Main loop (Volkach)
| Volkacher Mainschleife | |
|---|---|
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| Systematics according to | Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany |
| Greater region 1st order | Layer level land on both sides of the Upper Rhine Rift |
| Greater region 2nd order | Southwest German layer level country |
| Greater region 3rd order | Swabian-Franconian Gau |
| Main unit group | 13 → Main Franconian plates |
| About main unit | 133 → Middle Main Valley |
| 4th order region (main unit) |
133.0 → (without name) |
| Natural space |
133.07 → Volkacher Mainschleife |
| Natural area characteristics | |
| Landscape type | River valley section |
| Geographical location | |
| Coordinates | 49 ° 51 '57.5 " N , 10 ° 10' 41.2" E |
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| local community | Dettelbach , Nordheim am Main , Sommerach , Volkach |
| circle | Kitzingen district |
| state | Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
The Volkacher Mainschleife (former name: Mainschleife ) is the largest river meander landscape in Bavaria. The Main Loop forms its own natural space and has been declared a landscape protection area and geotope. It is located in the administrative district of Lower Franconia between Kitzingen and Schweinfurt near the eponymous town of Volkach and forms the heart of the Franconian wine-growing region , where a separate area was named after it.
Geographical location and geology
Geographical location
The Volkacher Mainschleife is located in the east of the Mainfränkische Platten natural area , whereby it forms its own sub-unit within the main unit of the Middle Main Valley . It is surrounded by the so-called Gäuf area near Kitzingen in the west and the Steigerwald in the east. The Franconian Mountains join in some distance to the south. The Main flows from the north into the Maindreieck, which is formed by the places Schweinfurt (beginning of the southern limb), Marktbreit (peak) and Gemünden am Main (end of the northern limb).
The landscape protection area Volkacher Mainschleife extends over the districts of Wipfeld , Ober- and Untereisenheim in the district of Würzburg , Lindach and Stammheim in the district of Schweinfurt , as well as Astheim , Gaibach , Fahr , Escherndorf , Köhler , Volkach , Nordheim am Main , Sommerach , Neuses am Berg , Gerlachshausen and Schwarzenau in the Kitzingen district .
It thus includes areas of the municipalities of Wipfeld, Eisenheim , Kolitzheim , Volkach, Nordheim am Main, Sommerach, Dettelbach and Schwarzach am Main . The loop of the Main forms an independent natural space unit only along the river from Sommerach to Fahr, Obereisenheim is already assigned to the Obereisenheim-Wipfelder Main Valley .
Earth history and geology
The area that is now occupied by the Mainschleife was completely covered by the sea in the Mesozoic , around 250 million years ago. With the beginning of the New Age , in the Tertiary about 65 million years ago, the water had withdrawn to the Alpine foothills. The loop of the Main was exposed and covered by soft sedimentary rock . This led to a strong erosion of the rock mass and the formation of hull surfaces.
About 5 to 7 million years ago these extensive hull areas formed wide but not very deep valleys. In the Middle Pliocene , around 3 million years ago, there was long-lasting uplift of the areas. The previously formed valleys became deeper and strengthened the formation of today's main valley systems on the Main. During the Pleistocene , around 2.6 million years ago, the Upper Main, which until then had flowed into the Danube , was connected to the Main system. The Main Loop in its current form was created.
The Pleistocene and the deepening of the already existing valleys are particularly significant for the geological composition of the Main loop. A so-called box valley was created in the Upper Muschelkalk , while Lettenkeuper rock remained on the higher-lying hull areas . At the same time, the incision formed slopes, sliding slopes on the inside of river bends that were not affected by erosion and impact slopes on the eroding outside.
natural reserve
The entire Main Loop was declared a landscape protection area on January 31, 1969. The protected area includes landmarks in the areas of the municipalities of Wipfeld in the district of Schweinfurt , Volkach and Schwarzach am Main in the district of Kitzingen . The Main Loop is registered in the Natura 2000 network and is part of the Main Valley between Schweinfurt and Dettelbach. In addition, the entire area is designated as a bird sanctuary and a fauna and flora habitat .
