OSTALBKREIS

The 'Ostalbkreis' is a district (''Kreis'') in the east of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Schwäbisch Hall, Ansbach, Donau-Ries, Heidenheim, Göppingen and Rems-Murr.

Contents

History

Geography

Partnerships

Coat of arms

Cities and towns

External links

History

The district was created in 1973, when the district of Aalen merged with most of the former district of Schwäbisch Gmünd.

Geography

The district is located in the east part of the Swabian Alb (''Schwäbische Alb''), hence its name which translates to ''eastern alb district''. Main rivers in the district are the Rems, Jagst and Kocher, all affluents of the Neckar.

Partnerships

Since 1992 the district has an official partnership with the Italian province Ravenna. Also since the 1990s it has a friendship with the Finish province Oulu.

Coat of arms

The imperial eagle to the right represents the free imperial cities in the district, especially the city Aalen. The lion on the left is the symbol of the Staufen family, who founded the city Schwäbisch Gmünd. These two symbols were taken from the coat of arms of the two precursor districts. The staff in the middle represents the Abbey of Ellwangen, who possessed many smaller areas scattered in the district.

Cities and towns

Cities	Towns
#Aalen#Bopfingen#Ellwangen (Jagst)#Heubach#Lauchheim#Lorch (Württemberg)#Neresheim#Oberkochen#Schwäbisch Gmünd	#Abtsgmünd#Adelmannsfelden#Bartholomä#Böbingen (Rems)#Durlangen#Ellenberg#Eschach (Ostalb)#Essingen#Göggingen#Gschwend#Heuchlingen#Hüttlingen#Iggingen#Jagstzell#Kirchheim (Ries)#Leinzell#Mögglingen	Mutlangen Neuler Obergröningen Rainau Riesbürg Rosenberg (Ostalb) Ruppertshofen Schechingen Spraitbach Stödtlen Täferrot Tannhausen Unterschneidheim Waldstetten Westhausen (Ostalb) Wört
Administrative districts
#Aalen#Bopfingen#Ellwangen#Kapfenburg#Leintal-Frickenhofer Höhe#Rosenstein#Schwäbisch Gmünd#Schwäbischer Wald#Tannhausen

External links

★ Official website (German)