Vöhrenbach: Linach Dam and Fasnet

A trip to Vöhrenbach can focus on technical history, local culture, or leisure activities. The Linach Dam stands out, alongside Fasnet, a historic clockmaker’s cottage, a swimming pool, and a cycle route. The attractions range from a distinctive dam to a centuries-old festival tradition.

Technical history at the Linach Dam

Located within the municipal boundaries of Vöhrenbach, the Linach Dam is Germany’s first and only multiple-arch dam with an inclined upstream face. As Germany’s only multiple-arch dam made of reinforced concrete, it is also a building heritage monument of national importance. Together with its associated power station, it forms a unique technical museum. The dam was built from 1922 to 1925; the City of Vöhrenbach renovated and reactivated it from 2005 to 2007.

Trails and experiences at the dam

Two trails around the site offer different experiences. The interactive audio drama adventure trail “The Rescue of the Linach Dam” is a circular route, starting and ending on the crest of the dam. It takes about two to two and a half hours. The Hydropower Educational Trail starts at the power station building and goes around the lake. Information panels explain this rare technical structure. The interactive audio drama experience and the educational trail’s explanations offer two different ways to explore the technology.

When the lake is impounded, visitors can walk along the crest of the dam. Bear this condition in mind when planning a visit to the dam crest.

Swimming and cycling

Vöhrenbach’s solar-heated swimming pool has a 50-metre pool and a children’s paddling pool. The outdoor pool also has a water slide and two diving towers with 1-metre and 3-metre boards. Check the outdoor pool’s seasonal opening hours before your visit.

The flat Bregtal cycle route is suitable for families and connects with the Danube cycle route. Alongside the swimming options, visitors can choose a flat cycling route that links up with another cycle route.

Crafts and Fasnet

The clockmaker’s cottage adds an example of small-scale craftsmanship to the area’s technical history. Clockmaker Elias Dolt built it in 1725; the restored building is a typical example of a small Black Forest craftsman’s house built of wood. Comparing its date with that of the Linach Dam highlights the wide span of local building history: the cottage dates from 1725, while the dam was built from 1922 to 1925.

Vöhrenbach’s Fasnet celebrations include cap evenings and the large Monday parade. This centuries-old tradition continues to shape Fasnet today. If you would like to plan your trip around Fasnet, check the specific event dates in advance.

Fasnet in the Schwarzwald-Baar District

In December 2014, Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet in the Schwarzwald-Baar District was added to Germany’s nationwide UNESCO Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Carnival in the Schwarzwald-Baar District lasts six days, from Schmotziger Dunnschtig to Ash Wednesday. The regional cultural context highlights both the duration of the carnival season and its inclusion in the UNESCO inventory.

Discover more destinations: Furtwangen in the Black Forest, Kappel, Niedereschach, Brigachtal, Tuningen, Triberg in the Black Forest, Schönwald in the Black Forest, Donaueschingen

See the regional travel overview: Schwarzwald-Baar District.