Blautopf

The Blautopf is one of Germany's most remarkable karst springs — a circular pool up to 21 metres deep on the edge of the Swabian Alb, its water glowing an intense turquoise-blue depending on the light. The pool is the visible outlet of the Blauhöhle cave system, the largest underwater cave network in the Swabian Alb, stretching well over ten kilometres beneath the plateau and accessible only to certified cave divers. Schiller drew inspiration from the spring for his ballad 'Der Taucher', and local legend speaks of a water nymph said to dwell in the depths. Divers continue to discover new passages to this day, and the system's true extent remains unknown. The spring is wheelchair-accessible and connected by a short trail to Blaubeuren's medieval monastery.