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Pig in Zons
St. Martinus ChurchDormagen / Zons – Medieval Customs Town
The contrast of Zons a pretty medieval historical town along the Rhine River to the industrial town of Dormagen spread out on the horizon is quiet steep.
On the one side on can stroll and discover historical houses and on the horizon the chemical industry and a large power plant spew out fumes into the sky.
Zons draws a few hundred thousand visitors each year, and it was also the place where I joined my first VT meeting.
First mentioning of the town Zons one can find in historical books already in the year 1288 after the House of Zunce was destroyed in the Battle of Worringen. The years following the battle the decision was made to move the customs control from the town of Neuss which is further north to the town of Zons.
Hence the town was formed in the 14th century by Bishop Friedrich von Saarwerden with the main purpose to control the taxes and excise duties for goods been brought in and out of the district of Cologne.
Almost the entire town has been left as it was built some 600 years ago and the fortifications particularly on the Southern side are quiet remarkable. This also explains the nick name for Zons which is the Rothenburg along the Rhine.
Today many events such as open air theatre, the annual Matthäusmarkt; a medieval crafts market and other art markets draw visitors to this town.
The surroundings of the town Zons are protected nature reserves and one can enjoy long walks along the green zone of the Rhine River.
Thank you to Winfried for organising this stunning day and all the VT members who I was able to meet. It was really a great afternoon and a new destination for me to explore! Thank you again!
