Villingen-Schwenningen

Villingen-Schwenningen is a city in the Schwarzwald-Baar district in southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It has 81,128 inhabitants (as of 2013).HistoryIn the Middle Ages Villingen was a town under Austrian lordship. During the Protestant Reformation it remained Catholic. Villingen came to international attention when it was besieged by marshal Tallard in 1704. Colonel Von Wilstorff put up a stout defence of the outdated fortifications, and after six days the siege failed.Schwenningen remained a village until the 19th century. In 1858 the first watch factory was established, and watchmaking and precision mechanics have been important industries ever since.As part of the Baden-Württemberg territorial reform of 1972, Villingen and Schwenningen were merged with a number of surrounding villages to form the city of Villingen-Schwenningen. Nevertheless, the two halves of the city are separated by a plateau and remain distinct.Villingen is a major center of German Carneval celebrations. The traditional Narros represent the old citizens of Villingen: Alt Villingere, Morbili, Narro, Suribbel.Since 1904, Villingen-Schwenningen has also been home to the ice hockey team the Schwenninger Wild Wings which competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.GeographyVillingen-Schwenningen lies on the eastern edge of the Black Forest about 700m above sea level. The source of the River Neckar is in Schwenningen (Schwenninger Moos).