, leads past the sequoia. In the immediate vicinity there is an information board about the sequoia from the 1960s. The sequoia was planted in the spring of 1900 by the forester Schott to mark the birth of his son. The young plant came from the Gießen Botanical Garden and had been bred by senior forester Walther, the head of the Griesheim forestry office near Darmstadt at the time. He had received the seeds from the plant collector Carl Albert Purpus via the Darmstadt tree nursery Appel. https://www.biologie-seite.de/Biologie/Riesenmammutbaum_bei_Schotten?utm_content=cmp-true

The Nidda rises at Hoherodskopf, flows through Schotten in a small stream and is stopped by the Niddatalsperre directly at the southern end of the town. The result is the 65 hectare Niddastausee and a wonderful local recreation area. Surrounded by meadows and forests, the reservoir is one of the largest lakes in Hesse. The recreational lake is a popular meeting place for athletes, weekend trippers, anglers, walkers and those looking for relaxation. Boat rentals, surfing and sailing schools, a large children's playground and sunny meadows provide variety. https://www.tourist-schotten.de/schotten/niddastausee.html

The Nidda Reservoir (Niddatalsperre) covers an area of approximately 65 hectares and is located between Schotten and Rainrod in the Nidda Valley. The reservoir is surrounded by meadows and forests and is a wonderful local recreation area. The swimming and leisure lake is a popular meeting place for athletes, weekenders, walkers, and those seeking relaxation, offering a wide range of leisure activities. Sailors and surfers enjoy their hobby here just as much as anglers and campers. The beautifully situated, year-round campsite has won several awards. A paved circular hiking trail around the lake is five kilometers long and ideal for inline skaters, cyclists, and skaters, as well as for a relaxing stroll. Benches and sensory loungers invite you to rest along the way. https://www.freizeit-mittelhessen.de/content/niddastausee.html