Koblenz

Geschichte

Koblenz is a town and municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.HistoryKoblenz is first mentioned in 10th or 11th Century as Confluentia, for the confluence of the Aare and Rhine rivers. In 1265 it was mentioned as Cobilz. In the Roman era a goods yard and watchtowers existed along the Rhine at this place. The remaining late Roman watchtower is listed as a heritage site of national significance. The town has been settled since the Middle Ages. The Koblenz boatmen had a monopoly over transport of goods from the then important market town of Zurzach downstream along dangerous currents of the Rhine towards Basel. With the arrival of the railway in the 19th century Koblenz and Zurzach lost this important source of income.GeographyKoblenz has an area, of 4.08km2. Of this area, 1.69km2 or 41.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.19km2 or 29.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.8km2 or 19.6% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.36km2 or 8.8% is either rivers or lakes and 0.02km2 or 0.5% is unproductive land.