Introduction
An important city in western Germany, Bonn was the national capital of the Federal Republic of Germany, also called West Germany, which existed from 1949 to 1990. Since East and West Germany were reunited in 1990, the official capital of Germany has been Berlin. However, Bonn has continued to be a center of the German government. The city lies along the Rhine River, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of the German city of Cologne. Bonn also has a university and is famous as the birthplace of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
Places of interest
Photograph:The University of Bonn occupies a former palace in the German city.
* The University of Bonn occupies a former palace in the German city.
Bonn has several historic streets, palaces, and other buildings. One such historic place is a church that was built between the 11th and 13th centuries. The church has five towers, including one that is 315 feet (96 meters) high. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Bonn is Beethoven's house. This 18th-century house is a museum that exhibits many of Beethoven's possessions, including his organ and grand piano and some personal letters. Beethoven Hall is a popular concert site and the center of Bonn's musical life. The University of Bonn, which opened in 1786, occupies a former palace. Bonn also has many beautiful avenues and parks, such as the botanical gardens at Poppelsdorf Palace.
Economy
Services such as government, schools, and hospitals are the basis of Bonn's economy. The city is also a transportation center, with major railways and highways joining there. Bonn has few factories.
History
Bonn began as a village at a river crossing in the 1st century BC or earlier. The Romans built a fort on the site in the 1st century AD, calling it Castra Bonnensia. The Franks, who arrived around the 5th century, called the village Bonnburg. It was attacked by Vikings in the late 9th century and nearly ruined. Bonn grew in importance when the archbishops of the nearby city of Cologne lived there from 1238 to 1794.
In 1794 a French army invaded and occupied the city, and in 1815 it became part of Prussia. In the late 1800s the city grew as a university town. Many rich people moved there and lived in expensive housing. Few large factories were built in the city or nearby. Because of this, life in Bonn was different than in many other German cities that had many industries and crowded conditions.
Much of Bonn's historic city center was destroyed during World War II (1939–45). After the war, the country was divided into East Germany and West Germany. Because Berlin, the traditional capital of Germany, was far inside East Germany, the government of West Germany needed a new capital. Bonn was chosen to be this new capital in 1949. In 1969 Bonn expanded in size when it joined with the towns of Bad Godesberg and Beuel, as well as several villages.
In 1990, when East and West Germany reunited, the government declared that Berlin would once again be Germany's capital. However, the government decided to keep some of its offices in Bonn as well. Population (1999 estimate), 304,100.
