The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale (german: Sächsische Saale) and Thuringian Saale (german: Thüringische Saale), is a river in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and a left-bank
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the
Main
Main may refer to:
Geography
* Main River (disambiguation)
**Most commonly the Main (river) in Germany
* Main, Iran, a village in Fars Province
*"Spanish Main", the Caribbean coasts of mainland Spanish territories in the 16th and 17th centuries
...
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
''hélos'' 'marsh, meadow',
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
''sáras'' 'lake, pond', ''Sárasvati'' 'sacred river', Old Persian ''Harauvati'' ' Hārūt River; Arachosia', Avestan ''Haraxvatī'', idem. It may also be related to the Indo-European root *''sal'', "salt".
The Slavic name of the Saale, ''Solawa'', still found in Sorbian texts, comes from
Old High German
Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050.
There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old High ...
''sol'', "salt", and ''awa'', "water".
Course
The Saale originates on the slope of the Großer Waldstein mountain near
Zell Zell may refer to:
Places Austria
* Zell am See, in Salzburg state
* Zell am Ziller, in Tyrol
* Zell, Carinthia, in Carinthia
* in Upper Austria:
** Bad Zell
** Zell am Moos
** Zell an der Pram
** Zell am Pettenfirst
Germany
* Zell im Fichtelg ...
in the
Fichtelgebirge
The Fichtel MountainsRandlesome, C. et al. (2011). ''Business Cultures in Europe'', 2nd ed., Routledge, Abingdon and New York, p. 52. . (german: Fichtelgebirge, cs, Smrčiny), form a small horseshoe-shaped mountain range in northeastern Bavaria ...
in
Upper Franconia
Upper Franconia (german: Oberfranken) is a ''Regierungsbezirk'' (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle F ...
(
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
), at an elevation of . It pursues a winding course in a northern direction, and after passing the manufacturing town of Hof, enters
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and lar ...
. It flows amid well-wooded low mountains of the
Thuringian Forest
The Thuringian Forest (''Thüringer Wald'' in German), is a mountain range in the southern parts of the German state of Thuringia, running northwest to southeast. Skirting from its southerly source in foothills to a gorge on its north-west side i ...
until it reaches the valley of
Saalfeld
Saalfeld (german: Saalfeld/Saale) is a town in Germany, capital of the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district of Thuringia. It is best known internationally as the ancestral seat of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha branch of the Saxon House of Wettin.
Geography ...
. After leaving Saalfeld the Saale reaches Rudolstadt. Here it receives the waters of the Schwarza, in whose valley lies the ruined castle of Schwarzburg, the ancestral seat of the formerly ruling House of Schwarzburg.
From Saalfeld the Saale enters the limestone hill region north of the Thuringian Forest, and sweeps beneath the hills enclosing the
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
Bad Kösen
Bad Kösen () is a spa town on the Saale river in the small wine-growing region of Saale-Unstrut, Germany. It is a former municipality in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt. Bad Kösen has a population of around 5,300. Since 1 Janu ...
and, after receiving the deep and navigable Unstrut at Naumburg, flows past
Weißenfels
Weißenfels (; often written in English as Weissenfels) is the largest town of the Burgenlandkreis district, in southern Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approximately south of Halle.
History
Perhaps the fir ...
Bernburg
Bernburg (Saale) is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the Salzlandkreis district. The former residence of the Anhalt-Bernburg princes is known for its Renaissance castle.
Geography
The town centre is situated in the fertile Magdeburg ...
and Calbe. It finally joins the Elbe just above Barby, after traversing a distance of —shortened by a bypass from its natural length of .
The Saale is navigable from Naumburg and is also planned connected from Leuna with the
White Elster
The White Elster Accessed on 16 Jan 2011. (, ) is a long river in central
Leipzig by an unfinished canal. The soil of the lower part of its valley is exceptionally fertile, and produces, amongst other crops, large supplies of sugar beet. Among its tributaries are the White Elster, Southern and Northern Regnitz and Orla on the right bank, and the
Ilm Ilm or ILM may refer to:
Acronyms
* Identity Lifecycle Manager, a Microsoft Server Product
* '' I Love Money,'' a TV show on VH1
* Independent Loading Mechanism, a mounting system for CPU sockets
* Industrial Light & Magic, an American motion ...
, Unstrut, Salza, Wipper and Bode on the left. Its upper course is rapid. Its valley, down to Merseburg, contains many castles which crown the enclosing heights.
Geography
Originating in
Zell Zell may refer to:
Places Austria
* Zell am See, in Salzburg state
* Zell am Ziller, in Tyrol
* Zell, Carinthia, in Carinthia
* in Upper Austria:
** Bad Zell
** Zell am Moos
** Zell an der Pram
** Zell am Pettenfirst
Germany
* Zell im Fichtelg ...
Oberkotzau
Oberkotzau is a municipality in Upper Franconia in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe af ...
