Weil am Rhein explained

Type:Stadt
Weil am Rhein
Image Coa:Wappen Weil am Rhein.png
Coordinates:47.5947°N 7.6108°W
Image Plan:Weil am Rhein in LÖ.svg
State:Baden-Württemberg
Region:Freiburg
District:Lörrach
Elevation:281
Area:19.47
Postal Code:79546–79576
Area Code:07621
Licence:
Gemeindeschlüssel:08 3 36 091
Divisions:7
Website:www.weil-am-rhein.de
Mayor:Diana Stöcker[1]
Leader Term:2024 - 32
Party:CDU
Bürgermeistertitel:Lord Mayor

Weil am Rhein (High Alemannic: Wiil am Rhii) is a German town and commune. It is on the east bank of the River Rhine, and extends to the tripoint of Switzerland, France, and Germany. It is the most southwesterly town in Germany and a suburb in the Trinational Eurodistrict of Basel. The town has around 30,000 inhabitants, and the Eurodistrict metropolitan area has about 830,000.

Geography

Weil am Rhein is located at in the district of Lörrach in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. The city limits border France to the west and Switzerland to the south including the triple border of the three countries. Locally, Weil is situated in the region referred to as Markgräflerland.

The city's location on the Rhine and proximity to the Black Forest give it a continental climate, particularly suited to viticulture.

History

The town is first documented in the year 786 as Willa, a name which is thought to be of Roman origin.The duc de Villars crossed the Rhine here in October 1702 to fight the Battle of Friedlingen during the War of the Spanish Succession. Weil was severely damaged as a result of the conflict.

Agriculture dominated local industry until the 19th century, when the city began to grow, aided by its favourable transport connections. A railway marshalling yard linking Weil am Rhein to Basel was built in 1913. Swiss textile factories were established in the Friedlingen quarter. 1934 saw the construction of a harbour on the Rhine.

After the Second World War the population again grew rapidly due to the influx of refugees and stateless persons. Between 1971 and 1975 the communities of Ötlingen, Haltingen and Märkt were incorporated and Weil am Rhein became a substantial town.

Since 2014, line 8 of the Basel tram system has extended across the border from Switzerland to terminate in Weil am Rhein.

Mergers

The former municipalities were merged into Weil am Rhein:

Coat of arms of the former municipalities

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany. Weil am Rhein is twinned with:[5]

Tourism and leisure

Notable people

Associated with Weil am Rhein

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/wahl/oberbuergermeisterwahl-weil-am-rhein-2024/ Oberbürgermeisterwahl Weil am Rhein 2024
  2. http://www.weil-am-rhein.de/pb/stadt,Lde/Home/Unsere+Stadt/Oetlingen.html Portrait of Ötlingen
  3. http://www.weil-am-rhein.de/pb/stadt,Lde/Home/Unsere+Stadt/Haltingen.html Portrait of Haltingen
  4. http://www.weil-am-rhein.de/pb/stadt,Lde/Home/Unsere+Stadt/Maerkt.html Portrait of Märkt
  5. Web site: Partnerstädte. weil-am-rhein.de. Weil am Rhein. de. 2021-02-17.
  6. http://www.bwgruen.de/schauplaetze/archiv/1999-landesgartenschau-weil-am-rhein/ 1999 Landesgartenschau Weil am Rhein
  7. Erwin Bowien: Das Schöne Spiel zwischen Geist und Welt, mein Malerleben. U-Form Verlag, Solingen, 1995; ISBN 3-88234-101-7