Koblenz

Koblenz, also Coblenz, city in west central Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, at the junction of the Mosel and Rhine rivers. Koblenz is an important center of tourism and commerce, particularly the wine trade. Manufactures include machinery, pianos, paper, textiles, and chemicals. Among the principal buildings are the Church of Saint Castor (completed in 1208); the house where the Austrian statesman Prince Klemens von Metternich was born in 1773; and a palace (completed in 1786). The original citadel of the Ehrenbreitstein fortress in Koblenz was built in the 10th century. It was destroyed in 1799; the present structure was built between 1816 and 1832.

Originally a Roman military outpost constructed about 9 bc, the town that developed on the site was a residence of Carolingian kings. In the 13th century the city was a prosperous member of the Hanseatic League, a commercial federation of European cities. After the French Revolution (1789-1799) Koblenz became a French possession and was later made the chief town of the department of Rhine and Moselle. In 1815 Prussia acquired control of the city, and in 1822 Koblenz was made the capital of the Rhine Province of Prussia. After World War I (1914-1918) Koblenz was the headquarters of the Allied Rhineland High Commission and was occupied for a time by American and French troops. Because of its importance as a rail and manufacturing center, the city was heavily damaged by bombing during World War II (1939-1945). Parts of Koblenz were flooded following record rainstorms in December 1993; 1200 people were evacuated from their homes. Severe flooding recurred just over a year later, leaving the historic downtown area under water and causing further damage to the city. Population (2005 estimate) 107,000.