Vallendar

Vallendar

Coat of arms
Vallendar

Coordinates: 50°23′49.69″N 7°37′19.28″E / 50.3971361°N 7.6220222°ECoordinates: 50°23′49.69″N 7°37′19.28″E / 50.3971361°N 7.6220222°E
Country Germany
State Rhineland-Palatinate
District Mayen-Koblenz
Municipal assoc. Vallendar
Government
 • Mayor Wolfgang Helbach (CDU)
Area
 • Total 13.22 km2 (5.10 sq mi)
Population (2012-12-31)[1]
 • Total 8,413
 • Density 640/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 56179
Dialling codes 0261
Vehicle registration MYK
Website www.vallendar-rhein.de

Vallendar is a town in the district Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, approx. 4 km north-east of Koblenz. Vallendar is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") Vallendar.

Geography

Situation

The town of Vallendar spreads out on the right side of the Mittelrhein opposing the island of Niederwerth, where several creek valleys from the Westerwald meet the Rhine valley. It is situated 5.7 km (3.5 mi) north of Koblenz and 12.3 km (7.6 mi) south of Neuwied. East of Vallendar rises the Westerwald, on the other side of the river the Eifel.

Origin of name

The town's name derives from its situation in the creek valleys. The syllables "val" and have Indo-Germanic roots: "val" means "flowing", whereas "ndar" indicates a "swampy area".

Districts

History

Vallendar was first mentioned around 830–840 AC as the property of the Archbishop of Trier; it was probably, however, of Celtic origin and a lot older than that (700–600 BC). In 1143 Schoenstatt Abbey was founded. In 1232 the Count of Sayn took possessionof the land and began building a castle at the northern edge of the town in 1240. Its foundations today support the Marienburg.

Since the fourteenth century the Archbishop of Trier regained more and more power over the land to become proprietor again in 1681 and 1767 (for good). Today the Lion of Sayn and the Cross of Trier are evidence of this history in Vallendars coat of arms. During the Middle Ages a palatine high court was located in Vallendar. 1802 the proprietorship goes to the Count of Nassau-Weilburg; in 1815 it falls to the Kingdom of Prussia. A rich business life is the reason for Frederick William IV of Prussia to grant town rights to Vallendar in 1856. After World War I the town was the scene of a military action by the 23rd US Infantry.[2] In 1939 Mallendar is added to the town. From 1954 to the 1970s numerous new construction areas were established. Since 1973 the skyline has been dominated by the "Humboldthöhe".

Today Vallendar's appearance is influenced mostly by the internationally renowned Schönstatt and the WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management and its students.

Population development

Date Total
December 1, 1910 4462
December 31, 2004 8856
June 30, 2005 8814
December 31, 2006 8763

Politics

City Hall

PartySeatsParliamentary group leaderSource
Christian Democratic Union11Kurt Pfahl[3]
Social Democratic Party8Dieter Klöckner
Free Democratic Party2Günter Seehaus
Citizens for Vallendar2Joachim Karbach
Free Voters1Peter Backes

Economy and infrastructure

Companies

Traffic

Vallendar is connected to the B 42 and A 48, with the exit Bendorf/Neuwied/Vallendar leading into the city center via B 42.

Vallendar has a train station on the Rheinstrecke.

The KEVAG busses 7/7a and 8/8a connect Vallendar to Koblenz, Bendorf and Höhr-Grenzhausen.

Education

Sights

Persons of interest

Lived in Vallendar:

Twin Cities

Trivia

A city named "Vallendar" is included in the PC game Call of Duty 2. This fictional city also lies on the river Rhine. The players task is to fight retreating German soldiers during World War II. Other than its location on the river the virtual Vallendar has nothing in common with its real world counterpart.

References

  1. ↑ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden am 31.12.2012". Statistisches Bundesamt (in German). 2013.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Rat & Gremien". Vallendar. Retrieved 23 September 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vallendar.