Offenburg, District capital in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Offenburg is a district capital in Baden-Württemberg at the western edge of the Black Forest, where the Kinzig valley opens into the Rhine plain. The old town centers on a market square with a neo-Gothic town hall, surrounded by timber-framed houses and lanes that invite walking.
The settlement first appears in documents from 1148 and received the status of a Free Imperial City from Frederick II in 1240. Napoleon dissolved this independence in 1803 and incorporated the territory into the Grand Duchy of Baden.
The town's name likely comes from a medieval fortification that once controlled access to the Kinzig valley plain. Today residents gather at the market square, where stalls appear regularly among the timber-framed houses and shape the social life of the old town.
The town center is easy to explore on foot, as most sights lie close together and pedestrian zones make strolling comfortable. Several educational institutions draw students, creating a lively rhythm in the streets during daytime.
A multilingual chatbot named OFFI answers questions about municipal services in 95 languages, making administrative access easier for international visitors. This digital assistant operates around the clock and allows people to navigate local government without German language skills.
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