Koblenz
Koblenz | |
---|---|
Location of Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate Urban district | |
Government | |
• Lord mayor (2017–25) | David Langner[1] (Ind.) |
Area | |
• Total | 105.02 km2 (40.55 sq mi) |
Elevation | 64.7 m (212.3 ft) |
Population (2021-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 113,638 |
• Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Postal codes | 56001–56077 |
Dialling codes | 0261 |
Vehicle registration | KO |
Website | koblenz.de |
Koblenz (UK: /koʊˈblɛnts/ koh-BLENTS, US: /ˈkoʊblɛnts/ KOH-blents, German: [ˈkoːblɛnts] ⓘ) is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multinational tributary.
Koblenz was established as a Roman military post by Drusus around 8 B.C. Its name originates from the Latin (ad) cōnfluentēs, meaning "(at the) confluence".[3] The actual confluence is today known as the "German Corner", a symbol of the unification of Germany that features an equestrian statue of Emperor William I. The city celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 1992.
It ranks in population behind
Name
Historic spellings include Covelenz, Coblenz, and Cobelenz. In local dialect the name is as the first historic spelling indicates, in German orthography, Kowelenz.
History
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1469 | 1,193 | — |
1663 | 1,409 | +18.1% |
1800 | 7,992 | +467.2% |
1836 | 13,307 | +66.5% |
1871 | 24,902 | +87.1% |
1900 | 45,147 | +81.3% |
1910 | 56,487 | +25.1% |
1919 | 56,676 | +0.3% |
1925 | 58,161 | +2.6% |
1933 | 65,257 | +12.2% |
1939 | 91,098 | +39.6% |
1950 | 66,444 | −27.1% |
1961 | 99,240 | +49.4% |
1970 | 101,374 | +2.2% |
1987 | 108,246 | +6.8% |
2011 | 107,825 | −0.4% |
2018 | 114,024 | +5.7% |
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions. source:[4] |
Ancient era
Around 1000 BC, early fortifications were erected on the
Remains of a large bridge built in 49 AD by the Romans are still visible. The Romans built two forts as protection for the bridge, one in 9 AD and another in the 2nd century, the latter being destroyed by the Franks in 259. North of Koblenz was a temple of Mercury and Rosmerta (a Gallo-Roman deity), which remained in use up to the 5th century.
Middle Ages
With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Franks and became a royal seat.[citation needed] After the division of Charlemagne's empire, it was included in the lands of his son Louis the Pious (814). In 837, it was assigned to Charles the Bald, and a few years later it was here that Carolingian heirs discussed what was to become the Treaty of Verdun (843), by which the city became part of Lotharingia under Lothair I.[citation needed] In 860 and 922, Koblenz was the scene of ecclesiastical synods. At the first synod, held in the Liebfrauenkirche, the reconciliation of Louis the German with his half-brother Charles the Bald took place. The city was sacked and destroyed by the Norsemen in 882. In the second, slavery was condemned, specifically it was decreed that any man that 'led away a Christian man and then sold him' should be considered guilty of homicide.[citation needed] In 925, it became part of the eastern German Kingdom, later the Holy Roman Empire.[citation needed]
In 1018, the city was given by the emperor
In 1249–1254, Koblenz was given new walls by Archbishop Arnold II of Isenburg; and it was partly to overawe the turbulent citizens that successive archbishops built and strengthened the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein that still dominates the city.[citation needed]
French Revolution
Home of Royalist émigrés
When the
Near destruction by Royalist forces
On July 26, 1792, the Duke of Brunswick, who commanded one of the invading armies, composed of 70,000 Prussians and 68,000 Austrians, Hessians and émigrés, began to march upon Koblenz. He published a manifesto in which he threatened to set fire to the towns that dared to defend themselves, and to exterminate their inhabitants as rebels, including Koblenz. The city's fate was at hand. But, just as in World War 1, the torrential rains and difficult conditions of the Argonne forest halted the invaders, the roads "were liquid mud," and supplies began to run out due to weather impacting supply lines. The radical revolutionary Georges Danton negotiated with the Duke of Brunswick, under unknown conditions, for his retreat, which was carried out through Grand-Pré and Verdun, then across the Rhine, and the city of Koblenz was saved.[8]
Participation in the Vendee uprising
In 1793, the uprising of Catholic peasants at the Vendée aimed at the overthrow of the National Assembly, which began only after emissaries from Koblenz traveled there, bringing papal bulls, royal decrees and gold. In escaping the watchful eye of French revolutionary forces, these emissaries were aided and protected by the middle classes, the ex-slave-traders of Nantes, and the anti-sans-culottes, pro-England merchants.[9]
Overall influence
Due to their experience in the French Revolution, Peter Kropotkin had termed the phrase Koblenzian to describe the type of royalist émigrés that lived in Koblenz.[10]
Modern era
The city was a member of the league of the Rhenish cities which rose in the 13th century. The
In 1688, Koblenz was besieged by the French under
In 1786, the last archbishop-elector of Trier,
After
The Rhine Gorge was declared a World Heritage Site in 2002, with Koblenz marking the northern end.
