Kelheim
Encyclopedia
Kelheim is a municipality in Bavaria
, capital of the district Kelheim
. It is situated at the confluence of Altmühl
and Danube
. As of June 30, 2005, the town had a population
of 15,667.
Kelheim is also the site of a large Iron Age
oppidum
from the La Tène period, which has been tentatively identified as the Celt
ic city of Alcimoennis
. The ramparts of the fort cross the promontory between the rivers Altmühl
and Danube
. There is an inner defensive line enclosing 60 ha
near the confluence, then a long outer rampart enclosing an enormous area of 630 ha
. A small promontory fort on the other bank of the Danube
has a series of short linear ramparts protecting a settlement in the bend of a meander
. This is aligned with the end of the outer rampart on the far bank, dominating traffic on the river. Kelheim has given its name to the pfostenschlitzmauer
style of rampart construction characterized by vertical wooden posts set into the stone facing.
Schneider
has a large weissbier brewery in the city.
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...
, capital of the district Kelheim
Kelheim (district)
Kelheim is a district in Bavaria, Germany, bound by the regions Regensburg, Landshut, Freising, Pfaffenhofen, Eichstätt and Neumarkt.-Geography:...
. It is situated at the confluence of Altmühl
Altmühl
The Altmühl is a river in Bavaria, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Danube and is approximately 230 km in length.The source of the Altmühl is located close to the city of Ansbach. From here the river runs southeastwards as a narrow brook to enter the Altmühlsee north of Gunzenhausen...
and 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....
. As of June 30, 2005, the town had a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 15,667.
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
from the La Tène period, which has been tentatively identified as the 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 city of Alcimoennis
Alcimoennis
Alcimoennis was a Celtic Oppidum, or hill fort, located on the Michelsberg hill, dominating the peninsula between the Danube and Altmühl rivers in northern Bavaria, Germany, above the modern city of Kelheim....
. The ramparts of the fort cross the promontory between the rivers Altmühl
Altmühl
The Altmühl is a river in Bavaria, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Danube and is approximately 230 km in length.The source of the Altmühl is located close to the city of Ansbach. From here the river runs southeastwards as a narrow brook to enter the Altmühlsee north of Gunzenhausen...
and 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....
. There is an inner defensive line enclosing 60 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
near the confluence, then a long outer rampart enclosing an enormous area of 630 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
. A small promontory fort on the other bank 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....
has a series of short linear ramparts protecting a settlement in the bend of a meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
. This is aligned with the end of the outer rampart on the far bank, dominating traffic on the river. Kelheim has given its name to the pfostenschlitzmauer
Pfostenschlitzmauer
Pfostenschlitzmauer is a method of constructing defensive walls protecting Iron Age hillforts and oppida in Central Europe, including Bavaria and the Czech Republic. It is characterized by vertical wooden posts set into the front stone facing. The rampart is constructed from a timber lattice...
style of rampart construction characterized by vertical wooden posts set into the stone facing.
Schneider
Schneider
Schneider is a surname, common in Germany, it may also refer to:Companies and organizations* G. Schneider & Sohn, Bavarian brewery company* Schneider Rundfunkwerke AG, former owner of the Dual brand record players...
has a large weissbier brewery in the city.