Wangen im Allgäu
Encyclopedia
Wangen im Allgäu is a historic city in southeast Baden-Württemberg
, Germany. It lies north-east of Lake Constance
in the Westallgäu
. It is the second-largest city (Population: 27,157 in 2005) in the Ravensburg
district and is a nexus for the surrounding communities. From 1938 to 1972, Wangen was the county seat of the Wangen rural district.
River. The Lower Argen flows past northwest Wangen and unites southwest of the city with the Upper Argen. The city today is shaped by its historical town center as well as by numerous nearby districts.
, Vogt
, Kißlegg
, Argenbühl
, and Achberg
(Ravensburg district), Hergatz
and Hergensweiler
(Lindau
district), and Neukirch
(Bodensee
district).
In 1217, Emperor Fredrick II
declared in a document that Wangen should remain in royal hands. In 1286, King Rudolph I
granted Wangen the status of free imperial city
.
During the late Middle Ages
, the city's growth was amplified by its central location at the crossroads between Ravensburg
, Lindau
, Leutkirch, and Isny and the growing trade through the Alps.
Wangen's production and export of manufactured goods, particularly scythes and canvas, gave the city a tremendous positive trade balance
. This surplus money was used to acquire lands outside of the city walls, thus giving Wangen a safeguard against economic fluctuations.
During the German Mediatisation
, in 1802, Wangen lost its status as a Free City and was incorporated into the Kingdom of Bavaria
; it later changed hands in 1810 to the Kingdom of Württemberg
.
In 1936, the city was officially named "Wangen in Allgäu"
From 1938 up unto its dissolution and integration into the Ravensburg
district in 1972, Wangen was the capital of the Wangen rural district. In 1973, Wangen was officially designated by the Baden-Württemberg state government to Großen Kreisstadt (large district town) due to its population having reached 20,000.
In 1999, the largest flood in the most recent 50 years of Wangen's history completey flooded the lower city. The city was again flooded in 2006 by the upper Argen
River.
During the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, the national team of Togo
stayed in Wangen.
to those of the late baroque
era.
The Oberstadtkirche St. Martin ("St Martin's Upper City Church") is one of Wangen's oldest buildings. The church was already present in the 9th century; it was renovated numerous times in the following years. It contains both Romanesque
and Gothic architecture
.
The Ravensburg
Gate is the city's prime landmark. It was first mentioned in 1472, but was probably changed to its current appearance in 1608. The building is decorated with Renaissance-era artwork. Similarly aged relics of the old city include the Lindau
Gate and the Pfaffenturm tower.
The local history museum, Heimatmuseum in der Eselmühle, was opened in 1974 in a former mill acquired by the city in 1969. The museum displays the original mechanisms of the mill in addition to a collections from various spans of the city's history.
¹ Census
, FWV, GOL
, SPD
).
before the decline of German textile manufacturing.
and Memmingen
, in addition to federal highways
18 and 32. The town is part of the Aulendorf
– Kißlegg
– Wangen - Hergatz
– Lindau
and Ulm
– Memmingen
– Kißlegg
– Wangen – Hergatz
– Lindau
train lines. It lies on the bus route between Ravensburg
and Tettnang
. The city also belongs to the Bodensee–Oberschwaben public transportation association.
(Rupert-Neß-Gymnasium), a Realschule
(Johann-Andreas-Rauch-Realschule), two Hauptschule
n (Anton-von-Gegenbaur-Schule and Hauptschule Karsee), a special school (Martinstorschule), three combined secondary and elementary schools (GHS Niederwangen, Prassberg-Schule and Freie Waldorfschule Wangen (http://www.fws-wangen.de/start.html), and six elementary schools (Berger-Höhe-Schule, Deuchelried, Grundschule im Ebnet, Leupolz, Neuravensburg, and Schomburg).
The Wangen district has two vocational schools (Friedrich-Schiedel-Schule and Kaufmännischen Schule Wangen), in addition to the Heinrich-Brügger-Schule medical school.
regional court district, which in turn belongs to the Stuttgart court district.
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...
, Germany. It lies north-east of Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
in the Westallgäu
Westallgäu
Westallgäu is the western part of the Allgäu in Germany. It contains large parts of the districts of Lindau in the south west of the region, Swabia in Bavaria and the district of Ravensburg in the south east of Baden-Württemberg. Westallgäu extends to the north to, amongst others, the towns of...
. It is the second-largest city (Population: 27,157 in 2005) in the 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...
district and is a nexus for the surrounding communities. From 1938 to 1972, Wangen was the county seat of the Wangen rural district.
Geography
Wangen in Allgäu lies on the north bank of the upper ArgenArgen
The Argen is a river in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It flows into Lake Constance between Kressbronn am Bodensee and Langenargen as the third largest tributary to the lake. It is 23.4 km long; if one includes the Upper Argen, the combined length is 51.4 km.- Course :The headwaters of the...