Main sights
Fortified cities
Its defensive works are extensive, and consist of strong forts crowning the hills encircling the city to the west, and the citadel of
Since 1890, the city has consisted of the Altstadt (old city) and the Neustadt (new city) or Klemenstadt. Of these, the Altstadt is closely built and has only a few fine streets and squares, while the Neustadt possesses numerous broad streets and a handsome frontage along the Rhine.
Other sights
In the more ancient part of Koblenz stand several buildings which have a historical interest. Prominent among these, near the point of confluence of the rivers, is the Basilica of St. Castor or Kastorkirche, dedicated to Castor of Karden, with four towers. The church was founded in 836 by Louis the Pious, but the present Romanesque building was completed in 1208, the Gothic vaulted roof dating from 1498. In front of the church of Saint Castor stands a fountain, erected by the French in 1812, with an inscription to commemorate Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Not long after, Russian troops occupied Koblenz; and St. Priest, their commander, added in irony these words: "Vu et approuvé par nous, Commandant russe de la Ville de Coblence: Janvier 1er, 1814."
In this quarter of the city, too, is the Liebfrauenkirche, a fine church (nave 1250, choir 1404–1431) with lofty late Romanesque towers; the castle of the electors of
The former Jesuit College is a Baroque edifice by J.C. Sebastiani (1694–1698) serves as the current City Hall.
Near Koblenz is the Lahneck Castle near Lahnstein, open to visitors from 1 April to 31 October.
The city is close to the
The mild climate allows
-
Palace of the archbishop-electors ofTrier
-
US Air Force bombing in 1944
-
Since 2010 the Koblenz cable car has been Germany's biggest aerial tramway.
Electoral palace
In the modern part of the city lies the palace (Residenzschloss), with one front looking towards the Rhine, the other into the Neustadt. It was built in 1778–1786 by Clemens Wenceslaus, the last elector of Trier, following a design by the French architect P.M. d'Ixnard. In 1833, the palace was used as a barracks, and became a terminal post for the optical telecommunications system that originated in Potsdam. Today, the elector's former palace is a museum. Among other exhibits, it contains some Gobelin tapestries. From it some gardens and promenades (Kaiserin Augusta Anlagen) stretch along the bank of the Rhine, and in them is a memorial to the poet Max von Schenkendorf. A statue to the empress Augusta, whose favorite residence was Koblenz, stands in the Luisenplatz.
William I monument
The
In 1897, a monument to
During World War II, the statue was destroyed by US artillery. The French occupation administration intended the complete destruction of the monument and wanted to replace it with a new one.
In 1953, Bundespräsident Theodor Heuss rededicated the monument to German unity, adding the signs of the remaining western federal states as well as the ones of the lost areas in the East. A Flag of Germany has flown there since. The Saarland was added four years later after the population had voted to join Germany.
In the 1980s, a film clip of the monument was often shown on late night TV when the national anthem was played to mark the end of the day, a practice which was discontinued when nonstop broadcasting became common. On October 3, 1990, the very day the former GDR states joined, their signs were added to the monument.
As German unity was considered complete and the areas under Polish administration were ceded to Poland, the monument lost its official active purpose, now only reminding of history. In 1993, the flag was replaced by a copy of the statue, donated by a local couple. The day chosen for the reinstatement of the statue, however, caused controversy as it coincided with Sedantag (Sedan Day) (September 2, 1870) a day of celebration remembering Germany's victory over France in the Battle of Sedan.[11] The event was widely celebrated from the 1870s until the 1910s.
