Mengen is a town in the
district of Sigmaringen, in
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
. It is situated 9 km southeast of
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen ( Swabian: ''Semmerenga'') is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district.
Sigmaringen is renowned for its castle, Schloss Sigmaring ...
.
History
The area has been inhabited since prehistoric and early historical times. Two late Bronze Age graves were found in Mengen, both including many metal artifacts. It was around the first Century after Christ Birth, when Romans built a castle on the hills in
Ennetach. By this, the Romans strengthened their influence along the
Danube River
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
, before they were later driven out by the invading Alemanni. These settled in the area and founded many places with the endings "-ingen", which is thought to be the origins for the city Name of "Me-ingen (now Mengen).
In 1876 it was found on the site of a former Roman villa rustica so far the only preserved in
Upper Swabia
Upper Swabia (german: Oberschwaben or ) is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.''Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.'' 19. Auflage. Band 16, 1991, p. 72. The name refers to the area between the Swa ...
color mosaic of the Roman period. It shows in a medallion the head of Medusa (known as "Medusa of Mengen") and legendary figure remains plait, to which was joined by other original medallions. The remaining parts of the mosaic floor are not preserved. Since the Second World War they have been lost. After the discovery in 2002 in the
Landesmuseum Württemberg
The Landesmuseum Württemberg (Württemberg State Museum) is the main historical museum of the Württemberg part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It emerged from the 16th-century “Kunstkammer” ( Cabinet of art and curiosities) of t ...
, it has been restored and has been on display in the Roman Museum Mengen-Ennetach (which closed in 2015).
Was first mentioned in a document the area, bequeathed as Emperor
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqu ...
in 819 areas of the Ablach to the monastery Buchau. 1170 is held
Frederick I Barbarossa
Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt o ...
on in the city and held a court day. 1257 is documented for the first time a free Mengen ("Vrie Mengen"). The new Mengen (where it is today), built around 1150–1250, was created next to the old settlement Mengen (today Ennetach). The old and the new Mengen were separated by the river Ablach, therefore, in order to distinguish between the two places, the old Mengen "beyond the river" (Ennet Aach) called.
On March 4, 1276 Mengen acquires the municipal law, issued in Augsburg by King
Rudolf von Habsburg
Rudolf I (1 May 1218 – 15 July 1291) was the first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg. The first of the count-kings of Germany, he reigned from 1273 until his death.
Rudolf's election marked the end of the Great Interregnum which ...
.
Mengen was 1276 to 1805 as one of the so-called five Danube cities Vorderösterreich (together with
Ehingen
Ehingen (Donau) (; Swabian: ''Eegne'') is a town in the Alb-Donau district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, situated on the left bank of the Danube, approx. southwest of Ulm and southeast of Stuttgart.
The city, like the entire district of ...
,
Munderkingen
Munderkingen () is the smallest town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is situated on the Danube, 9 km southwest of Ehingen, and 31 km southwest of Ulm.
Buildings Danube Bridge
The so-called "New Danub ...
,
Riedlingen
Riedlingen () is a town in the district (''Kreis'') of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, in the south-west of Germany. It is one of the destinations of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. Riedlingen has approximately 10,000 inhabitants.
Geography ...
and
Bad Saulgau
Bad Saulgau is a town in the district of Sigmaringen, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 23 km east of Sigmaringen, and 27 km north of Ravensburg between the Danube and Lake Constance.
Geography
Bad Saulgau is located no ...
). In 1806, Mengen fell by
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
and the Peace of Pressburg to the Kingdom of Württemberg.
To 18 May 1632 during the Thirty Years' War Mengen was hard pressed by Swedish troops, but has not been taken. The inhabitants had intensively called the Mother of God, to stand next to them and therefore wrote this also the salvation of the city from the attacking soldiers, which is why the May Day is celebrated annually in Mengen today.
In 1774 there were in total 23 Restaurants in Mengen, of which 21 were brewing their beer itself.
On October 7, 1819 broke in Mengen from a fire in the old town. Then the "Great Fire of Mengen', which was fought by comparatively simple means fell, many buildings victim.
Between 1870 and 1872 Mengen was connected to the Württemberg and Baden railway network. 1895/1896 it was thanks to an own investment in the city's first electricity, Mengen received in 1900 flowing water.
On the airfield of Mengen-Hohentengen the
Dornier Do 335
The Dornier Do 335 ''Pfeil'' ("Arrow") was a heavy fighter built by Dornier for Germany during World War II. The two-seater trainer version was called ''Ameisenbär'' ("anteater"). The ''Pfeil''s performance was predicted to be better than oth ...
, one of the fastest fighter of World War II, was tested.
Transport
There is a regular public railway transportation between
Ulm
Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no, ...
and
Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen (; Low Alemannic: ''Eschinge'') is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar '' Kreis''. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river D ...
via
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen ( Swabian: ''Semmerenga'') is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district.
Sigmaringen is renowned for its castle, Schloss Sigmaring ...
.
References
Mengen Haber24
Sigmaringen (district)
Württemberg
Populated places on the Danube
{{Sigmaringen-geo-stub