Vogelsbergkreis Rural District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vogelsbergkreis
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| Country |  Germany |
| State | Hesse |
| Adm. region | Gießen |
| Capital | Lauterbach |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,458.97 km2 (563.31 sq mi) |
| Population
(2002)
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| • Total | 118,067 |
| • Density | 80.9249/km2 (209.5945/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Vehicle registration | VB |
| Website | http://www.vogelsberg.de |
The Vogelsbergkreis is a special kind of area called a district (or Kreis in German). You can find it right in the middle of Hesse, a state in Germany. It's a cool place with lots of nature and history!
Contents
A Look at the Past: How Vogelsbergkreis Was Formed
This district wasn't always one big area. It was created in 1972. Before that, there were two smaller districts: Alsfeld and Lauterbach. They joined together to form the Vogelsbergkreis we know today.
Exploring the Land: Geography of Vogelsbergkreis
The most important natural feature of the Vogelsbergkreis is the Vogelsberg. This isn't just any mountain range; it's actually an extinct volcano! This means it was once active, but it hasn't erupted in a very, very long time. The last time it was active was about 7 million years ago. Imagine how old that is!
What the Symbols Mean: The Coat of Arms
Every district has a special symbol called a coat of arms. The Vogelsbergkreis has a very interesting one.
Understanding the Symbols
The bottom part of the coat of arms shows a lion. This lion is a symbol of Hesse, the state where the district is located. It represents the connection to the larger region.
In the upper part, you can see some beautiful lilies. These aren't just any flowers; they are martagon lilies. In German, they are called Türkenbund. This is a rare plant that grows in some special protected areas within the district. The lilies were taken from the old coat of arms of the Lauterbach district, one of the areas that joined to form the Vogelsbergkreis.
Places to Visit: Towns and Municipalities
The Vogelsbergkreis is made up of many different towns and smaller communities called municipalities. Each one has its own unique character and history.
Main Towns
- Alsfeld
- Grebenau
- Herbstein
- Homberg (Ohm)
- Kirtorf
- Lauterbach
- Romrod
- Schlitz
- Schotten
- Ulrichstein
Smaller Municipalities
- Antrifttal
- Feldatal
- Freiensteinau
- Gemünden
- Grebenhain
- Lautertal
- Mücke
- Schwalmtal
- Wartenberg
