Arnschwang

Arnschwang is a municipality in the district of Cham in Bavaria in Germany. It has the charming character of a rural but also modern community. The area offers quiete a variety of attractions for tourists. The population was 2,004 at the 2010 census. In recent years Arnschwang focused on the production of environmentally friendly energy from biomass and water.GeographyPositionThe municipality Arnschwang is situated in between the Bavarian Forest and the Bohemian Forest approximately 16 kilometres northeast of the town of Cham in the valley of the river Chamb.HistoryEarly historyThe earliest inhabitants around Arnschwang left the Celts visible traces in the first century BC. In the so-called Castle Wood ("Burgholz") towards Zenching is a well-preserved Celtic square enclosure, which might probably have served for religious purposes or as a central meeting or court place for the village communities in the area.From the point of language of these first historical inhabitants can derive, by the way, also the river Chamb - the village Arnschwang its name: "wang" is meant flat field, meadow. This ending is preceded by the personal name "Aruni". Pastures in the near Chamb valley gave Arnschwang its name. From the "pasturage of the Aruni", "Aruni-wang" became "Arinswanch", during the 14th century then "Orenswanch" and, finally "Arnschwang".Origin of the parishAfter establishment of monastery in Chammünster a church could have been founded few decades later also in Arnschwang in the year 795. The extraordinary size of the parish and the Upper Paladinate rare Martin´s patronage of the church are strong indications of such an early establishment of the church. It means that the parish Arnschwang is the first bifurcated parish from Chammünster.