Upper Palatinate

The Upper Palatinate is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany, and is located in the east of Bavaria. It consists of seven districts and 226 municipalities (including three cities). Geography The Upper Palatinate is a landscape with low mountains and numerous ponds and lakes in its lowland regions. By contrast with other regions of Germany it is more rural in character and more sparsely settled. It borders (clockwise from the north) on Upper Franconia, the Czech Republic, Lower Bavaria, Upper Bavaria and Middle Franconia. Notable regions are: Stiftland, former estate and territorial lordship of Waldsassen Abbey with the market town of Konnersreuth, Fockenfeld Abbey, the town of Waldsassen and about 150 other villages. Upper Palatine Forest with deep valleys and many castles Upper Palatine Lake District with the Steinberger See Upper Palatine Jura, part of the Franconian Jura Steinwald including the Teichelberg and Pechbrunn Waldnaab/Wondreb Depression Bavarian Forest, together with the Bohemian Forest a large-scale protected area. A rock outcrop west of the summit cross of the Großer Arber is 1,439.6 m, the highest point in Upper Palatinate. Kunisch Mountains Naab valley Vils valley Danube valley, western part of the Gäuboden Lower Bavarian Hills south of the Danube History At the beginning of the High Middle Ages the region now known as the Upper Palatinate was part of the Bavarian March of the Nordgau. The region took its current name no earlier than the early 14th century.