Taunus

Taunus
The Hochtaunus with the Feldberg summit
Highest point
Peak	Großer Feldberg (Hochtaunus)
Elevation	878 m (2,881 ft)
Coordinates	50°14′N 08°27′E / 50.233°N 8.450°E / 50.233; 8.450Coordinates: 50°14′N 08°27′E / 50.233°N 8.450°E / 50.233; 8.450
Dimensions
Length	75 km (47 mi) NE/SW
Width	35 km (22 mi) NW/SE
Area	2,700 km2 (1,000 sq mi)
Geography
Country	Germany
State/Province	Hesse
Parent range	Rhenish Slate Mountains
Geology
Orogeny	Variscan
Age of rock	Devonian
Type of rock	Phyllite, Greywacke

The Taunus is a mountain range in Hesse, Germany located north of Frankfurt. The tallest peak in the range is Großer Feldberg at 878 m; other notable peaks are Kleiner Feldberg (825 m) and Altkönig (798 m).

The Taunus range spans the districts of Hochtaunuskreis, Main-Taunus, Rheingau-Taunus, Limburg-Weilburg, and Rhein-Lahn. The range is known for its geothermal springs and mineral waters that formerly attracted members of the European aristocracy to its spa towns. The car line Ford Taunus is named after it.

It is a relatively low range, with smooth, rounded mountains covered with forest. The Taunus is bounded by the valleys of the Rhine, Main and Lahn rivers and it is part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. On the opposite side of the Rhine, The Taunus range is continued by the Hunsrück.

For geographical, ecological and geological purposes the Taunus is divided in three parts:

The Taunus range originated during the Devonian period. The geological composition of the mountains was formed in a region covered by an ancient sea that was a few hundred kilometers wide and are mainly made up of phyllite, greenschist, gneiss, slates and sandstone.