Schwarzwald

The Black Forest is not black, but dark green.  The dense evergreens that line these mountains invoked fear in Romans of long ago, who did not want to enter the fierce looking forest. To justify their fear they called it the Silva Negra or Black Forest.  Germans call it Schwarzwald.

Most families who live in the area have been there for generations.  This house is a multigenerational dwelling.  The area that you see is the the loft where items and hay are stored.  Below is the area for the family and an area for livestock. These are separated by one wall - you can imagine what that may have smelled like!

Because conditions in the winter may be dangerous, families were not always able to leave their dwelling to get to Church on Sunday. They had been told by clergy that prayer at home was not enough to be considered Sunday worship; thus they build small chapels on their property which they used to celebrate on Sundays.

Our trek into the Black Forest was fog covered, leading to very low visibility. However as the clouds broke up and the sun peaked through, the thick evergreen forest became a place of magical vistas.