Erlenbach am Main

Erlenbach am Main is the largest town in the Miltenberg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It has a population of around 10,000.Erlenbach is the site of one of the Miltenberg district’s two hospitals, and is well known for its wine. Until 25 years ago, Erlenbach was Bavaria's newest town.GeographyLocationErlenbach lies in Lower Franconia in Bavaria's northwest, at the Mainviereck, near Aschaffenburg.Constituent communitiesThe formerly self-administering neighbouring communities of Mechenhard and Streit were amalgamated with Erlenbach in 1976 and 1978, respectively.HistoryThe local area has been inhabited at least since the late Bronze Age, based on archaeological findings. In 1876, four barrows from the Bronze Age (roughly 1550–1250 BC) were discovered. In 1981, two typical Urnfield culture graves from the time about 1000–800 BC were found.In the 1st century AD, the Roman Empire reached all the way to the Main. This watery stretch of the Limes Germanicus was enforced with castra. To avoid the Romans, the Germanic peoples moved their settlements to the other side of the Main, the east side, or right bank. After the Roman Empire fell, it took many years for the Franks to move into the Main region in 531 and found settlements of their own.