The Mainschleife is listed as geotope number 675R004 by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment . It covers a length of 5 kilometers, a width of 1 kilometer and a height of 80 meters. In general geological terms, the Main Loop is considered important in the justification of the State Office, its geoscientific value is described as valuable, the second highest category. The center of the geotope is the Vogelsberg.
The eight nature reserves on the Mainschleife enjoy special protection . In three places in the area of the municipality of Volkach, the still preserved sandy grass heaths with their flora and fauna that are worth protecting are under protection. Another three areas have the characteristic banks of the Main as a subject of protection. Special features are the Mainhang an der Vogelsburg and Wald an der Hallburg protected areas , both with typical hillside forests on the Main.
List of protected areas
| Surname | Year of establishment | Area in hectares | Subject of protection | image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alter Main near Volkach | 1989 | 63.086 | Original preservation of the Main as a flowing water |
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| Astheimer Dürringswasen | 1977 | 11.308 | Relic site of the sandy grass heather with rare mosses, flowering plants, mushrooms and lichens |
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| Mainaue between Sommerach and Koehler | 1995 | 93.194 | Preservation of the site mosaic Aue | |
| Main slope at the Vogelsburg | 1993 | 53,067 | Protection of the northern impact slope with hillside forest, semi-arid grass and bushes |
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| Right bank of the Main near Sommerach | 1990 | 19,499 | Protection of the alluvial forests around the Main |
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| Sand corridors near Volkach, Schwarzach am Main and Sommerach | 1989 | 104.8 | Preservation of the sandy grass heath and sandy grassland |
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| Sand grass heaths at Elgersheimer Hof | 1999 | 3.464 | Relic site of the sandy grass heather with rare mosses, flowering plants, mushrooms and lichens |
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| Forest at the Hallburg | 1991 | 9.431 | Preservation of the hillside forest typical of the middle Main Valley |
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Viticulture
The Mainschleife forms the heart of viticulture in the Franconian wine-growing region . This position was underlined with the introduction of the Volkacher Mainschleife area in 2017, which replaced the old division into the Main Triangle area. The new area stretches along the eastern Maindreieck along the river to Schweinfurt in the north and Mainstockheim in the south and thus encompasses far more areas than the actual Main loop. It is the largest of all areas in the Franconian cultivation area.
The Mainschleife was one of the centers for the cultivation of grapevines since the early Middle Ages . In particular, the locations around Escherndorf, Nordheim and Sommerach with their special microclimate or the steep slopes were coveted wine locations as early as the Middle Ages, and the village lords did their best to promote cultivation. The villages were taxed correspondingly higher than their neighbors and therefore suffered more from crop failures.
With the dissolution of the spiritual rulers of the village through the secularization at the beginning of the 19th century, a comprehensive decline in viticulture began. The centuries-old knowledge of the authorities about the cultivation of wine was lost. In addition, imported pests such as phylloxera began to destroy large parts of the harvest from the middle of the century . With the application of fertilizer and the establishment of cooperatives to pool expertise and finances, the decline was halted until the second half of the 20th century.
The land consolidation is just as important for the landscape on the Mainschleife . Even before the First World War , wine-growing communities began to merge the vineyards that were much too small due to the real division . As a result, the characteristic vineyard houses and the hedges between the individual vineyards disappeared, making way for a monoculture of vines. The land consolidation experienced a high point in the 1970s, when the small individual layers of the municipalities were also combined into uniform locations in order to increase the marketability of the wines. This standardization led to a new bloom in viticulture.
Today the Volkacher Mainschleife is not only shaped by the landscape of the wine. In the places that have been involved in viticulture for centuries, a wine culture has developed which finds its most obvious expression in the organization of so-called wine festivals . As the center of Franconian viticulture, Volkach has hosted the Franconian Wine Festival since 1949 , which developed into the largest wine festival in the growing area. There is even a wine festival in Schweinfurt with a vineyard area of only 3.54 hectares (2017).
