The new information centre presents developments in the Rhine area
The flood protection and Rheinaue information centre Neupotz was inaugurated on December 17th, 2011.
The setup of the house "Leben am Strom" [Living by the river"] is part of the Rhineland-Palatinate project, the greatest flood retention area in the upper Rhine river valley. This retention area is called "Polder Wörth/Jockgrim"
and has a retention capacity of about 18.05 million cubic metres. The project mainly affects the municipality of Neupotz. The necessity to increase flood protection and contribute to solidarity along the river Rhine has been accepted within the municipality, even though the reasons for flooding are not actually to be found in the Neupotz region. One of the main measures for creating acceptance was the purchase of the property in the middle of Neupotz and converting it into a public information centre. The half-timbered house was built in 1783 and, over its 200-year history it has accommodated a butchery, an inn, a blacksmith-workshop and the local dairy.
It is hoped that the reconstruction of the house should achieve several village development objectives in relation to the theme "Living by the river". Information will be available to visitors about the natural phenomenon of flooding in the upper Rhine river valley and the various flood protection strategies as well as information about the European singularity of the river Rhine floodplain ecology nearby. The museum includes expositions in four "spaces in time" in which the natural history of the upper Rhine river valley, flood risk and flood protection is related to the cultural history of the Neupotz village. The exposition provides information about nature and settlement history and
about the development of the Rhine river catchment. The progress of the river Rhine throughout time is illustrated using wall charts and show cases with historic items and models. Starting from the time when the Rhine area was a glacial valley with corresponding nature and landscape, the visitor can follow its development through the valley settlements of the Bandkeramik culture, the Roman occupation and the medieval townships, to finally end up in the Rhine area as it is now: an industrialised region with a channelled river bed, barrages and power plants. The history of Neupotz will be explained using examples which take you from the fishery village to the farming village, to the village of emigration, the village of flood protection and finally to the Neupotz of today.
The reconstruction and the inauguration of the information centre cost about two million euros.
Picture 1: Building in the 1960s, source: Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd
Picture 2: Invitation to the inauguration, source: Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd
The flood protection and Rheinaue information centre Neupotz was inaugurated on December 17th, 2011.
The setup of the house "Leben am Strom" [Living by the river"] is part of the Rhineland-Palatinate project, the greatest flood retention area in the upper Rhine river valley. This retention area is called "Polder Wörth/Jockgrim"
and has a retention capacity of about 18.05 million cubic metres. The project mainly affects the municipality of Neupotz. The necessity to increase flood protection and contribute to solidarity along the river Rhine has been accepted within the municipality, even though the reasons for flooding are not actually to be found in the Neupotz region. One of the main measures for creating acceptance was the purchase of the property in the middle of Neupotz and converting it into a public information centre. The half-timbered house was built in 1783 and, over its 200-year history it has accommodated a butchery, an inn, a blacksmith-workshop and the local dairy.It is hoped that the reconstruction of the house should achieve several village development objectives in relation to the theme "Living by the river". Information will be available to visitors about the natural phenomenon of flooding in the upper Rhine river valley and the various flood protection strategies as well as information about the European singularity of the river Rhine floodplain ecology nearby. The museum includes expositions in four "spaces in time" in which the natural history of the upper Rhine river valley, flood risk and flood protection is related to the cultural history of the Neupotz village. The exposition provides information about nature and settlement history and
about the development of the Rhine river catchment. The progress of the river Rhine throughout time is illustrated using wall charts and show cases with historic items and models. Starting from the time when the Rhine area was a glacial valley with corresponding nature and landscape, the visitor can follow its development through the valley settlements of the Bandkeramik culture, the Roman occupation and the medieval townships, to finally end up in the Rhine area as it is now: an industrialised region with a channelled river bed, barrages and power plants. The history of Neupotz will be explained using examples which take you from the fishery village to the farming village, to the village of emigration, the village of flood protection and finally to the Neupotz of today.The reconstruction and the inauguration of the information centre cost about two million euros.
Picture 1: Building in the 1960s, source: Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd
Picture 2: Invitation to the inauguration, source: Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd
