Boppard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Boppard | |
 |
|
 |
|
  Boppard
|
|
| Coordinates | 50°13′53″N 7°35′27″E / 50.23139°N 7.59083°E |
| Administration | |
| Country | Germany |
|---|---|
| State | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| District | Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis |
| Town subdivisions | 10 |
| Mayor | Walter Bersch (SPD) |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 75.13 km2 (29.01 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 74 m (243 ft) |
| Population | 16,201 (31 December 2006) |
| - Density | 216 /km2 (559 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | SIM |
| Postal code | 56154 |
| Area codes | 06741, 06742, 06745 |
| Website | www.boppard.de |
Boppard (Latin: Baudobriga) is a town in the Rhein-Hunsrück district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Rhine, approx. 25 km south of Koblenz.
Contents |
[edit] History
Boppard was founded by the Romans; under the Merovingian dynasty it became a royal residence. During the Middle Ages it was a considerable centre of commerce and shipping, and under the Hohenstaufen emperors was raised to the rank of an imperial free city.In 1283 Count palatine Ludwig mortagaged the customs duty to Count Eberhard of Katzenelnbogen[1]. In 1312, however, the emperor Henry VII pledged the town to his brother Baldwin, archbishop elector of Trier, and it remained in the possession of the electors until it was absorbed by France during the Revolutionary epoch. It was assigned by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to Prussia.
Boppard lends its name to the Boppard line, an imaginary line relating to German dialects. Notable people from Boppard include physical chemist Fritz Straßmann and furniture designer Michael Thonet, while Boris Skossyreff is buried there.
On Fleckertshöhe near Boppard, there is a transmitter for FM and TV using as antenna tower a rarely used partially guyed tower. The soap manufacturer Sebamed is headquartered in Boppard.
The municipality currently has 16,812 inhabitants.
[edit] Location
Boppard is a small town situated close to the midpoint of the Rhein River in Germany, a stretch of the river known for its many castles and geographic/geologic interest. Among these are the castles known as "Cat" and "Mouse", the picturesque Pfalzgrafenstein (a toll station sited on an island in the river), and the famous "Lorelei" rock. The nearest big town is Koblenz (about 25 km to the north), where the River Mosel joins the Rhein.
Boppard is a popular tourist holiday spot due to its geographic position on the Rhein and its dramatic, gothic architecture. This is suggested by its slogan, "Boppard, the pearl on the Rhein: forests, valleys, mountains, and wine." Grapes grow along the steep hillsides, ably suited to catching the maximum rays of the sun for growing grapes at such a high latitude. Local vintners produce a variety of wines, mainly from the Riesling grape. Just north of Boppard is the largest bend in the entire river (see photo above). The twin-towered St. Severus Church and remnants of the medieval city wall contribute to Boppard's medieval charm.
[edit] Partner cities
Boppard is twinned with:
[edit] Notes and References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Boppard |
- ^ http://www.graf-von-katzenelnbogen.de/ The History of the County of Katzenelnbogen and the First Riesling of the World
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
 |
This Rhein-Hunsrück location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
