Ammerland
Encyclopedia
Ammerland is a district
in Lower Saxony
, Germany
. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the city of Oldenburg
and the districts of Oldenburg
, Cloppenburg
, Leer
, Friesland
and Wesermarsch
.
raids small ring-like castles were built in order to protect the defenceless hamlets.
For many years there was little interest in this swampy region. In the 14th century it became part of the County of Oldenburg. The counts established strongholds in the region, which was the frontier against the lands of the untamable Frisia
ns.
The district was established in 1933 in the rough borders of the historical region.
s. The latter are a symbol of the district, which calls itself sometimes the "land of windmills".
The central point of the district is the Zwischenahner Meer
located near the resort town of Bad Zwischenahn
, a lake with an area of 5.5 km² (Meer is the German word for "sea", but in the local Low German
, as in Dutch, it means "lake").
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states 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 east and clockwise) the city of Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
and the districts of Oldenburg
Oldenburg (district)
Oldenburg is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Diepholz, Vechta, Cloppenburg and Ammerland, the city of Oldenburg, the district of Wesermarsch and the city of Delmenhorst.-History:...
, Cloppenburg
Cloppenburg (district)
Cloppenburg is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Ammerland, Oldenburg, Vechta, Osnabrück, Emsland and Leer....
, Leer
Leer (district)
Leer is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the city of Emden, the districts of Aurich, Wittmund, Friesland, Ammerland, Cloppenburg and Emsland, and by the Netherlands ....
, Friesland
Friesland (district)
Friesland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Wesermarsch, Ammerland, Leer and Wittmund, and by the North Sea...
and Wesermarsch
Wesermarsch
Wesermarsch is a Kreis in the northwestern part of Lower Saxony, Germany. Neighboring are the districts of Cuxhaven and Osterholz, the city of Bremen in the state of Bremen, the urban district of Delmenhorst, the district of Oldenburg and the urban district of Oldenburg, and the districts of ...
.
History
The "Ammerland" was first mentioned in the 10th century. The word is believed to derive from Ameri, which is an old word meaning "swamp". In the time of VikingViking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raids small ring-like castles were built in order to protect the defenceless hamlets.
For many years there was little interest in this swampy region. In the 14th century it became part of the County of Oldenburg. The counts established strongholds in the region, which was the frontier against the lands of the untamable Frisia
Frisia
Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
ns.
The district was established in 1933 in the rough borders of the historical region.
Geography
Ammerland is characterised by a very flat countryside, many fens and swamps, and many windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s. The latter are a symbol of the district, which calls itself sometimes the "land of windmills".
The central point of the district is the Zwischenahner Meer
Zwischenahner Meer
Zwischenahner Meer is a lake in Ammerland, Lower Saxony, Germany. At an elevation of ca. 5 m, its surface area is 5.5 km².- External links :...
located near the resort town of Bad Zwischenahn
Bad Zwischenahn
Bad Zwischenahn is a village and a municipality in the low-lying Ammerland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the lake Zwischenahner Meer, approx...
, a lake with an area of 5.5 km² (Meer is the German word for "sea", but in the local Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
, as in Dutch, it means "lake").
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms displays:
Its blazon Blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image... is: "Quarterly Or and Azure, I: two bars Gules; II: a Greek cross Or; III: an oak stem with leaf Leaf A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants.... and acorn Acorn The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad... Or; IV: two bars dancetty Gules". |
Cities and municipalities
| Cities | Municipalities |
|---|---|
|
Apen Apen is a municipality in the district of Ammerland, in Lower Saxony, Germany.It is known to be the hometown of Morshu, a german salesman famed for his lamp oil, robes and bombs. He moved from Apen to Koridai, where he can still be found today.... Bad Zwischenahn Bad Zwischenahn is a village and a municipality in the low-lying Ammerland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the lake Zwischenahner Meer, approx... Edewecht Edewecht is a municipality in the Ammerland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 15 km west of Oldenburg. It is the home of the company Meica which is known throughout Germany as a manufacturer of sausages.-Twin towns:... Rastede Rastede is a municipality in the Ammerland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 12 km north of Oldenburg. It is the site of the Schloss Rastede.-References:... Wiefelstede Wiefelstede is a municipality in the Ammerland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 15 km northwest of Oldenburg.It is home to Brötje Automation GmbH, an automated aircraft assembly manufacturer.... |