Simbach am Inn is a town on the Inn

Inn River

The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube and is approximately 500km long. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres.- Geography :...

 in the Rottal-Inn

Rottal-Inn

Rottal-Inn is a Kreis in the southeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are Altötting, Mühldorf, Landshut, Dingolfing-Landau and Passau...

 district of Bavaria

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...

. 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 city Braunau am Inn

Braunau am Inn

Braunau am Inn is a town in the Innviertel region of Upper Austria , the north-western state of Austria. It lies about 90 km west of Linz and about 60 km north of Salzburg, on the border with the German state of Bavaria. The population in 2001 was 16,372...

 lies on the opposite side of the river from Simbach.

History

Simbach was one of the first places where electricity was used. For example, Simbach had electrical power three years before Munich.

One of the reasons for Simbach's growth is that it lies on the railroad route Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

 - Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

.

Timeline

• 927 - Simbach first appears in historical records as "Sunninpah."
• 1743 - Simbach is nearly destroyed during the Bavarian-Austrian War.
• 1833 - Simbach becomes an independent municipality.
• 1951 - Simbach is raised to city status, making it the youngest city in the Rottal-Inn district.
• 1972 - The municipalities Kirchberg, Eggstetten and Erlach are added to Simbach.

Schellenberg

Schellenberg is a hill north of town. At over 549 meters in height, it is the tallest hill between the Inn and Rott. The hill provides views of the Inn valley, neighbouring Upper Austria

Upper Austria

Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...

, and (on clear days) the distant Alps

Alps

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....

.

Parish church Maria Himmelfahrt

This church, in the Erlach district, ranks among the most important church buildings in the region. It holds an elaborate high altar.

Festivals

Pfingstdult is a popular annual festival. Every year, it is accompanied by an industrial exhibition.

The annual City festival takes place last Sunday in June.

The "Angling celebration" takes place each year on the first weekend in September.

"Leonhardiritt" is a horse pro assignment and takes place each year in October.

The Advent season is celebrated in a ceremony spanning nine days with 1000 participants.

Twin Cities

• Since 1982 Simbach is twinned with the town of Skipton
  Skipton
  Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
  
   in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
  
  .
• Since 2001 Simbach is twinned with the town of Tolmezzo
  Tolmezzo
  Tolmezzo is a town and comune in the province of Udine, part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-eastern Italy.-Geography:Tolmezzo is located at the feet of the Strabut Mountain, between the Tagliamento River and the Bût stream. Nearby is the Mount Amariana...
  
   in the Friaul region of Italy
  Italy
  Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
  
  .

Geothermal power in Simbach

Forty MW of electricity is generated from geothermal heat sources

Geothermal power

Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of minerals...

 tapped 2,000 meters beneath the earth. Both Simbach and Braunau make use of this renewable resource.

Census statistics

Simbach has approximately 10,000 residents. Nearly 15% of them are younger than 18 years, 45% are between 18 and 50 years old, and 40% are older than 50 years.

Politics

The mayor of Simbach is Günther Wöhl (UNS). There are twenty-five seats on the town council; a total of four parties are represented. With 15 seats, the CSU is the biggest party in the town council. The SPD

Social Democratic Party of Germany

The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...

, Alliance '90/The Greens

Alliance '90/The Greens

Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...

 and free voters divide the remaining ten seats.

Transportation

Simbach lies near the incomplete highway A94

Bundesautobahn 94

is an autobahn in southern Germany supposed to connect Munich with Passau at the Austrian border. However, due to ongoing objections against the proposed routing, only the parts Munich-Forstinning and Ampfing-Burghausen have been built so far.- Exit list :...

. There are train connections to Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

, Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

, Salzburg

Salzburg

-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...

, and Passau

Passau

Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....

.

The closest major airports are the Munich International Airport

Munich International Airport

Munich Airport , is located northeast of Munich, Germany, and is a hub for Lufthansa and Star Alliance partner airlines. It lies nearby the old city of Freising and is named in memory of politician Franz Josef Strauss...

 and the Salzburg Airport

Salzburg Airport

Salzburg Airport or W. A. Mozart Airport is the second largest airport in Austria.Salzburg Airport presents itself as a modern regional airport, which creates jobs and plays an ever increasing role as a strong investor in the economy and the tourist industry...

, each about an one hour drive by car.

International relations

Simbach am Inn is twinned

Town twinning

Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with: Skipton

Skipton

Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 Tolmezzo

Tolmezzo

Tolmezzo is a town and comune in the province of Udine, part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-eastern Italy.-Geography:Tolmezzo is located at the feet of the Strabut Mountain, between the Tagliamento River and the Bût stream. Nearby is the Mount Amariana...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...