Blankenstein
Blankenstein is a village and a former municipality in the district Saale-Orla-Kreis, in Thuringia, Germany. Since 1 January 2019, it is part of the municipality Rosenthal am Rennsteig
Rosenthal am Rennsteig is a municipality in the district Saa ...
Saalburg
The Saalburg is a Roman fort located on the main ridge of the Taunus, northwest of Bad Homburg, Hesse, Germany. It is a cohort fort, part of the Limes Germanicus, the Roman linear border fortification of the German provinces. The Saalburg, ...
Ziegenrück
Ziegenrück is a town in the Saale-Orla-Kreis district, in southern Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, 22 km east of Saalfeld, and 35 km south of Jena
Jena () is a German city and the second largest city in Thu ...
Saalfeld
Saalfeld (german: Saalfeld/Saale) is a town in Germany, capital of the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district of Thuringia. It is best known internationally as the ancestral seat of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha branch of the Saxon House of Wettin.
Geography ...
Orlamünde
Orlamünde () is a small town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is part of the ''Verwaltungsgemeinschaft'' ("collective municipality") Südliches Saaletal.
Geography
The town centre stretches along the steep banks of th ...
Kahla
Kahla () is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, 14 km south of Jena.
Mayors
*1990–2012: Bernd Leube
*2012–2018: Claudia Nissen
*2018–incumbent: Jan Schönfeld
People wh ...
Dornburg
Dornburg is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It sits atop a small hill of 400 ft above the Saale. Since 1 December 2008, it is part of the town Dornburg-Camburg.
History
Within the German Empire (1871–1918), ...
Großheringen
Großheringen is a municipality in the Weimarer Land district of Thuringia, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, ...
Bad Kösen
Bad Kösen () is a spa town on the Saale river in the small wine-growing region of Saale-Unstrut, Germany. It is a former municipality in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt. Bad Kösen has a population of around 5,300. Since 1 Janu ...
Goseck
Goseck is a municipality lying on the river Saale, in the Burgenlandkreis district of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Geography
Goseck is located on the north bank of the Saale, about halfway between Naumburg and Weißenfels.
The municipali ...
Weißenfels
Weißenfels (; often written in English as Weissenfels) is the largest town of the Burgenlandkreis district, in southern Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approximately south of Halle.
History
Perhaps the fir ...
Bad Dürrenberg
Bad Dürrenberg is a spa town in the Saalekreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 8 km southeast of Merseburg. It is known for its graduation tower, the largest one in Germany.
Geography
The ...
Brachwitz
Brachwitz is a village and a former municipality in the Saalekreis district, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Wettin-Löbejün
Wettin-Löbejün is a town in the district Saalekreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany ...
– Schiepzig –
Salzmünde
Salzmünde is a village and a former municipality in the district Saalekreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in ...
Friedeburg
Friedeburg is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 14 km southeast of Wittmund, and 20 km west of Wilhelmshaven.
About 4 kilometers east of the main village of Friedeburg, ...
Plötzkau
Plötzkau is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Rus ...
–
Gröna
Gröna is a village and a former municipality in the district Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Bernburg
Bernburg (Saale) is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the Salzlandkreis d ...
– Neuborna –
Bernburg
Bernburg (Saale) is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the Salzlandkreis district. The former residence of the Anhalt-Bernburg princes is known for its Renaissance castle.
Geography
The town centre is situated in the fertile Magdeburg ...
List of rivers of Bavaria
A list of rivers of Bavaria, Germany:
A
* Aalbach
* Abens
* Ach
* Afferbach
*Affinger Bach
*Ailsbach
* Aisch
* Aiterach
*Alpbach
* Alster
* Altmühl
* Alz
*Amper
* Anlauter
* Arbach
*Arbachgraben
*Aschaff
* Aschbach
*Attel
* Aubach, tributary of ...
List of rivers of Saxony-Anhalt
A list of rivers of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany:
A
* Aland
* Aller
* Allerbach, tributary of the Rappbode (Rappbode Auxiliary Dam)
* Allerbach, tributary of the Warme Bode
* Alte Elbe
B
* Bauerngraben
* Beber
*Biese
*Black Elster
* Bode
* Born-Dorst ...
References
Sources
* Ernst-Otto Luthardt, Reinhard Feldrapp: ''An der Saale. Vom Fichtelgebirge durch Thüringen bis zur Elbe.'' Würzburg 1990.
* Wolf Thieme, Markus Altmann (Fotos): ''Mitten ins Herz. Sie entspringt in Bayern, durchquert Thüringen und fließt in Sachsen-Anhalt in die Elbe – die Saale ist ein Fluss, der alles verbindet. Und jedem Spaß macht: dem Sportler, dem Kulturfreund, dem Faulenzer.'' In: stern Nr. 26 (22. Juni 2006), S. 84-89. Online-Version
*