Nürburg (Gemeinde)

Nürburg is a town in the German district of Ahrweiler, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is also the name of the local castle, Nürburg Castle, which was built in the High Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Latin word "niger" which means 'black' (cf. French "noir" meaning the same), and burg which means "castle". The castle is made of basalt which usually has black color. The town is best known for its famous 24 kilometer race track, the Nürburgring. Five kilometers (5km) of the track are used for a Formula One grand prix.LocationThe Nürburg rises above the village of the same name on the second-highest hill in the Eifel (678m). The castle and hill are regarded as a characteristic feature of the Eifel. Even though it is one of the most significant castles in the Eifel, it nevertheless still needs to be researched in full. There are almost no written sources relating to the history of the castle's construction in the Middle Ages. The hill is referred to in documentary evidence in AD 954 by the name mone nore, which means black hill. In descriptions of boundaries which served to clarify which property belonged to whom, it was used as a significant reference marker. The name Nürburg is thought to derive from mons nore, as the color of the volcanic basalt used to build the castle exhibits an unusually dark color.The Nürburg is considered to be the "highest castle in Rhineland-Pfalz", and on a clear day, the spires of the Cologne Cathedral may be seen.