Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,515,066,919 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

Brocken

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
Brocken (brôk`ən), granite peak, 3,747 ft (1,142 m) high, central Germany; highest peak of the Harz Mts. Popular legend makes it the meeting place of the Walpurgis Night or Witches' Sabbath. The "Brocken scene" in Goethe's Faust is set there.

Brocken

Highest point in the Harz Mountains, central Germany. Its granite peak reaches 3,747 ft (1,142 m). When the sun is low, shadows from the peak become magnified, casting gigantic silhouettes on the upper surfaces of low-lying clouds or fog below the mountain. This effect, known as the Brocken bow or Brocken spectre, has mystical significance in the mountain's folklore. Traditional rites enacted there on Walpurgis Night became connected with the legend of Faust.


Brocken
a mountain in central Germany, formerly in East Germany: the highest peak of the Harz Mountains; important in German folklore. Height: 1142 m (3747 ft.). The Brocken Bow or Brocken Spectre is an atmospheric phenomenon in which an observer, when the sun is low, may see his enlarged shadow against the clouds, often surrounded by coloured lights


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
? Mentioned in
 
Encyclopedia browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.