Wikipedia
It has a total length of 21 km (14 mi), and rises in the Hofeler to a height of 395 m (1,250 ft). The highest point is the Bröhn at 405 m (1,312 ft).
The chain is well-wooded and abounds in game. From the 17th century on there were several coal mines, the last were abandoned in the 1950s. Sandstone from quarries in Altenhagen (Small Deister) was used in several important buildings all over Europe, including the opera house in Hanover and the Reichstag in Berlin. Today the Deister is a popular target for people of the Hanover area for walking and cycling.
The Deister is a border region since ancient times. Here one can find many places with memorial stones, tumuli and ruins of castles.
Deister (February 10, 1971 - August 27, 2000) was a Hanoverian horse ridden by Paul Schockemöhle and Hartwig Steenken. He won many top international competitions in the sport of show jumping. He was three times European Champion. He stood 16.3½ hh (171 cm).