Incorporated villages
Formerly separate villages now incorporated into the jurisdiction of the city of Koblenz
Date | Village | Area | Date | Village | Area | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 July 1891 | Neuendorf and Lützel | 547 hectares (2.1 sq mi) | 7 June 1969 | Kesselheim | ? | |
1 April 1902 | Moselweiß | 382 hectares (1.5 sq mi) | 7 June 1969 | Kapellen-Stolzenfels | ? | |
1 October 1923 | Wallersheim | 229 hectares (0.88 sq mi) | 7 November 1970 | Arenberg-Immendorf | ? | |
1 July 1937 | Asterstein (part of Pfaffendorf) | ? | 7 November 1970 | Arzheim
|
487 hectares (1.9 sq mi) | |
1 July 1937 | Ehrenbreitstein | 120 hectares (0.46 sq mi) | 7 November 1970 | Bubenheim | 314 hectares (1.2 sq mi) | |
1 July 1937 | Horchheim | 772 hectares (3.0 sq mi) | 7 November 1970 | Güls and Bisholder | ? | |
1 July 1937 | Metternich | 483 hectares (1.9 sq mi) | 7 November 1970 | Lay | ? | |
1 July 1937 | Niederberg | 203 hectares (0.78 sq mi) | 7 November 1970 | Rübenach | ? | |
1 July 1937 | Pfaffendorf and Asterstein | 369 hectares (1.4 sq mi) |
Climate
Climate data for Bendorf (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) |
6.7 (44.1) |
11.7 (53.1) |
16.6 (61.9) |
20.3 (68.5) |
23.4 (74.1) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
20.6 (69.1) |
15.1 (59.2) |
9.3 (48.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
15.2 (59.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.5 (36.5) |
3.4 (38.1) |
6.7 (44.1) |
10.7 (51.3) |
14.3 (57.7) |
17.3 (63.1) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.0 (66.2) |
14.8 (58.6) |
10.6 (51.1) |
6.4 (43.5) |
2.7 (36.9) |
10.5 (50.9) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) |
0.2 (32.4) |
2.7 (36.9) |
5.3 (41.5) |
9.0 (48.2) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.8 (56.8) |
13.6 (56.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
7.0 (44.6) |
3.8 (38.8) |
0.3 (32.5) |
6.3 (43.3) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 41.5 (1.63) |
34.4 (1.35) |
44.6 (1.76) |
36.1 (1.42) |
59.1 (2.33) |
65.8 (2.59) |
75.9 (2.99) |
62.1 (2.44) |
62.6 (2.46) |
49.3 (1.94) |
52.6 (2.07) |
52.8 (2.08) |
630.0 (24.80) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 15.1 | 13.9 | 16.0 | 12.6 | 14.4 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 15.1 | 17.5 | 17.3 | 177.6 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
82.9 | 80.5 | 74.0 | 69.4 | 70.3 | 70.6 | 70.7 | 70.9 | 78.4 | 82.1 | 85.0 | 85.4 | 76.8 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 52.2 | 68.0 | 118.8 | 177.6 | 195.1 | 202.3 | 192.2 | 197.4 | 137.9 | 94.7 | 42.9 | 40.0 | 1,486.4 |
Source: NOAA[12]
|
Economy
Koblenz is a principal seat of the Mosel and Rhenish wine trade, and also does a large business in the export of mineral waters. Its manufactures include automotive parts (braking systems –
The headquarters of the
The Bundeswehr's Joint Medical Service Headquarters was formed in 2012 as part of a larger reorganization of the Bundeswehr. It is based at the Falckenstein-Barracks (Falckenstein-Kaserne) and the Rhine-Barracks (Rhein-Kaserne) in Koblenz. It is the high command of the German Army Joint Medical Service. The Headquarters is also the Staff of the Inspector of the Joint Medical Service, Generaloberstabsarzt Dr. Ulrich Baumgaertner.
An
The international headquarters of Canyon Bicycles GmbH is also in Koblenz which is where it began in 1985.[14]
Transport
Roads
To the west of the town is the autobahn A 61, connecting Ludwigshafen and Mönchengladbach, to the north is the east–west running A 48, connecting the A 1, Saarbrücken-Cologne, with the A 3, Frankfurt-Cologne. The city is also on various federal highways 9, 42, 49, 416, 258 and 327. The Glockenberg Tunnel connects the Pfaffendorf Bridge to the B 42. The following bridges cross:
- the Rhine: Bendorf Autobahn Bridge, Pfaffendorf Bridge, Horchheim Rail Bridge, South Bridge
- the Moselle: Balduin Bridge, Mosel Rail Bridge, Europe Bridge, Koblenz Barrage, Kurt-Schumacher Bridge, Güls Rail Bridge
Railways
-
Koblenz, as seen from the International Space Station
-
Map of the Koblenz region
-
Road map
-
Map of railways in greater Koblenz
Education
The campus of University of Koblenz is located in the city. The Koblenz University of Applied Sciences (German: Hochschule Koblenz) is also located in the city.
