Forchheim District

Forchheim District is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Bamberg, Bayreuth, Nürnberger Land and Erlangen-Höchstadt.

History
Until 1803 the region was divided between the clerical state of Bamberg and the margravate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach centred in Bayreuth. Then it fell to Bavaria. The district in its present borders was established in 1972 by merging the former district of Forchheim with parts of the dissolved districts of Ebermannstadt and Pegnitz. The city of Forchheim lost its status as a district-free city and became the capital.

Geography
The main river is the Regnitz, which runs from south to north through the western parts of the district. East of the river the land rises to the hills of the Frankish Alb.