Oberallgäu
Encyclopedia
Oberallgäu is a district in Bavaria
, Germany
. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Unterallgäu
and Ostallgäu
, the Austria
n states Tyrol and Vorarlberg
, the district of Lindau
, and the state of Baden-Württemberg
(district Ravensburg
). The city of Kempten is enclosed by, but not belonging to the district.
, when Celt
ic peoples inhabited the region. The Romans
established a military camp which grew to become the city of Cambodunum, the present Kempten. It is consequently sometimes claimed that Kempten is the oldest town in Germany.
In medieval times Kempten was a free imperial city, and the surrounding lands became subordinate to the lords of Staufen
and the counts of Rothenfels
. Both ceased to exist in the beginning of the 19th century, when Napoleon
handed these territories over to Bavaria.
The district of Oberallgäu was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Sonthofen and Kempten.
located in Swabia
and their northern foothills.
In the very south of the district there are some of the highest mountains of the Allgäu, culminating in the Hochfrottspitze (2649 m). The Iller
River (a tributary of the Danube
) runs through the district from south to north.
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Unterallgäu
Unterallgäu
Unterallgäu is a Kreis in the southwestern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are Neu-Ulm, Günzburg, Augsburg, Ostallgäu, Oberallgäu, and the districts Ravensburg und Biberach in Baden-Württemberg. The district-free city Memmingen in the west of the district is nearly surrounded by...
and Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the Austrian state of Tyrol...
, the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n states Tyrol and Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein...
, the district of Lindau
Lindau (district)
Lindau is a Landkreis or rural district in Bavaria, Germany; its capital is the city of Lindau. It is bounded by the district of Oberallgäu, Austria , Lake Constance and the state of Baden-Württemberg .-History:The city of Lindau became a Free Imperial City in the 13th century; it was...
, and the state of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
(district Ravensburg
Ravensburg (district)
Ravensburg is a district in the south-east of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Bodensee, Sigmaringen and Biberach, the Bavarian urban district Memmingen and the districts Unterallgäu, Oberallgäu and Lindau.-History:The district dates back to the Oberamt Ravensburg, which was...
). The city of Kempten is enclosed by, but not belonging to the district.
History
Human settlement dates back to the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, when Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic peoples inhabited the region. The Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
established a military camp which grew to become the city of Cambodunum, the present Kempten. It is consequently sometimes claimed that Kempten is the oldest town in Germany.
In medieval times Kempten was a free imperial city, and the surrounding lands became subordinate to the lords of Staufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
and the counts of Rothenfels
Rothenfels
Rothenfels is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Marktheidenfeld...
. Both ceased to exist in the beginning of the 19th century, when Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
handed these territories over to Bavaria.
The district of Oberallgäu was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Sonthofen and Kempten.
Geography
Oberallgäu is the southernmost district of Germany. "Oberallgäu" literally means "Upper Allgäu". The term Allgäu is applied to the part of the AlpsAlps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
located in Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
and their northern foothills.
In the very south of the district there are some of the highest mountains of the Allgäu, culminating in the Hochfrottspitze (2649 m). The Iller
Iller
The Iller is a river in Bavaria, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube, 147 km in length.The source is located near Oberstdorf in the Allgäu region of the Alps, close to the Austrian border. From there it runs northwards, passing the towns of Sonthofen, Immenstadt, and Kempten...
River (a tributary of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
) runs through the district from south to north.
Coat of arms
 |
The coat of arms displays a mountain symbolising the Allgäu, and three lions from the arms of the Staufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... dynasty. |
Towns and municipalities
| Towns | Municipalities | |
|---|---|---|
|
Altusried Altusried is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Bad Hindelang Bad Hindelang is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany. As of 2008 it has a population of 4,915. Its sulphur spring was used for cures in the 19th century and today the municipality is a major health resort.-Geography:... Balderschwang Balderschwang is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Betzigau Betzigau is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Blaichach Blaichach is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.-History:During World War II, a subcamp of the Dachau concentration camp was located here.... Bolsterlang Bolsterlang is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Buchenberg Buchenberg is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Burgberg im Allgäu Burgberg is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Dietmannsried Dietmannsried is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.-Sister cities: Carry-le-Rouet, Bouches-du-Rhône, France... Durach Durach is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.The village came into international media attention in August 2008 when a light aircraft hit power lines in its vicinity and the pilot and passenger, who had survived inside the plane dangling on high-tension power cables,... Fischen Fischen im Allgäu is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.- History :During World War II, a subcamp of the Dachau concentration camp was located here.- References :... Haldenwang, Oberallgäu Haldenwang is a place in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... Lauben Lauben is a municipality in the district of Oberallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.... |
|
External links
- Official website (German)
- Touristical website (German, English, French, Spanish)
- Orchids in Allgäu