Buchloe

Buchloe (bu:x'lo:ə) is a community raised to city status in 1954, lying in Ostallgäu district in Bavaria. Together with the neighbouring communities of Jengen, Lamerdingen and Waal, Buchloe belongs to the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("administrative community") of Buchloe.

Geography and transport

Buchloe lies right on Bundesautobahn 96 (Munich - Buchloe - Memmingen - Lindau) with interchanges with Bundesstraße ("Federal Highway") 12 (Lindau by way of Munich and Passau to Philippsreut) and describes itself as the "Gateway to the Allgäu". The town is an important railway hub for the Munich – Kempten – Lindau line on the Allgäubahn (KBS 970) and for the Augsburg – Memmingen line with its connections to IC and direct connection into Switzerland by EC.

Coat of arms

Buchloe has quite a simple coat of arms, being a shield, party per pale, gules and argent. It was bestowed on the town officially in 1834, although it is based on a much earlier design that was already in use about 1500. The colours are those of the State of Augsburg, to which Buchloe belonged from 1311 to 1803, when it was absorbed into Bavaria. In the late nineteenth century, Buchloe assumed a different coat of arms, still a party per pale (ie a shield split straight down the middle) and silver on the right half, but gold on the left half with two leafy twigs – likely meant to be beech as the town's name comes from Buche, the German word for beech – twined about each other to form an emblem shaped rather like a section sign ("§"). In 1950, however, the original arms were officially restored.

Town development

Amalgamation

In 1971 and 1972, the communities of Lindenberg and Honsolgen mit Hausen were amalgamated into Buchloe.

Culture and sightseeing

Heimatmuseum Buchloe

South of Buchloe is the Buchloe people's observatory, at which there are regular observations of the heavens.

Economy

A well known business in the town is the car tuning company Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH und Co. Another is the Huber Karwendel Works, which makes the well known Exquisa cream cheese. Furthermore, the Moksel Group has its headquarters in Buchloe.

Security

Buchloe has a police station and a volunteer fire brigade with various fire engines. Within the town are also found a Bavarian Red Cross office and a chapter of the Wasserwacht ("Water Watch", or lifeguard service).