Ürzig
Encyclopedia
Ürzig is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
s in the great bend in the Moselle between Bernkastel-Kues
and Traben-Trarbach
, not far from Trier
. Ürzig is found on the river’s left bank, where very steep slopes rise up to the Eifel
. Over the other side of the Moselle, the valley broadens out onto very flat countryside that eventually runs up against the Hunsrück
.
Ürzig belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town
.
, Erden
, Lösnich
and also Zeltingen-Rachtig
. The nearest middle centres
are the double town of Bernkastel-Kues
, some 9 km away, and the district seat, Wittlich
, some 8 km away. Trier
lies some 37 km away.
(Moselfränkisch), part of the Central Franconian
dialect group.
and continental climate
; compared to other regions in Germany, a very warm and sunny climate prevails here. In nearby Brauneberg
on 11 August 1998, a record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, was confirmed at the Meteomedia
weather station
by Jörg Kachelmann
(however, Brauneberg is not said to be Germany’s number-one hotspot because the weather station is not included in official measurements owing to its location on a slate mountain).
The barrier formed by the Eifel
shields Ürzig from west winds, putting it in a rain shadow
and sometimes subjecting it to a föhn effect. At the same time, the warming of the air is favoured by the only slight exchange of air with the surrounding area. Tied in with this is the high humidity due to ongoing evaporation of water from the Moselle, which, especially in summer, makes at times for heavy and muggy weather, and which also brings many storms along with it.
have been found. About 500 BC, the Treveri
, a people of mixed Celtic and Germanic
stock, from whom the Latin
name for the city of Trier
, Augusta Treverorum
, is also derived, settled the region around Trier
. Following the Treveri, from roughly 50 BC until AD 500 were the Romans
. From times of yore, winegrowing has been an important factor in the economy; foremost among the winegrowers that plied their trade in Ürzig were the monastic wineries, such as Himmerod Abbey
and the Springiersbach Carmelite
Monastery, whose estates are still preserved.
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
, Côte-d'Or
, France
houses in the historical village centre. Knightly families once built three castles here, only one of which has been preserved, and that only as ruins. At the remnants of an old watchtower in the vineyards, a sundial has been installed. In Ürzig, there exist even today several wineries, which mainly grow Riesling
. The best known vineyard is the Ürziger Würzgarten, although there is also the less well known Ürziger Goldwingert. The Baroque
Mönchhof on the promenade served in the late 1980s as a backdrop in the television series Moselbrück.
play a prominent rôle. Public transport is integrated into the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT), whose fares therefore apply. It has a station on the Koblenz–Trier line. Right near Ürzig, the Hochmoselbrücke
is planned as part of the Hochmoselübergang (Bundesstraße
50).
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
Verbandsgemeinde
A Verbandsgemeinde is an administrative unit in the German Bundesländer of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.-Rhineland-Palatinate:...
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
Bernkastel-Wittlich
Bernkastel-Wittlich is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Vulkaneifel, Cochem-Zell, Rhein-Hunsrück, Birkenfeld, Trier-Saarburg and Bitburg-Prüm.- History :...
district
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 Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
, 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...
.
Location
The municipality lies surrounded by vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s in the great bend in the Moselle between Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues is a well-known winegrowing centre on the Middle Moselle in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
and Traben-Trarbach
Traben-Trarbach
Traben-Trarbach on the Middle Moselle is a town in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde and a state-recognized climatic spa .- Location :...
, not far from Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. Ürzig is found on the river’s left bank, where very steep slopes rise up to the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
. Over the other side of the Moselle, the valley broadens out onto very flat countryside that eventually runs up against the Hunsrück
Hunsrück
The Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the river valleys of the Moselle , the Nahe , and the Rhine . The Hunsrück is continued by the Taunus mountains on the eastern side of the Rhine. In the north behind the Moselle it is continued by the Eifel...
.
Ürzig belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town
Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues is a well-known winegrowing centre on the Middle Moselle in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
.
Nearby municipalities
Neighbouring municipalities are, among others, KinheimKinheim
Kinheim is a baseball and softball team based in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The title sponsor of the club is currently Corendon so that the official name of the team is Corendon Kinheim. They are current Dutch champions....
, Erden
Erden
Erden is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
, Lösnich
Lösnich
Lösnich is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
and also Zeltingen-Rachtig
Zeltingen-Rachtig
Zeltingen-Rachtig is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
. The nearest middle centres
Central Place Theory
Central place theory is a geographical theory that seeks to explain the number, size and location of human settlements in an urban system. The theory was created by the German geographer Walter Christaller, who asserted that settlements simply functioned as 'central places' providing services to...
are the double town of Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues is a well-known winegrowing centre on the Middle Moselle in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, some 9 km away, and the district seat, Wittlich
Wittlich
The town of Wittlich is the seat of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and thereby the middle centre for a feeder area of 56 municipalities in the Eifel and Moselle area with its population of roughly 64,000...
