Höhen

Höhen is the plural form of Höhe and denotes vertical extent or elevation. It describes how high something is relative to a reference level, such as the ground, sea level, or a local datum. In everyday language, Höhen is used to talk about the heights of hills, buildings, or landscapes, while the singular Höhe refers to the height of a single object or the concept of height in general.

In geography and cartography, Höhenangaben indicate the elevation of terrain, usually given in meters above sea level. Maps show Höhenlinien, contour lines that connect points of equal height. The height of a location may also be expressed with terms such as Flughöhe for aviation or Höhenlage for the geographic position relative to sea level. When comparing two points, one speaks of Höhenunterschied or vertical difference.

In engineering, architecture, and planning, Höhen play a key role in determining structural dimensions, drainage, and line-of-sight calculations. In sports and outdoor activities, Höhenmeter or simply Höhe is used to quantify ascent, for example in mountain biking or trail running. As a verb, höhen is uncommon; more common is erhöhen to raise something or sich erhöhen to increase.

See also: Höhe, Flughöhe, Höhenlinie, Höhenmeter.