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39-738: The Cologne Bight is surrounded by the High Fens and the Eifel to the west of the Rhine and by the uplands of Bergisches Land to the east of the Rhine. In the south and southeast the rising Rhine Massif, visible from far off by the silhouette of the Siebengebirge , surround the head of the bight at Königswinter . To the northwest the Cologne Bight opens out into the valleys of the Rhine and

78-409: A 1992 regulation into specific areas to manage access for visitors and tourists. These areas are designated as Zones B, C, and D. Zone B is open to the public daily, with specific regulations: bicycles and dogs are prohibited, visitors must stay on designated tracks, waste must be disposed of in trashcans only, and silence must be maintained. Zone C can be visited only accompanied by a guide authorised by

117-675: A centre of fierce fighting in the Battle of the Bulge . In 1949, the left tower of the St Nikolaus Church burnt down. The city centre was affected by flooding in 1953 . Eupen merged with the municipality of Kettenis in 1976, amidst protest from that town. In 1980, following a state reform ten years earlier, the German-Speaking Community of Belgium was established and Eupen was named as its capital. Eupen has

156-423: A cool oceanic climate with some continental influences due to it being elevated in comparison to most of Belgium. Eupen is also wetter and cloudier than Liège in the valley to the west, as a result of orographic lift due to the elevation change. As a result of this along with frequent winter frosts, Eupen gets a significant snowfall amount by Belgian standards. It also gets 16 ice days on average each year, as in

195-489: A light forked tail. Vertebrates, spiders and insects reported in the reserve are: orvet ( Anguis fragilis ), Odonata Orthoptera , Heteroptera Lepidoptera , diptera , crustaceans , myriapods and shellfish . As the habitat consists of bogs, fire is a major hazard during the drought period, when the Fens are closed except for a small area near Polleur  [ fr ] . Triangular signs painted in red are fixed at

234-668: A nature reserve in 1957, are an upland area, a plateau region in Liège Province , in the east of Belgium and adjoining parts of Germany , between the Ardennes and the Eifel highlands. The High Fens are the largest nature reserve or park in Belgium, with an area of 4,501.2 ha (11,123 acres; 45.012 km ); it lies within the German-Belgian natural park Hohes Venn-Eifel (700 km (270 sq mi)), in

273-533: A reserve in 1957, with their high altitude and unique location, consist mainly of raised bogs , and low, grass- or wood-covered hills, moorland and forest . The provincial capital of Liège is to its west, the German border is to the east and the dark forested hills of the Ardennes surround the southern part. The park stretches between Eupen in the north, Monschau in the east, Spa in the west and Malmedy in

312-477: A single day of 156 millimetres (6.1 in) on 7 October 1982 at the Signal de Botrange. The maximum snowfall recorded at Signal de Botrange was 115 centimetres (45 in) in 1953. The maximum number of frost days (when the temperature remains below 0 °C (32 °F)) in a year is reported to be 158 days and the minimum is 70 days. The lowest temperature recorded was −23.6 °C (−10.5 °F) in 1942, but it

351-580: A spa town. Records show that a weaver named 'Schunck' was established as early as 1776. His eldest son, Nikolaus Severin Schunck (1799–1865), had six sons, of whom the third oldest, Arnold, would later found the firm in Heerlen. The youngest son, Joseph, remained at the weaving mill and there is still a weaving mill in Kettenis run by descendants of Nikolaus. The company became the famous Schunck . After

390-484: A three-bladed propeller erected on a quartzite pedestal, with a cross erected next to it with the inscription "For the American airmen." Eupen Eupen ( German: [ˈɔʏpn̩] , French: [øpɛn] , Dutch: [ˈøːpə(n)] ; Ripuarian : Ööpe [ˈøːpə] ; Walloon : Neyåw [nɛjɑːw] ; former French : Néau [neo] )

429-557: Is 103.74 km (40.05 sq mi) which gives a population density of 175.90 inhabitants per km . Eupen and the St. Nikolaus Chapel were first mentioned in 1213 as part of the Duchy of Limburg . In 1288, after the Battle of Worringen , the Duchy of Limburg was annexed by John I of Brabant . Brabant and Limburg were inherited by Burgundy in 1387, and Eupen was burnt to the ground during

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468-697: Is the capital of German-speaking Community of Belgium and is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of Liège , 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the German border ( Aachen ), from the Dutch border ( Maastricht ) and from the " High Fens " nature reserve ( Ardennes ). The town is also the capital of the Euroregion Meuse-Rhine . First mentioned in 1213 as belonging to the Duchy of Limburg , possession of Eupen passed to Brabant , Burgundy ,

507-652: The First World War , the 1919 Treaty of Versailles transferred Eupen and the nearby municipality of Malmedy from Germany to Belgium. The effect led to the formation of National Socialist groups in Eupen. From 1938 the Vesdre Dam was constructed (completed in 1950), creating Lake Eupen . In 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Belgium; in an attempt to reverse Versailles, Eupen and Malmedy were annexed to Germany. In September 1944, American forces reached Eupen which became

