Oberallgäu
District
Flag of Oberallgäu
Flag
Coat of arms of Oberallgäu
Coat of arms
CountryGermany
StateBavaria
Adm. regionSwabia
CapitalSonthofen
Area
 • Total1,528 km2 (590 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2022)[1]
 • Total158,942
 • Density100/km2 (270/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Vehicle registrationOA
Websitewww.oberallgaeu.org

Oberallgäu is a Landkreis (district) in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Unterallgäu and Ostallgäu, the Austrian states Tyrol and Vorarlberg, the district of Lindau, and the state of Baden-Württemberg (district Ravensburg). The city of Kempten is enclosed by but does not belong to the district.

History

Human settlement dates back to the Bronze Age, when Celtic peoples inhabited the region. The Romans established a military camp which grew to become the city of Cambodunum, the present Kempten. It is consequently sometimes claimed that Kempten is the oldest town in Germany.

In medieval times Kempten was a free imperial city, and the surrounding lands became subordinate to the lords of Staufen and the counts of Rothenfels. Both ceased to exist in the beginning of the 19th century, when Napoleon handed these territories over to Bavaria.

The district of Oberallgäu was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Sonthofen and Kempten.

Geography

Oberallgäu is the southernmost district of Germany. "Oberallgäu" literally means "Upper Allgäu". The term Allgäu is applied to the part of the Alps located in Swabia and their northern foothills.

In the very south of the district are some of the highest mountains of the Allgäu, culminating in the Hochfrottspitze (2,649 m). Blender, which rises to 1,072 m, is located between the municipalities of Buchenberg and Wiggensbach. The Iller River (a tributary of the Danube) runs through the district from south to north.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms displays a mountain symbolising the Allgäu, and three lions from the arms of the Staufen dynasty.

Towns and municipalities

Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district
Towns Municipalities
  1. Immenstadt
  2. Sonthofen
  1. Altusried
  2. Bad Hindelang
  3. Balderschwang
  4. Betzigau
  5. Blaichach
  6. Bolsterlang
  7. Buchenberg
  8. Burgberg im Allgäu
  9. Dietmannsried
  10. Durach
  11. Fischen
  12. Haldenwang
  13. Lauben
  1. Missen-Wilhams
  2. Obermaiselstein
  3. Oberstaufen
  4. Oberstdorf
  5. Ofterschwang
  6. Oy-Mittelberg
  7. Rettenberg
  8. Sulzberg
  9. Waltenhofen
  10. Weitnau
  11. Wertach
  12. Wiggensbach
  13. Wildpoldsried
Panoramic of the municipality of Bad Hindelang

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Landkreis Oberallgäu.

47°35′N 10°15′E / 47.58°N 10.25°E / 47.58; 10.25

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