, some 8 km away. Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
lies some 37 km away.
Population
The population density is 150 inhabitants per square kilometre. The local speech in the region is Moselle FranconianMoselle Franconian
Moselle Franconian is a group of West Central German dialects, part of the Central Franconian language area.It is spoken in the southern Rhineland and along the course of the Moselle River, from the Siegerland in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia throughout western Rhineland-Palatinate and...
(Moselfränkisch), part of the Central Franconian
Central Franconian
Central Franconian is a name for the following set of West Central German dialect groups:* Ripuarian...
dialect group.
Climate
Ürzig lies in a transitional zone between temperate oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
and continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
; compared to other regions in Germany, a very warm and sunny climate prevails here. In nearby Brauneberg
Brauneberg
Brauneberg is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is known above all for its wine and its meteorological distinctions.- Location :The municipality lies on the...
on 11 August 1998, a record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, was confirmed at the Meteomedia
Meteomedia AG
Meteomedia is a company founded by Jörg Kachelmann, which operates a large network of Weather stations in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The company's services include weather forecasts, severe weather warnings and meteorological consultancy. The headquarters of the company are situated in Gais...
weather station
Weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind...
by Jörg Kachelmann
Jörg Kachelmann
Jörg Andreas Kachelmann is a Swiss presenter, journalist and entrepreneur in the meteorological field.- Biography :Jörg Kachelmann spent his youth in Schaffhausen...
(however, Brauneberg is not said to be Germany’s number-one hotspot because the weather station is not included in official measurements owing to its location on a slate mountain).
The barrier formed by the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
shields Ürzig from west winds, putting it in a rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
and sometimes subjecting it to a föhn effect. At the same time, the warming of the air is favoured by the only slight exchange of air with the surrounding area. Tied in with this is the high humidity due to ongoing evaporation of water from the Moselle, which, especially in summer, makes at times for heavy and muggy weather, and which also brings many storms along with it.
History
In the surrounding areas, remnants of settlement from the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
have been found. About 500 BC, the Treveri
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
, a people of mixed Celtic and Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
stock, from whom the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name for the city of Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, Augusta Treverorum
History of Trier
Trier in Rhineland-Palatinate, whose history dates to the Roman Empire, is often claimed to be the oldest city in Germany. Traditionally it was known in English by its French name of Treves.- Prehistory :...
, is also derived, settled the region around Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. Following the Treveri, from roughly 50 BC until AD 500 were the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. From times of yore, winegrowing has been an important factor in the economy; foremost among the winegrowers that plied their trade in Ürzig were the monastic wineries, such as Himmerod Abbey
Himmerod Abbey
Himmerod Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in the community of Großlittgen in the Verbandsgemeinde of Manderscheid in the district of Bernkastel-Wittlich, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, located in the Eifel, in the valley of the Salm.-First foundation:Himmerod Abbey was founded in 1134 by Saint...
and the Springiersbach Carmelite
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
Monastery, whose estates are still preserved.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 12 council members, who were elected by proportional representationProportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
| VBB | Simon | Loosen | Total | |
| 2009 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 12 seats |
Town partnerships
Ürzig fosters partnerships with the following places: Aloxe-CortonAloxe-Corton
Aloxe-Corton is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.- Etymology :Aloxe-Corton comes from the Celtic "al" meaning "high place".Aloxe-Corton is pronounced "Aloss-Corton" ....
, Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Culture and sightseeing
Village culture
Ürzig is characterized by little lanes and nooks as well as patrician and timber-frameTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
houses in the historical village centre. Knightly families once built three castles here, only one of which has been preserved, and that only as ruins. At the remnants of an old watchtower in the vineyards, a sundial has been installed. In Ürzig, there exist even today several wineries, which mainly grow Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
. The best known vineyard is the Ürziger Würzgarten, although there is also the less well known Ürziger Goldwingert. The Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
Mönchhof on the promenade served in the late 1980s as a backdrop in the television series Moselbrück.
Economy and infrastructure
Winegrowing and tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
play a prominent rôle. Public transport is integrated into the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT), whose fares therefore apply. It has a station on the Koblenz–Trier line. Right near Ürzig, the Hochmoselbrücke
Hochmoselbrücke
The Hochmosel Bridge is a planned highway bridge that traverses the Moselle valley near Ürzig and Zeltingen-Rachtig in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany...
is planned as part of the Hochmoselübergang (Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
50).
Sons and daughters of the town
- Christian Dieden (1810–1898) politician
- Karl Christoffel (1895–1986) historian and writer
- Edmund ConenEdmund ConenEdmund Conen was a German football player. He was born in Ürzig, Germany.Conen played with 1. FC Saarbrücken, Stuttgarter Kickers, Mülhausen 93, HSV Groß Born and a couple of smaller clubs. In 1934, he was approached by Werder Bremen but, instead of joining them, told the DFB that Werder were...
(1914–1990) national footballer - Günter Eymael (1952– ) politician