Westerwald
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The Westerwald is a mountain chain in Germany. It is located on the junction of the states (Bundesländer) of Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse.
The mountains are bounded by four river valleys: the Rhine in the west, the Sieg in the north, the Dill in the east, and the Lahn in the south.
The highest peak is the Fuchskauten with 656 meters. 40 percent of the Westerwald's about 1000 km² are covered with woods. Touristic atractions are for example the Dornburg (394 metres) and Limburg an der Lahn, a city with an medieval centre.
Westerwald is known for its distinctive salt glazed grey pottery with cobalt blue decoration and its Basalt-mines. The industry is centred round Hoehr-Grenzhausen.
In the mid 16th century, potters from Raeren in Belgium migrated into the Westerwald, bringing with them some of their moulds. This type of pottery was taken to the New World and was found in the early Chesapeake settlements.
Today one finds highly crafted moulded vases and mugs but also a range of handcrafted utility ware, with hand painted swirling floral motifs.
The capital of the Westerwald is Montabaur, while the Westerwald is divided into three parts: the hessian part, the rhineland-part and the palatinian-part. Westerwald is also a province of Rheinland-palatinate.