Kraichgau
Encyclopedia
The Kraichgau is a hilly region in Baden-Württemberg
, southwestern Germany
. It is bordered by the Odenwald
and the Neckar
to the North, the Black Forest
to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain
to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt
, and the Heuchelberg.
The largest towns of the Kraichgau are Sinsheim
, Eppingen
, and Bretten
. On the western end of the Kraichgau is the town of Bruchsal
, the gateway to the Rhineland plains.
word "Creuch," meaning "mud" or "loam." The word "gau" signifies an open area, free from woods, such as farmland or meadows.
The area of Kraichgau was first mentioned in the Early Middle Ages
, in the Lorsch codex
, as "Creichgowe" in the year 769. In 773, it was called "Chrehgauui," in 778 "Craichgoia."
By 1594, the name was closer to its modern form, being referred to as "Kreuchgau."
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...
, southwestern 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 bordered by the Odenwald
Odenwald
The Odenwald is a low mountain range in Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.- Location :The Odenwald lies between the Upper Rhine Rift Valley with the Bergstraße and the Hessisches Ried in the west, the Main and the Bauland in the east, the Hanau-Seligenstadt Basin – a subbasin of...
and the Neckar
Neckar
The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...
to the North, the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain
Upper Rhine Plain
The Upper Rhine Plain, Rhine Rift Valley or Upper Rhine Graben is a major rift, straddling the border between France and Germany. It forms part of the European Cenozoic Rift System, which extends across central Europe...
to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt
Hardt
Hardt may refer to:* Hardt, Westerwaldkreis, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany* Hardt, Baden-Württemberg, a municipality in Baden-Württemberg, Germany* Hardtwald, a forest near Karlsruhe, Germany* Ernst Hardt, a German author...
, and the Heuchelberg.
The largest towns of the Kraichgau are Sinsheim
Sinsheim
Sinsheim is a town in southwestern Germany, in the Rhine Neckar Area of the state Baden-Württemberg about 22 kilometers southeast of Heidelberg and about 28 kilometers northwest of Heilbronn in the district Rhein-Neckar. It consists of a city center and 11 suburbs with a total population of 35,605...
, Eppingen
Eppingen
Eppingen is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The town has the second-largest population in the district....
, and Bretten
Bretten
Bretten is a town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route.-Geography:Bretten lies in the centre of a rectangle that is formed by Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Heilbronn and Stuttgart as corners. It has a population of approximately 28,000. The centre of...
. On the western end of the Kraichgau is the town of Bruchsal
Bruchsal
Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
, the gateway to the Rhineland plains.
Origins of the name
The word "Kraich" apparently arose from the CelticCeltic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
word "Creuch," meaning "mud" or "loam." The word "gau" signifies an open area, free from woods, such as farmland or meadows.
The area of Kraichgau was first mentioned in the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, in the Lorsch codex
Lorsch codex
The Lorsch Codex is an important historical document created between about 1175 to 1195 AD in the Monastery of Saint Nazarius in Lorsch, Germany. It consists of 460 pages in large format containing more than 3800 entries...
, as "Creichgowe" in the year 769. In 773, it was called "Chrehgauui," in 778 "Craichgoia."
By 1594, the name was closer to its modern form, being referred to as "Kreuchgau."