Neckarau
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neckarau | |
|---|---|
 Gable of Neckarau town hall with the coat of arms | |
 Location of Neckarau | |
  Neckarau  Neckarau | |
| Coordinates: 49°27′N 8°29′E / 49.450°N 8.483°E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Baden-Württemberg |
| City | Mannheim |
| Area | |
• Total | 11.10 km2 (4.29 sq mi) |
| Population (2024-12-31)[1] | |
• Total | 30,599 |
| • Density | 2,757/km2 (7,140/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Neckarau (Mannheim dialect: Neggara[2] nɛga.rɑː) is a borough of Mannheim in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. The term also refers to the city district in which the borough is located.
District
The Neckarau district is located in the southwest of Mannheim directly on the Rhine. It includes the borough of Neckarau as well as Almenhof and Niederfeld. Neighboring districts are Lindenhof, Neuhermsheim and Rheinau. On the opposite side of the Rhine lie the Rhineland-Palatinate municipalities of Ludwigshafen and Altrip.
Borough
The borough of Neckarau is bordered in the northwest by Rheingoldstraße, separating it from Niederfeld, and by Rottfeldstraße and Voltastraße from Almenhof. In the northeast, the boundary with Neuhermsheim runs approximately through the middle of the marshalling yard. To the east, Neckarau borders the Mallau area along the B 38a, to the southeast the Casterfeld area of Rheinau, and to the south the municipality of Altrip across the Rhine. To the west, Neckarau ends in the Waldpark just before the beach area belonging to Niederfeld.
Neckarau is divided into four statistical areas: Neckarau-Northeast, Neckarau-Southeast, Neckarau-South, and Neckarau-Center.
Etymology
Although Neckarau lies closer to the Rhine than to the Neckar, the latter gave the district its name. During the time of the Carolingians, the Neckar flowed into the Rhine at this location. Neckarau was situated on an island within the river delta. Due to this location, it was frequently at risk of flooding. At the end of the 13th century, the Neckar shifted its main course north of present-day Mannheim.[3]
History
In 368, a burgus of the fort of Alta Ripa (Altrip) was located in what is now Neckarau. Neckarau was first mentioned in 871 as “Naucrauia”. In 1212, Emperor Frederick II granted Neckarau to the Bishopric of Worms. After disputes, the settlement passed to the Electoral Palatinate in 1284.[4][5]
Around 1278, the Neckar changed its course and has since flowed into the Rhine north of Mannheim. As a result, the nearby village of Hermsheim was abandoned and its inhabitants moved to Neckarau.[6][3]
In the 15th century, Neckarau became an important trading location due to its position on the Rhine. In 1496 it became part of the Heidelberg administrative district. In 1577 there were 101 households. In 1689, during the Nine Years' War, Neckarau was destroyed. By 1817, the population had grown to 1,253.
In the second half of the 19th century, industrialization accelerated due to the nearby Mannheim–Karlsruhe railway. In 1899, Neckarau, then the largest village in Baden, was incorporated into Mannheim.
Politics and administration
According to the municipal statutes, the district has an advisory council of 14 members appointed by the city council.[7]
Neckarau also has a local administrative office responsible for municipal tasks.[7]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms developed from a court seal dating back to 1520. It shows waves of the Neckar River below and a row of plants above.