River. The Lower Argen flows past northwest Wangen and unites southwest of the city with the Upper Argen. The city today is shaped by its historical town center as well as by numerous nearby districts.
Neighboring municipalities
Several settlements border Wangen. Their names are as follows: AmtzellAmtzell
Amtzell is a municipality in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, Vogt
Vogt, Germany
Vogt is a village in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, Kißlegg
Kißlegg
Kißlegg is a town in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Kißlegg is not far from the village of Vogt. It has a beautiful church, rich in culture and beauty....
, Argenbühl
Argenbühl
Argenbühl is a municipality in the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.It includes the village of Eglofs, which until 1806 was a reichsfrei territory, as the Lordship of Eglofs....
, and Achberg
Achberg
Achberg is a municipality in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
(Ravensburg district), Hergatz
Hergatz
Hergatz is a municipality in the district of Lindau in Bavaria in Germany. The contemporary town was formed from the former municipals of Wohmbrechts and Maria-Thann in the course of the municipal reform at the end of the 70s.-Geografie:...
and Hergensweiler
Hergensweiler
Hergensweiler is a municipality in the district of Lindau in Bavaria in Germany. It is member of the municipal association of Sigmarszell.-History:Hergensweiler was most likely founded about 800 AD by the Alemanni...
(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...
district), and Neukirch
Neukirch, Baden-Württemberg
Neukirch is a town in the district of Bodensee in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
(Bodensee
Bodenseekreis
Bodenseekreis is a district in the south-east of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Konstanz, Sigmaringen, Ravensburg and Lindau...
district).
History
The city was first mentioned in 815 under the name "Wangun" in a monastery document.In 1217, Emperor Fredrick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
declared in a document that Wangen should remain in royal hands. In 1286, King Rudolph I
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
granted Wangen the status of free imperial city
Free Imperial City
In the Holy Roman Empire, a free imperial city was a city formally ruled by the emperor only — as opposed to the majority of cities in the Empire, which were governed by one of the many princes of the Empire, such as dukes or prince-bishops...
.
During the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the city's growth was amplified by its central location at the crossroads between Ravensburg
Ravensburg
Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre...
, Lindau
Lindau
Lindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was...
, Leutkirch, and Isny and the growing trade through the Alps.
Wangen's production and export of manufactured goods, particularly scythes and canvas, gave the city a tremendous positive trade balance
Balance of trade
The balance of trade is the difference between the monetary value of exports and imports of output in an economy over a certain period. It is the relationship between a nation's imports and exports...
. This surplus money was used to acquire lands outside of the city walls, thus giving Wangen a safeguard against economic fluctuations.
During the German Mediatisation
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
, in 1802, Wangen lost its status as a Free City and was incorporated into the Kingdom 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...
; it later changed hands in 1810 to the Kingdom of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
.
In 1936, the city was officially named "Wangen in Allgäu"
From 1938 up unto its dissolution and integration into the 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...
district in 1972, Wangen was the capital of the Wangen rural district. In 1973, Wangen was officially designated by the Baden-Württemberg state government to Großen Kreisstadt (large district town) due to its population having reached 20,000.
In 1999, the largest flood in the most recent 50 years of Wangen's history completey flooded the lower city. The city was again flooded in 2006 by the upper Argen
Argen
The Argen is a river in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It flows into Lake Constance between Kressbronn am Bodensee and Langenargen as the third largest tributary to the lake. It is 23.4 km long; if one includes the Upper Argen, the combined length is 51.4 km.- Course :The headwaters of the...
River.
During the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, the national team of Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
stayed in Wangen.
Main sights
Despite several major fires in 1539, 1793, and 1858, the old part of the town remains a juxtaposition of architectural elements ranging from those of the early middle agesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
to those of the late baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
era.
The Oberstadtkirche St. Martin ("St Martin's Upper City Church") is one of Wangen's oldest buildings. The church was already present in the 9th century; it was renovated numerous times in the following years. It contains both Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
and Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
.
The Ravensburg
Ravensburg
Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre...
Gate is the city's prime landmark. It was first mentioned in 1472, but was probably changed to its current appearance in 1608. The building is decorated with Renaissance-era artwork. Similarly aged relics of the old city include the Lindau
Lindau
Lindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was...
Gate and the Pfaffenturm tower.
The local history museum, Heimatmuseum in der Eselmühle, was opened in 1974 in a former mill acquired by the city in 1969. The museum displays the original mechanisms of the mill in addition to a collections from various spans of the city's history.
Population growth
|
|
¹ Census
Local council
the June 13, 2004 elections, the Wangen city council has 33 members from four different political parties (CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
, FWV, GOL
Gol
Gol can refer to:* Volkswagen Gol, a car made by Volkswagen do Brasil* Gol Transportes Aéreos Brazilian airline, company* Gol Acheron, a character in the Jak and Daxter videogame series* Gol, Norway, a municipality in Buskerud, Norway...
, SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
).
Mayors since 1804
- 1804–1810: Franz Josef von Bentele
- 1811–1819: Mathias Tschugg
- 1819–1826: Rudolf Salis
- 1826–1829: Martin Schnitzer
- 1829–1847: Christian Nepomuk Weber
- 1847–1859: Leopold Wocher
- 1860–1894: Jacob Trenkle
- 1894–1922: Rudolf Trenkle
- 1922–1933: Fritz Geray
- 1933: Gottlob Pfeiffer (provisional)
- 1933–1939: Dr Friedrich Wilhelm Erbacher
- 1939: Heinrich Fischer (provisional)
- 1939–1942: Carl Speidel (on behalf of Heinrich Fischer)
- 1942–1945: Max Steinegger (provisional)
- 1945: Karl Geiger (provisional)
- 1945: Franz Büchele (provisional)
- 1945–1946: Josef Max Kraus (provisional)
- 1945–1968: Wilhelm Uhl
- 1968–2001: Dr Jörg Leist
- 2001–present: Michael Lang
Economics and infrastructure
Wangen was once a center of the German textile industryTextile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
before the decline of German textile manufacturing.
Inter-city transport
Wangen lies on the A96 Autobahn between LindauLindau
Lindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was...
and Memmingen
Memmingen
Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region of Swabia in Germany. It is the central economic, educational and administrative centre in the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Württemberg border...
, in addition to federal highways
Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
18 and 32. The town is part of the Aulendorf
Aulendorf
Aulendorf is a town in the district of Ravensburg, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 20 km southwest of Biberach an der Riß, and 19 km north of Ravensburg....
– Kißlegg
Kißlegg
Kißlegg is a town in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Kißlegg is not far from the village of Vogt. It has a beautiful church, rich in culture and beauty....
– Wangen - Hergatz
Hergatz
Hergatz is a municipality in the district of Lindau in Bavaria in Germany. The contemporary town was formed from the former municipals of Wohmbrechts and Maria-Thann in the course of the municipal reform at the end of the 70s.-Geografie:...
– Lindau
Lindau
Lindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was...
and Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
– Memmingen
Memmingen
Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region of Swabia in Germany. It is the central economic, educational and administrative centre in the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Württemberg border...
– Kißlegg
Kißlegg
Kißlegg is a town in the district of Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Kißlegg is not far from the village of Vogt. It has a beautiful church, rich in culture and beauty....
– Wangen – Hergatz
Hergatz
Hergatz is a municipality in the district of Lindau in Bavaria in Germany. The contemporary town was formed from the former municipals of Wohmbrechts and Maria-Thann in the course of the municipal reform at the end of the 70s.-Geografie:...
– Lindau
Lindau
Lindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was...
train lines. It lies on the bus route between Ravensburg
Ravensburg
Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre...
and Tettnang
Tettnang
Tettnang is a town in the Bodensee district in southern Baden-Württemberg in a region of Germany known as Swabia.It lies 7 kilometers from Lake Constance. The region produces significant quantities of hops, an ingredient of beer, and ships them to breweries throughout the world.-History:Tettinang...
. The city also belongs to the Bodensee–Oberschwaben public transportation association.
Education
Wangen has a GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
(Rupert-Neß-Gymnasium), a Realschule
Realschule
The Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
(Johann-Andreas-Rauch-Realschule), two Hauptschule
Hauptschule
A Hauptschule is a secondary school in Germany and Austria, starting after 4 years of elementary schooling, which offers Lower Secondary Education according to the International Standard Classification of Education...
n (Anton-von-Gegenbaur-Schule and Hauptschule Karsee), a special school (Martinstorschule), three combined secondary and elementary schools (GHS Niederwangen, Prassberg-Schule and Freie Waldorfschule Wangen (http://www.fws-wangen.de/start.html), and six elementary schools (Berger-Höhe-Schule, Deuchelried, Grundschule im Ebnet, Leupolz, Neuravensburg, and Schomburg).
The Wangen district has two vocational schools (Friedrich-Schiedel-Schule and Kaufmännischen Schule Wangen), in addition to the Heinrich-Brügger-Schule medical school.
Media
Wangen is serviced by the Schwäbische Zeitung newspaper as well as the local EURO 3 television station.Governmental
Wangen is the seat of a local tax office. It has a district court, which belongs to the RavensburgRavensburg (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...
regional court district, which in turn belongs to the Stuttgart court district.
Other
- From 1943 to 1945, Wangen served as the backdrop for the propagandaPropagandaPropaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
movie Quax in Fahrt - From April 14 to May 13, 2004, the city and its surrounding areas served as a setting for the TatortTatortTatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss , crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF 2 in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland...
television series. - The Wangen Juze Tonne e. V is the oldest autonomously run youth center in Germany.
- The Jugendmusikschule in Wangen is the largest school of music in Baden-WürttembergBaden-WürttembergBaden-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...
.