The Volkacher Mainschleife area is now divided into three major locations. In addition, there are several smaller layers that were created later and are therefore free of large layers . The smallest large location is the Sommeracher Engelsberg, whose locations are largely limited to the municipality of Sommerach. The Dettelbacher Honigberg includes locations in the communities of Dettelbach and Mainstockheim. The largest large area is by far the Volkacher Kirchberg. It also brings together the most famous and largest individual layers in Franconia, such as Nordheimer Vögelein with 230 ha (2018).
| Great location | District (s) (municipality) |
geology | Geocoordinate (center of the major location) |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engelsberg | Gerlachshausen ( Schwarzach am Main ) , Hallburg ( Volkach ) , Sommerach | Upper Muschelkalk, Lettenkeuper, drifting sand, river sand | 49 ° 50 ′ 6 "N, 10 ° 12 ′ 59" E | Individual vineyards: Engelsberg , Katzenkopf , Rosenberg |
| Honigberg | Bibergau (Dettelbach) , Brück (Dettelbach) , Dettelbach , Mainstockheim , Schnepfenbach (Dettelbach) | Upper Muschelkalk, Lettenkeuper | 49 ° 47 ′ 23 "N, 10 ° 8 ′ 55" E | Individual vineyards: Berg-Rondell, Honigberg, Sonnenleite |
| Kirchberg | Astheim (Volkach) , Escherndorf (Volkach) , Fahr (Volkach) , Frankenwinheim , Gaibach (Volkach) , Hallburg (Volkach) , Hergolshausen ( Waigolshausen ) , Köhler (Volkach) , Krautheim (Volkach) , Lindach ( Kolitzheim ) , Neuses am Berg (Dettelbach) , Neusetz (Dettelbach) , Nordheim am Main , Obereisenheim ( Eisenheim ) , Obervolkach (Volkach) , Rimbach (Volkach) , Schwanfeld , Schwarzenau (Schwarzach am Main) , Sommerach, Stammheim (Kolitzheim) , Theilheim (Waigolshausen) , Untereisenheim (Eisenheim) , Volkach (Volkach) , Wipfeld , Zeilitzheim (Kolitzheim) | Upper Muschelkalk, Lettenkeuper, drifting sand, river sand | 49 ° 52 ′ 28 "N, 10 ° 12 ′ 53" E | Individual vineyards (selection): Bald , Lump , Councilor , Vogelein |
| large-scale free | Bergtheim , Gaibach (Volkach) , Hallburg (Volkach) , Mainberg ( Schonungen ) , Schweinfurt , Vogelsburg (Volkach) | Upper Muschelkalk, Lettenkeuper | various | Individual vineyards: Harpenspiel, Mainleite, Peterstirn, Pforte , Schlossberg (Mainberg) , Schlossberg (Hallburg) , Castle Park |
history
The Volkacher Mainschleife is characterized by viticulture on the steep slopes of the river. This millennia-old use by humans has changed the shape of the landscape. The grapevine probably appeared for the first time on the Main loop around the year 900 . At first, the cultivation was limited to flat areas, as the slopes were too steep for the agricultural methods of the time. They were only made accessible in the course of the Middle Ages .
The strategic value of the Main slopes had already been recognized beforehand: The Vogelsberg had already been fortified around 1500 BC and formed the center of the surrounding area and the Main loop. In the 8th century AD, however, there was a relocation of the trade routes, so that the Mainschleife fell into an offside position. From then on, Volkach, a fortified trading center in front of the characteristic Main bend, was the center of the area.
The tourist value of the landscape was recognized in the 19th century. More and more hikers, especially from nearby Würzburg , were drawn to the Mainschleife. With the opening of the so-called Mainschleifenbahn in 1909, the flow of day trippers continued to grow. Because of the narrow bends in the river, the Main Canal was built between Volkach and Gerlachshausen between 1950 and 1957 . From then on, large parts of the Main Loop were cut off from commercial shipping and thus increasingly relied on tourism. Today information boards on the federal highway 7 point to the Mainschleife.
