Villingen-Schwenningen

Infobox German Location
Art = Town
Wappen = Wappen villingen.pnglat_deg = 48 |lat_min = 03 |lat_sec = 37
lon_deg = 08 |lon_min = 27 |lon_sec = 31
Bundesland = Baden-Württemberg
Regierungsbezirk = Freiburg
Landkreis = Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis
Höhe = 704
Fläche = 165.47
Einwohner = 81825
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 78001–78056
PLZ-alt = 7730
Vorwahl = 07721, 07720, 07425, 07705
Kfz = VS
Gemeindeschlüssel = 08 3 26 074
Gliederung = 2 Stadtbezirke
Website = [http://www.villingen-schwenningen.de/ www.villingen-schwenningen.de]
Bürgermeister = Dr. Rupert Kubon
Partei = SPD

Villingen-Schwenningen is the largest city of the Schwarzwald-Baar district located in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It has 81,520 inhabitants (as of 2005).

History

In the Middle Ages, Villingen was a town under Austrian lordship. During the Protestant Reformation it remained Catholic. Villingen came in the center of international attention when it was besieged by marshal Tallard in 1704. Colonel Von Wilstorff put up a stout defence of the outdated fortifications and after six days the siege failed.

Schwenningen remained a village until the 19th century. In 1858 the first watch factory was established, from which time on watch making and precision mechanics have been important industries.

As part of the Baden-Württemberg territorial reform of 1972, Villingen and Schwenningen were merged with a number of surrounding villages to form the city of Villingen-Schwenningen. Nevertheless, the two halves of the city are separated by a plateau and remain distinct.

Villingen is a big center of the German Carneval. The traditional Narros represent the old citizens of Villingen: "Alt Villingere, Morbili, Hansele, Suribbel".

The town is the birth place of Croatian footballer Robert Prosinečki whose parents were working in Germany at the time.

Geography

Villingen-Schwenningen lies on the eastern edge of the Black Forest about 700 meters above sea level. The source of the River Neckar is in Schwenningen (Schwenninger Moos).

Boroughs

the two big boroughs:

*Villingen
*Schwenningen

and nine small boroughs

*Obereschach
*Weilersbach
*Weigheim
*Mühlhausen
*Marbach
*Rietheim
*Pfaffenweiler
*Herzogenweiler
*Tannheim

Places of interest

* Town Wall
* Municipal Art Gallery
* [http://www.villingen-schwenningen.de/servlet/PB/menu/1002490/ Franziskaner Museum (in German)]
* [http://www.villingen-schwenningen.de/servlet/PB/menu/1003616/index.html Schwenningen Clock Museum (in German)]
* Minster of Our Lady
* Theater am Ring
* Wanne Observation Tower, one of the oldest towers built of iron

External links

* [http://www.villingen-schwenningen.de/ Stadt Villingen-Schwenningen (in German)]
* [http://www.deheim.de/villingen-schwenningen/ Villingen-Schwenningen: history & pictures(in German)]
* [http://www.wildwings.info/site/gmbh.php?cat=1&page=01_01.php Ice Hockey Club]
* [http://www.spanishsuccession.nl/villingen.html The siege of Villingen in 1702]