Wittmund, District capital and port settlement in Lower Saxony, Germany.
This settlement serves as the district capital in Lower Saxony, spreading over fields and residential quarters close to the North Sea coast. It sits low at around four meters above sea level and includes farmland as well as smaller villages nearby.
Agnes of Rietberg granted town rights to the settlement in 1567, but these were withdrawn in later years. The rights were not restored until 1929, when the place began to take its present form as an administrative center.
The harbor at Harlesiel links the mainland to Wangerooge island and shapes daily routines in the area. Fishermen and ferry operators follow the tides, and visitors often watch the boats leaving early in the morning.
Ferries to Wangerooge depart from Harlesiel harbor and allow day trips to the coast. Public facilities and shops spread across the different parts of the area, so visitors can walk short distances in the center.
The air base at Wittmundhafen hosts the 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron of the German Air Force and is one of the larger military installations in northern Germany. Visitors sometimes hear training flights over the surrounding countryside, a reminder of the military presence in the area.
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