Twin towns – sister cities
- Nevers, France (1963)
- Haringey, United Kingdom (1969)
- Norwich, United Kingdom (1978)
- Maastricht, Netherlands (1981)
- Novara, Italy (1991)
- Austin, United States (1992)
- Petah Tikva, Israel (2000)
- Varaždin, Croatia (2007)
Popular culture
The children's toy yo-yo was nicknamed de Coblenz (Koblenz) in 18th-century France, referring to the large number of noble French émigrées then living in the city.[16]
The arrow of virtue (Tugendpfeil) is a large gold or silver hairpin from the female headdress of Koblenz and the left bank of the Rhine until the beginning of the 20th century.[17] It was traditionally worn by young Catholic girls between puberty and marriage.
Notable people
Largest groups of foreign residents | |
Nationality | Population (2017) |
---|---|
Turkey | 1,505 |
Poland | 1,278 |
Bulgaria | 996 |
Romania | 780 |
Ukraine | 627 |
Italy | 613 |
Russia | 600 |
Syria | 595 |
- Thomas Anders (born 1963), singer, the lead singer of duo Modern Talking
- Cathinka Buchwieser (1789–1828), operatic soprano and actress
- Christian Collovà (born 1972), Italian rally driver
- Milo Emil Halbheer (1910–1978), artist
- Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (1926–2020), president of France from 1974 to 1981
- Ringling Brothers
- Betty Hall(1921–2018), American politician
- Karl Haniel (1877–1944), civil servant and entrepreneur
- Ottilie von Hansemann (1840–1919), women rights activist
- Bodo Illgner (born 1967), soccer player
- Philip Krautkremer (1844-1922), American farmer and politician[18]
- Max von Laue (1879–1960), physicist, won Nobel Prize in Physics in 1914
- Tobias Lütke (born 1981), billionaire entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Shopify[19]
- John A. Mais (1888–1961), racing driver
- Klemens von Metternich (1773–1859), Austrian diplomat, chancellor, and foreign minister, architect of the Congress of Vienna.[20]
References
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Coblenz". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 621–622. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
Notes
- ^ Wahl der Oberbürgermeister der kreisfreien Städte, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 30 July 2021.
- Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2022.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 612.
- ^ Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland Pfalz
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 4". The Great French Revolution, 1789–1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 30". The Great French Revolution, 1789–1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings.
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 31". The Great French Revolution, 1789–1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings.
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 37". The Great French Revolution, 1789–1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings.
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 54". The Great French Revolution, 1789–1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings.
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 58". The Great French Revolution, 1789–1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings.
- ^ Jefferies, Matthew, Imperial Culture in Germany, 1871–1918 (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2003)
- ^ "Bendorf Climate Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ http://www.rhein-zeitung.de/regionales_artikel,-Bei-Amazon-in-Koblenz-arbeiten-bald-3000-Leute-_arid,494182.html (Rhein-Zeitung newspaper, in German language)
- ^ "null". www.canyon.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Partnerstädte der Stadt Koblenz". koblenz.de (in German). Koblenz. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ "Untitled Document". Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2010. National Yo-Yo Museum, California
- ^ Karl Baedeker. Les Bords du Rhin. Manuel du voyageur. 5th French Edition, Koblenz, 1862, p.219.
- ^ "Krautkremer, Philip - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov.
- ^ Mingels, Guido (September 7, 2018). "(S+) Tobi Lütke: Der Shopify-Gründer expandiert nach Deutschland". Der Spiegel.
- ^ Phillips, Walter Alison (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). pp. 301–307.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. XVII (9th ed.). 1884. .
Bibliography
External links
- Official website (in German)
- Koblenz City Panoramas – Panoramic views and virtual tours
- Official Town map of Koblenz (needs Java and JavaScript)
- Richard Stillwell, ed. Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, 1976: "Ad Confluentes (Koblenz), Germany
- Online Magazin Koblenz