Altenbrak

Altenbrak is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.GeographyThe village is strung out for about 1.6 kilometres along the River Bode in an east-west valley. It is 3 kilometres from the Wendefurth Reservoir, which is part of the Rappbode Reservoir. From its shape and nature, Altenbrak is very much a Straßendorf or ribbon development.In front of the dam is the hamlet of Wendefurth that used to belong to this parish. Altenbrak's neighbouring communities are Allrode, Blankenburg (Harz), Cattenstedt, Friedrichsbrunn, Hasselfelde, Treseburg, Wendefurth and Wienrode. Within the local area are the forest inn of Todtenrode (Gasthaus Todtenrode) and the Jagdschloss Windenhütte which are also checkpoints 65 and 59 in the Harzer Wandernadel hiking network.HistoryAltenbrak was first mentioned in 1448 as a smelting site. The establishment of the village probably goes back further to 1227. After the last ironworks was closed in 1867 the population became poverty-stricken. Later, tourism developed, encouraged by the sheltered situation of the village.