Usage of names
The name Volkacher Mainschleife or just Mainschleife is used in many ways today. The tourist office uses the term to summarize the communities around Volkach. In addition to the town of Volkach, its districts and the administrative community with Nordheim am Main and Sommerach , Eisenheim in the district of Würzburg, Kolitzheim in the district of Schweinfurt and Schwarzach am Main are also counted among the Mainschleife communities . The multipurpose hall of the city of Volkach was named Mainschleifenhalle.
The private sector also uses the term Mainschleife frequently. The so-called Mainschleife-Shuttle takes tourists to the sights of the region, the Mainschleifenkurier is the advertising medium for Volkach and the Mainschleifebahn connects the city to the main roads in the area. Furthermore , the private brewery Friedrich Düll, located in the Volkach district of Krautheim , advertises its beers with the Mainschleife seal of origin . The trade association Volkach uses a stylized Main loop as a logo. The Raiffeisenbank Volkacher Mainschleife - Wiesentheid also takes up the name.
The Mainschleife forms the center of the Franconian wine-growing region, so that the modified term "Weinschleife" is also used in advertising. The vineyards were combined in the Volkacher Kirchberg area. In Sommerach the so-called Mainschleifenallee, a fruit tree hiking trail, was named after the river bend.
See also
literature
- Gerhard Egert: The urban centers of the city - a contribution to the historical topography of Volkach . In: Ute Feuerbach (ed.): Our Main Loop. 1978-1992 . Volkach 2008, pp. 337-340.
- Ute Feuerbach: The wine . In: Ute Feuerbach (Ed.): Volkach. 906-2006 . Volkach 2006, pp. 281-293.
- Karl-Albert Habbe: The natural space units on sheet 153 Bamberg 1: 200,000 - A bundle of problems and a suggested structure . In: Mitteilungen der Fränkische Geographische Gesellschaft Vol. 50/51 for 2003/2004 . Erlangen 2004, pp. 55-102.
- Axel Herrmann: Geological structure and surface forms . In: District Administrator and District Council of the District of Kitzingen (ed.): District of Kitzingen . Münsterschwarzach 1984, pp. 26-35.
- Horst Mensching, Günter Wagner: The natural spatial units on sheet 152 Würzburg (= geographical land survey 1: 200,000 natural spatial structure of Germany) . Bad Godesberg 1963.
- Fritz Pfaffl, Thomas Hirche: The geology and mineralogy of northern Bavaria . Riedlhütte 2011.
- Franz Pfrang: The history of viticulture on the Main loop . In: Ute Feuerbach (ed.): Our Main Loop. 1978-1992 . Volkach 2008, pp. 23-29.
Web links
- Bavarian State Office for the Environment: Bavaria's most beautiful geotopes , accessed on January 24, 2016
Individual evidence
- ↑ Geography Giersbeck: Map 152 Würzburg , PDF file, accessed on January 10 of 2019.
- ↑ Herrmann, Axel: Geological structure and surface forms , p. 32
- ↑ State Office for the Environment: Volkacher Mainschleife , PDF file, accessed on February 5, 2016
- ↑ State Office for the Environment: Geotope research , accessed on February 5, 2016
- ↑ Bund Naturschutz Volkach: Brief information on the nature reserves , accessed on February 5, 2016
- ^ Pfrang, Franz: The history of viticulture on the Main loop . P. 25 f.
- ↑ Feuerbach, Ute: The wine . P. 293.
- ↑ Government of Lower Franconia: Vineyards in Bavaria broken down by area ( Memento of the original from July 28, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , PDF file p. 9, accessed on May 9, 2019.
- ^ Bauer, Hans: District of Kitzingen . P. 190 f.
- ^ Pfrang, Franz: The history of viticulture on the Mainschleife , p. 23 f
- ↑ See: Egert, Gerhard: Die Siedlungskerne der Stadt - a contribution to the historical topography of Volkach
- ^ Krautheimer: Homepage , accessed on February 5, 2016
