The Großer Arber (); , "Great Maple") or Great Arber, is the highest peak of the Bavarian/Bohemian Forest mountain range and in Lower Bavaria, with an elevation of . As a result, it is known in the Lower Bavarian county of Regen and the Upper Palatine county of Cham as the "King of the Bavarian Forest". Its summit region consists of paragneiss.
Name
In a 1279 document, the mountain bore the name Adwich; Johannes Aventinus called it Hädweg in 1500; and, in 1540, Ätwa. Philipp Apian referred to it as Aetwha m., i.e. Aetwha mons (mons, montis = Lat. mountain/hill); in 1720, it was recorded on a map as Aidweich. According to more recent research, the name is of Celtic origin. In 1740, it is recorded for the first time as Arber.
Geography
Location
The Großer Arber rises in the Rear Bavarian Forest on the boundary of the Upper Bavarian Forest Nature Park to the north and the Bavarian Forest Nature Park to the south. The boundary runs close to the summit, which itself is in the municipality of Bayerisch Eisenstein, while its southwestern flank is in Bodenmais – both in the county of Regen. Its western slopes are in the municipality of Lohberg in the county of Cham.
The Großer Arber has four tops: the main top with its 1913 summit cross, the Bodenmaiser Riegel with its characteristic, often photographed Richard Wagner Kopf, as well as the Kleiner and Großer Seeriegel. Also part of the mountain group is the Little Arber (1,384 m).
Natural regions
The Großer Arber is part of the natural regional major unit group of the Upper Palatine and Bavarian Forest (No. 40), in the major unit of the Rear Bavarian Forest (403), the sub-unit of the Arber-Kaitersberg Ridge (403.5) and the natural region of the Arber Massif (403.51).
Waterbodies
On the southeastern flank of the Großer Arber lies the lake of Großer Arbersee and, to the northwest and north-northeast of the Kleiner Arber is the Kleiner Arbersee, which both lie within a nature reserve. Among the rivers and streams rising on the mountain are: two Arberbachs (one to the east and one to the south), the Geigenbach, Hirschaubach, Schwellbach, Seebach, Steinbach, Teufelsbach, and Weidenbach. The Großer Regen flows past the mountain to the northeast, being fed near the mountain by the Arberseeback and Teufelsbach, and on the northwestern flank the White Regen drains the Kleiner Arbersee, which is fed by the Weidenbach.
Nature parks
Since summer 1995, a full-time nature conservation presence has been active in the Bavarian Forest Nature Park in the area of the Großer Arber. Their management of the area is primarily focused on the summit region, but also on the protected areas on the mountain as a contact partner for conservation questions and for guided tours. Among their tasks are visitor information, public relations and the monitoring of protected area regulations. Since 1999, another area support service for the Großer Arber has been provided by the neighbouring Upper Bavarian Forest Nature Park (focus: summit plateau and Kleiner Arbersee Nature Reserve).
Protected areas
From the summit region of the Großer Arber, the nature reserve of the Great Arbersee and Arberseewand (Großer Arbersee und Arberseewand, CDDA no. 163348; designated in 1939; 1.4857 km²) runs away to the southeast. Extending from the summit region to the northwest is the Little Arbersee Nature Reserve (Kleiner Arbersee, CDDA no. 164117; 1998; 4.1059 km²). Near the mountain at the Riesloch Falls is the Riesloch nature reserve (CDDA no. 318989; 1939; 33.4 ha). On the mountain itself are parts of the protected landscapes of the Bavarian Forest (Bayerischer Wald, CDDA no. 396098; 1983; 2310.1276 km²) and Upper Bavarian Forest (Oberer Bayerischer Wald, CDDA no. 396128 1308.5616 km²), the Special Area of Conservation of the Great and Little Arber and Arber lakes (Großer und Kleiner Arber mit Arberseen, FFH no. 6844-373; 22.952 km²) and the bird reserve of the Great and Little Arber and Schwarzeck (Großer und Kleiner Arber mit Schwarzeck, VSG no. 6844-471; 35.4624 km²).
Fauna and flora
The summit region of the Großer Arber does not rise above the natural tree line. Nevertheless, it is treeless and covered by subalpine calcareous grasses, rocky meadows (Felsfluren) and mountain pine bushes, which occur nowhere else in the Bavarian Forest. The characteristic bird species of this region include the meadow pipit, alpine accentor, water pipit, ring ouzel and wheatear. To the north in the direction of Lam there is farmer-managed, selection cutting forest (Plenterwald), in the south towards Bodenmais is state forest.