Bavarian glass art

Has a hundreds of years old tradition in the eastern Bavarian border area to Bohemia. The trick in this handicraft is to make an article of daily use or a piece of art out of a lump of melted glass.

This handicraft is one of the oldest of the world. It requires a lot of experience. The glassblower has to be very nimble-fingered, to be able to manufacture the desired form of a glass. The hot temperatures at the workplace are anything but pleasant. The ovens need wood, and that used to be and is plentiful in the Bavarian Forest. Also the sand which was melted in the ovens and which released the liquid glass mass was to be found here.

Because of that, the Bavarian Forest was the ideal location for the glass production. The single glass foundries have built a reputation far beyond the region of the Bavarian Forest. Two of the most prominent glass foundries are to be found in Bodenmais and Arnbruck.

Especially Joska Kristall in Bodenmais is not only famous in Germany, but also overseas. The company specialized in glass goblets for large sport events already several years ago . Especially in the alpine sports, these magnificent, sculpture-like pieces of art made from glass are to be seen.

About 170 experts (artists, craftspeople, engineers, merchants, decorators, florists ...) live and work in the Weinfurtner glass village in Arnbruck in the Bavarian Forest. Greatest value is set upon creativity, and so, new things arise daily, in direct exchange of ideas with the visitors, between the poles of traditional and innovation glass foundry.