546-575: The Holy Roman Empire and France before being given in 1815 to Prussia , which became part of the new German Empire in 1871. In 1919, after the First World War , the Treaty of Versailles transferred Eupen and the nearby municipality of Malmedy from Germany to Belgium. German remains the official language in Eupen (also spoken in the form of the Eupen dialect ), and the city serves as

585-662: The Hunsrück , and the Westerwald . Where the water flowed slowly (in the shallow water zones), clay was left behind; where it flowed fast, sand and gravel settled. The shores of the North Sea in those days occasionally reached up to where the cities of Aachen, Erkelenz , and Mönchengladbach are today. The Cologne Lowland is also seismically active today. The region is characterised by its agriculture (with orchards and truck farms ), by open-pit lignite mining, by

624-665: The Meuse , in the northeast it is bounded by the Münsterländer Kreidebecken (Münster Chalk Basin) of the Westphalian Bight. The Cologne Lowland is among the warmest regions in Germany. While the summers on the upper Rhine are somewhat warmer, winters in the area are so mild that snow remaining on the ground for as much as several days would have been considered rather exceptional in the decades before

663-779: The Treaty of Utrecht , Brabant and Limburg were returned to the Austrian Habsburgs. Revolutionary France took the city in 1794, incorporating it into the Département Ourthe , préfecture Liège and sous-préfecture Malmedy . Following the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Eupen became part of the Prussian Rhine Province . All Prussian possessions became part of the German Empire in 1871, while Eupen itself enjoyed its popularity as

702-432: The wild boar , roe deer , hen harrier , black grouse , wood mouse , grasshopper warbler , great grey shrike , meadow pipit , European stonechat and northern wheatear . The black grouse, a protected species, is found in small numbers. It is a sedentary bird. The male species has black plumage with a red wattle above the eyes while the female species has a brown plumage with black, grey and white stripes and possesses

741-469: The Ardennes. Its highest point, at 694 metres (2,277 ft) above sea level , is the Signal de Botrange near Eupen , and also the highest point in Belgium. A tower 6 metres (20 ft) high was built here that reaches 700 metres (2,297 ft) above sea level. The reserve is a rich ecological endowment of Belgium covered with alpine sphagnum raised bogs (not " fens " as the name would imply) both on

780-506: The High Fens is permitted on specified forest tracks which are located in the outskirts or even outside the nature reserve. Hiking trails have been reorganized outside the parks reserved areas. The walk routes would be limited to undergrowth adjacent to nature reserve. Bicycle routes have been specified outside the nature reserve in nearby forests. The subalpine climate may change to subarctic condition and hence when taking adventure walks in

819-447: The broad plateau from 694 to 700 metres (2,277 to 2,297 ft). Large urban centres in the vicinity of the reserve are Eupen, Verviers , Spa and Malmedy. Part of the High Fens reserve remains closed during the spring breeding season of the endangered black grouse ( Tetrao tetrix ). During the summer there is a risk of fire in the forest area. Boardwalks cross the bogs, permitting access across these areas. Paths lead to many areas of

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858-758: The capital for Belgium's German-speaking Community . The city has a small university, the Autonome Hochschule Ostbelgien  [ de ; nl ] , offering bachelor's degrees in Education and Nursing. In 2010, Eupen's association football team, K.A.S. Eupen , became the first club from the German-speaking Community to play in the Belgian Pro League . On 1 January 2006, Eupen had a total population of 18,248 (8,892 males and 9,356 females). The total area

897-496: The day staying below 0 °C (32 °F), along with 71 frost days. K.A.S. Eupen , founded in 1945, is the city's main association football club and play at the 8,000-capacity Kehrwegstadion . In 2010, after winning a play-off, the side became the first club from the German-speaking Community to reach the country's top flight, then known as the Belgian Pro League. They were relegated after one season, returning to

936-461: The fire hazard locations. In April 2011 in a fire that broke out in the High Fens 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of land were destroyed. It is said to be the biggest ever fire in the Fens and 300 firefighters supported by a helicopter were involved in dousing and controlling the fires. The winter sports activities allowed in the Fens in specified area and outside conserved area of the fens are skiing , bicycling and trekking . Cross-country skiing in

975-549: The first time in the town. In 1582, during the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs, rebels burnt Eupen but did not take control of it. Bubonic plague reached Eupen in 1635, with devastating consequences. Eupen obtained its own court of law in 1648, and in 1674 received city rights , giving it greater recognition and autonomy. Six years later, textile manufacture was introduced to the city. In 1713, with

1014-441: The ground by the purple moor-grass , a herb, had caused problems for the ecology of the region. These negative aspects are now being rectified by special projects titled "Life-Nature Project". The common heather or Calluna , a small bush of 20–50 centimetres (8–20 in) height is grazed by sheep and also has healing qualities; the bilberry , in the family Ericaceae , is a shrub found at an altitude of 500 m (around 1600 feet);

1053-633: The landscapes of the Voreifel and the Bergisches Land as well as by 325 fortresses and castles , which were usually built as water castles . List of places in North Rhine-Westphalia 50°56′17″N 6°57′25″E  /  50.9381°N 6.9569°E  / 50.9381; 6.9569 High Fens The High Fens ( German : Hohes Venn ; French : Hautes Fagnes ; Dutch : Hoge Venen ), which were declared

1092-413: The night through the park it could be hazardous unless one is properly equipped for taking such a risk. Another notable monument is at Gèyeté (Gayetay) within the municipal boundary of Sart and Jalhay ; it is in memory of eight American airmen who were the crews of two Douglas C-47 Skytrains from 50th Troop Carrier Squadron that collided in flight on 6 April 1945 due to fog. The memorial consists of

1131-485: The onset of the current climatic change . Due to the orographic rainfall on the surrounding mountain ranges the climate is relatively damp as well. In combination with the valuable loess soil , these factors make the Cologne Bight one of the most fertile regions of Germany. About 30 million years ago, parts of the Rhine Massif sank and formed a lowland region. Due to the subtropical climate at that time, there

1170-465: The park administration. However no access to this zone is allowed from mid-March to late June, when an endangered species, the black grouse , breeds here. Zone D is a totally protected reserve area, with no access to the public. In the High Fens the habitats of many plants and animals typically found further north or in the mountains, result from the geology and relief, the harsh climate, high rainfall, long and cold winters and low average temperatures in

1209-575: The park, and there are signposts to guide visitors through the park. The nature reserve of the High Fens is coordinated under the Nature Division and Forests of the Walloon Region. The reserve is one of the wettest and coldest parts of Belgium. It is frequently shrouded in mist and low cloud. It has a subalpine climate with strong winds and fierce winters, which are occasionally subarctic. The Fagnes plateau intercepts clouds brought by

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1248-501: The plateau and in the valley basin; the bogs, which are over 10,000 years old, with their unique subalpine flora, fauna and microclimate, are key to the conservation work of the park. In 1966, the European Council awarded the "Diploma of Conservation" to the High Fens, for their ecological value. In 2008, Belgium has added the High Fens to its tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The High Fens, established as

1287-480: The prevailing Atlantic winds, and this results in copious precipitation, with an average of 1,400 millimetres (55 in) of rain per year. However, beneath the fragile composition of the overlying soils are rocky beds and clay that prevent infiltration of water and thus create the conditions for wetlands, marshes and bogs. The highest and lowest annual rainfall recorded are 2,024 millimetres (79.7 in) and 762 millimetres (30.0 in) respectively, with maximum on

1326-486: The region. The High Venn's plateau thus is rich in flora and fauna some of which have become rare and threatened in the last more than three centuries. The heathers and turf moors in the reserve have a significant role to maintain biodiversity for the rare and threatened flora and fauna as it ensures regulation of the water balance and maintains value of the landscape. However, since the 17th century, peat cutting, drainage, inappropriate spruce plantations, infestation of

1365-619: The rootless peat mosses ( Sphagnum ) of about 40 centimetres (16 in) grow at 3 centimetres (1 in) a year and form the basic turf moors through the buildup of organic matter; cotton grass , a perennial plant in wet regions; sundew ( Drosera rotundfolia ) found in the acid turfs of the reserve which are carnivores and consumes insects. The logo of the park is the seven-petalled flower of Chickweed-Wintergreen ( Lysimachia europaea ), not to be confused with other plants with similar names such as Chickweed ( Cerastium spp.) or Wintergreen ( Gaultheria spp.). Faunal species recorded are:

1404-525: The south. It stretches north of Malmedy as far as Eupen and marks the end of the Ardennes proper. It is contiguous with the Eifel hills, which stretch east from the German border to form the large Deutsch–Belgischer Naturpark . Signal de Botrange located in the Haute Fagnes is marked by a Telecom Tower erected over an older artificial, earthen mound with stone steps that was built to raise a small part of

1443-640: The war against the Guelders . Burgundy was dissolved in 1477 by the Austrian Habsburgs who then inherited Eupen after gaining both Limburg and Brabant. Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Charles V granted Eupen the privilege to conduct two markets per year in 1544. In 1555, both Brabant and Limburg were passed to the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs. Ten years later, Protestantism was mentioned for

1482-460: Was a luxuriant plant growth of abundant varieties. About 15 million years ago, these plants died out and formed a peat layer up to 270 metres thick. From the pressure of earth layers lying over it, the peat was compressed into lignite (brown coal). The predecessor rivers of today's Rhine dug a broad river bed through the rock . These Rhine forerunners brought debris from the Alps , the Eifel ,

1521-542: Was −25.2 °C (−13.4 °F) in 1952 at Baraque-Michel. Several rivers have their sources in the High Fens: the Vesdre , Hoëgne , Warche , Gileppe , Eau Rouge , Amblève , Our , Kyll , and Rur . In winter all the water sources freeze into snow making the High Fens one of the best ski resorts in Belgium. During winter the swamps appear as if "wrapped in white fluffy snow shawl". The region has been zoned under

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