Ornbau () is a walled town in the district of Ansbach, in

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

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 betwe ...

. It is situated on the river Altmühl, 15 km southeast of

Ansbach Ansbach (; ; East Franconian: ''Anschba'') is a city in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränkische Rezat, ...

Smallest town (Stadt) in Bavaria

Ornbau is the smallest (population) town in the German state of Bavaria. Its designation as a town dates back to medieval times because a wall and a moat surround the town.

Medieval town

The town wall and the church are approximately 700 years old. The wall, the bridge, and the original steeple are still standing and in good condition. The town lies near the Roman town of Gunzenhausen. Gunzenhausen was an outpost on the Roman Limes Line, one of the largest structures ever constructed by mankind. On the chimney of the "old schoolhouse" there are giant crane nests that have stood for centuries. They are a source of pride for the citizens of Ornbau.

German Mercedes-Benz Club rally

Every year, an estimated 500 classic Mercedes-Benz cars from throughout Germany, and Europe gather in Ornbau in the largest mercedesbenzclubs.de gathering of the year. Thousands attend annually.

References

{{Authority control Ansbach (district)