The Fichtelgebirge could be called the “roof of Franconia” since there are no higher
mountains than the twelve peaks forming the horseshoe of the Fichtelgebirge. With
more than 1000 meters, the Schneeberg mountain and the Ochsenkopf mountain
tower above the land, especially above the area around the city of Bayreuth which
lies considerably lower. On a clear day, the peaks of the Fichtelgebirge offer breathtaking
panoramic views into the Franconian Forest, the Ore Mountains, the Upper-
Palatinate Forest and the Czech Emperor’s forest (Slavkovsy Les). Hikers will find
observation decks on almost all peaks or structures to climb the rocky towers. The
wide views had already been of importance in earlier times. In the middle ages, wellfortified
castles crowned the peaks of Rudolfstein, Waldstein, Epprechtstein, Luxburg
(today Luisenburg) and Kornberg.
Our tip: if you wish to see all the peaks at once, you will want to go to Röslau. At the
end of the town towards Dürnberg, you will find the “twelve-peak-view” or
“Zwölfgipfelblick” at the geographical middle of the Fichtelgebirge. From this point,
you can see all of the horseshoe’s expanse.