Drawn to the Rhine’s embrace, Ramersdorf welcomes us with tales from centuries ago. Ramersdorf is a part of Bonn. It sits on the Rhine’s right bank. Let’s delve into the story of this place.
Ramersdorf’s story begins long ago. The first written record of Ramersdorf dates back to the 9th century. The Cassius-Stift in Bonn owned land here back then. In 1136, the Pope confirmed the Stift’s ownership of an estate in Ramersdorf. The Stift’s canons had acquired this estate from Siegburg Abbey.
In 1142, the Stift gained more land. Roingus a citizen of Bonn gifted it to them. Heisterbach Abbey also had holdings in Ramersdorf. Before 1246, they received rent and tithes. The abbey also owned a mill here. Around 1230, the Teutonic Order founded the Ramersdorf Commandery. Today, it operates as a hotel. You can find it near the A 59 and A 562 Autobahn intersection.
Ramersdorf became part of Bonn in 1969. After that, the A 562 Autobahn bridge connected it to the government district on the Rhine’s left bank. This event spurred great growth. In 1979, a part of the Rhine’s bank became the Rheinaue park for the Federal Garden Show. The Autobahn bridge links it to the park’s main section on the left bank.
Several industrial parks cluster around the park. These parks developed into employment hubs. T-Mobile’s former headquarters was located here. It is now part of Telekom Deutschland GmbH. Bonn’s new police headquarters opened in October 2006.
Since the 1990s, development has boomed especially. The Bundesviertel development project contributed to this. Parts of Ramersdorf fell within this project. South of Ramersdorf, there is the site of a former cement factory. Since 2003, the “Bonner Bogen” urban development project has extensively renovated it. The Bonn architect Karl-Heinz Schommer led this project. It created residential and office buildings. It also provided event spaces and a hotel. Some historic factory buildings remain. These include the director’s villa and the administration building. The water tower still stands.
More than 600 graves from the Merovingian period were discovered here. These finds hold great archaeological significance.
Let’s talk about some notable people from Ramersdorf. Henriette Brey was a writer. She was born in Capellen near Geldern in 1875. She died in Ramersdorf in 1953. Max Rendschmidt is a canoeist. He grew up in Ramersdorf. He was born in Bonn in 1993.
Bonn plans to build a cable car across the Rhine between Ramersdorf and the Venusberg. This cable car would be the first in Germany to integrate into public transport. It could make public transport more appealing. It could replace many car trips. Like the Koblenz cable car, it could become a tourist attraction.
So, as we stand here in Ramersdorf, we reflect on its evolution. From ancient origins to its modern role in Bonn. This place has woven itself into the fabric of German history.