The Rhume spring is one of the most productive karst springs in Central Europe. It is also the largest spring in the whole of Europe. With a spring discharge of 2,000 liters per second, the funnel-shaped spring head with its numerous secondary springs is the third most powerful spring in Germany after the Aachtopf and Blautopf. Theoretically, every inhabitant of Germany could receive over 2 liters per day from the spring. According to legend, the mermaid Rhuma appeared here as a stream of water on the surface of the earth. Hence the name.

In the southern foothills of the Harz Mountains in northern Germany, on the edge of the Eichsfeld village of Rhumspringe with its 2,000 inhabitants, one of the largest and most water-rich karst springs in Europe, the Rhumequelle, has its source in an idyllic location.

According to legend, this is the realm of the mermaid Rhuma, who once loved the young giant Romar from the hostile castle on the Römerstein, gave birth to a boy and was therefore banished to a cave by her father in a rage. It was only after many years that Rhuma managed to escape her father's influence via underground paths and emerge into the daylight as a stream of water. This place is still called the "Rhume Spring" today. Every two years in autumn, one of the many pretty girls in Rhumspringe is chosen as the "Nixe Rhuma" to commemorate the event.

Due to its unique location and special features, the spring and its surroundings serve many animal species (e.g. oriole, kingfisher, dipper) as a retreat and feeding area or cool place to live (e.g. rainbow trout, grayling). The Heinz-Sielmann-Stiftung, located in the nature experience center on the Herbigshagen estate about 10 km away, documents the flora and fauna of the Rhume spring in addition to the display boards in the area around the spring.

Perhaps you will discover the shy coot or the newly hatched wild ducks playing happily during your 5-minute tour. Hunters and gatherers of the Stone Age experienced this centuries-old idyll. Shards of Linear Pottery vessels from around 5000 to 4200 BC, found in the spring during renaturation work in 1998/99, are the oldest signs of an early civilization. They are supplemented at this site of the spring sacrifice cult by an axe blade (approx. 4000 BC), the fragment of a brooch, a type of brooch (100 BC) and sherds from the Middle Ages.