Vogtland
Vogtland (German pronunciation: [ˈfoːktlant], Czech: Fojtsko) is a region reaching across the German free states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and into the Czech Republic (north-western Bohemia). It overlaps with and is largely contained within Euregio Egrensis. The name alludes to the former leadership by the Vögte (approximately "advocates" or "lords protector") of Weida, Gera and Plauen.
Nowadays Vogtland also serves as a common colloquial abbreviation for Vogtlandkreis.
Geography
Natural geography
The landscape of the Vogtland is sometimes referred to as idyllic, bearing in mind its fields, meadows and wooded hilltops. In the south and southeast, Vogtland rises to a low or mid-height mountain range also called Oberes Vogtland, or Upper Vogtland. Here, monocultural coniferous forest is the predominant form of vegetation. The Vogtland's highest mountain is Schneehübel, reaching 974 metres, another remarkable landmark is the Schneckenstein, 883m above sea level, which gained some renown for its (falsely alleged) unique abundance of topaz crystals. Its mountains spread from Erzgebirge in the south-east to Fichtelgebirge in the south-west, some peaks also belonging to Elstergebirge.