Brandberge

The Brandberge is a protected natural area in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, in the northwest of Halle. It is part of the Naturpark Unteres Saaletal, a protected landscape area which extends along the River Saale from Halle to Nienburg. In the past it has been used for military exercises and winter sports; during the Nazi era, the first official Thingplatz arena was built there.

The Brandberge covers an area of 90.54 hectares (223.7 acres) in the northwest of Halle, between Kröllwitz and Heide Nord, on the edge of the Hercynian strike; cold south-southwest winds channelled by the area have an important influence on local weather.

The area is characterised by multiple groups of porphyry hillocks, with flat areas near the Saale. In the centre of the porphyry is a less hilly area with remnants of early Tertiary kaolin crusts and Tertiary sediments. Between the Saale and its tributary the Hechtgraben, a dry substrate of gravel deposits has formed which breaks the surface in places.

The Brandberge was declared a protected natural area on 19 June 1996 and forms part of the Naturpark Unteres Saaletal. It is registered under the European Union Habitats Directive under the name Brandberge in Halle. However, 40 hectares (99 acres) passed into private hands in September 2003.

As a botanic habitat, the Brandberge is characterised by arid and semi-arid grassland and heathland vegetation on the porphyry hillocks, in addition to ponds and reedbeds, wet woodland and boggy areas in the central region, semi-bare areas and sparse arable land. The flora includes some worthy of protection such as Polygala vulgaris, Pulsatilla vulgaris, Lychnis flos-cuculi and Ranunculus aquatilis, and also some extremely endangered plant communities. The heathland is being encroached upon by bushes, but this process can be kept in check by cutting.

...
Wikipedia