Bingen am Rhein

Infobox German Location
Art = Stadt
Name = Bingen am Rhein
Wappen = Wappen von Bingen.pngimage_photo = Bingen_above.jpg
lat_deg = 49 |lat_min = 58 |lat_sec = 1
lon_deg = 7 |lon_min = 53 |lon_sec = 42
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Rheinland-Pfalz
Landkreis = Mainz-Bingen
Höhe = 89
Fläche = 37.74
Einwohner = 26048
Stand = 2006-12-01
PLZ = 55411
Vorwahl = 06721-06725
Kfz = MZ
Gemeindeschlüssel = 07 3 39 005
Gliederung = 8
Adresse = Burg Klopp
55411 Bingen
Website = [http://www.bingen.de/ www.bingen.de]
Bürgermeister = Birgit Collin-Langen
Partei = CDU

Bingen am Rhein (or Bingen or Bingen on the Rhine) is a city located at the junction of the rivers Rhine and Nahe in the district of Mainz-Bingen, in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany near the city of Mainz. Bingen is a river port and railroad junction, noteworthy for its premium wine production. It is the seat of administration of, but not administered by the "Verbandsgemeinde" Rhein-Nahe.

History

The site of the present city of Bingen was already inhabited by Celts when the Romans arrived in the 1st century BC. The Romans built a wooden bridge across the Nahe and fortified the city, known as "Bingium". The present stone bridge attributed to Drusus was actually built in the 11th century. Since 983, Bingen belonged to the Archbishopric of Mainz. After the Napoleonic Wars, Bingen fell to Hesse-Darmstadt, but Bingerbrück (currently a borough of Bingen) fell to Prussia. Bingen and Bingerbrück were united in 1969.

Points of interest

*Binger Mäuseturm ("the Mouse Tower of Bingen") - a customs tower built in 1298 on an island between the Rhine's shores, actually belongs to Bingerbrück. It usually is miscredited to Bingen.
* Klopp Castle - Bingen's castle located in the centre of the town.
* Bingen is also the location of one of the most important demoscene events - Breakpoint.

Famous people

* Hildegard of Bingen
* Stefan George
* Saint Bertha of Bingen
* Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser

External links

* [http://www.bingen.de/tourist/englisch/index.php Tourist Information on Bingen am Rhein]
* Information on [http://www.loreley-info.com/eng/towndescription/bingen.shtml Bingen] located in the [http://www.loreley-info.com Loreley] Valley