Xanten, North Rhine-Westphalia

Xanten, Germany
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:XantenBlickVonHees.jpg
Author: Xantener


Xanten is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the district of Wesel on the western part of the country, near the border with the Netherlands. It is the only German city whose name begins with an X. The town covers 72.39 sq km (27.95 sq mi) and has a population of 22,000 (2011 estimate). It observes the Central European Time (UTC+1) and in summer the Central European Summer Time (UTC+2).

Reconstructed Roman harbor temple in Xanten, Germany
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harbour_temple.jpg
Author: Tiago Fioreze


While many of the towns in Germany dates back to Roman times, Xanten is one of the few with visible remains from that period, which is now preserved at its archaeological park, one of the largest in the world. Xanten was a major military base for the Romans. At its peak, it was occupied by some 10,000 legionaries.

Roman presence in the Xanten area endured till the 5th century, when regular attacks by Germanic tribes eventually forced the Romans to withdraw. The Franks moved in to settle the area.

Interior of Xanten Cathedral
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NRW,_Xanten_-_Dom_St.Viktor_01.jpg
Author: Островский Александр, Киев


Xanten derives its name from Sanctos, which means "place of saints", in reference to the grave of the martyr St Viktor. It dates back to the second half of the 8th century. The St Viktor Cathedral was established in 982, though only completed in 1263.

In the Middle Ages Xanten became an important trading town by the river Rhine. However when the river shifted its course away from the town, its importance declined. As such, its population dropped, from 5,000 at the beginning of the 16th century, to half the number by the end of the 18th century.

Sankt Mariä Himmelfahrt in Marienbaum, Xanten
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sankt_Mari%C3%A4_Himmelfahrt_Marienbaum.jpg
Author: Hans-Martin Scheibner


Anti-Semitism erupted in Xanten in 1891, when the five-year-old son of a local cabinet maker was found murdered in a barn, and the crime was blamed on the Jewish community, alleging that it was a ritual murder. The anti-Jew sentiment it aroused caused a drop in the Jewish population from 3,770 before the incident to just 50 in 1905.

Xanten was attacked by Allied forces during the Second World War and its cathedral badly damaged. Eventually Canadian troops took control of the town. Reconstruction of Xanten during the post war period continued until 1966. During this period, it received expelles from eastern Prussia, now part of Poland, leading to a rise in its population by almost 40%. Today Xanten is celebrated for its historic past and is a popular domestic tourist destination in Germany.

Xanten market square with its cathedral
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Xanten_-_Dom_01_ies.jpg
Author: Frank Vincentz

Visiting Xanten, Germany

Xanten is located between Autobahn 3 (E35) and Autobahn 57 (E31).

Places of Interest in Xanten

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

About this website

Thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye. My hobby is to research information about places, and share the information with people on this website. I started this website on 5 January 2003, and since then, have written about over 20,000 places, mostly in Malaysia and Singapore.

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. While I try my best to provide you information that is as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors. Also, as I might not be able to update some information on time, some of these pages may contain outdated information.