Franconian Switzerland-Veldenstein Forest Nature Park, Nature park in northern Bavaria, Germany
Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz – Frankenjura is a 2,346 km² nature park in northern Bavaria, second largest in the state after Altmühl Valley. Its core is the Fränkische Schweiz with narrow valley cuts, broad Jura plateaus, rock formations, caves and many castles. In the east lies the closed pine forest of the Veldensteiner Forst with red deer. The park also takes in the Dolomite Kuppenalb and parts of the Hersbrucker Alb and Oberpfälzer Jura.
The supporting association was founded in 1968, and the park was officially designated by regulation on 14 July 1995, effective 1 September 1995. Its current boundaries were fixed by that 1995 ordinance. The park was renamed from Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz - Veldensteiner Forst to Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz – Frankenjura in 2018.
The park is run by the Verein Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz-Frankenjura e. V., founded in 1968 and based in Pottenstein. Its info centre occupies the former station building at Muggendorf. The park's name links Franconian Switzerland with the Frankenjura, the Jura uplands of the Northern Franconian Alb.
The 500 km Frankenweg long-distance trail crosses the park, and the Fränkische Gebirgsweg, opened in 2007, runs from Blankenstein an der Sächsischen Saale to Hersbruck. The park's info centre is in the former Muggendorf station building. The park's boundaries were fixed by ordinance in 1995.
The park's visitor information centre is housed in the former Muggendorf railway station building. The park is sponsored by the Franconian Switzerland–Frankenjura Nature Park Society, founded in 1968 and based in Pottenstein. Its current boundaries were fixed by regulation in 1995.
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