Adenau

Adenau () is a town in the High Eifel in Germany. It is known as the "Johanniterstadt" because the Order of Saint John was based there in the Middle Ages. The town's coat of arms combines the black cross of the Electorate of Cologne with the lion of the lords of Nürburg. The northern loop of the Nürburgring lies just outside the town.
The Breidscheid section of Adenau was a separate municipality until 1952. The lords of Breidscheid are mentioned in the 13th Century. The chapel of Breidscheid is dedicated to Saints Roch and Sebastian and was built in 1630 as a plague chapel.
History.
Adenau is mentioned for the first time in 992, under the name "Adenova". In 1162, Ulrich, Count of Are donated his manor to the Order of St. John (also called the Order of Malta). Adenau was the third oldest settlement of this order in Germany. The members of the order cared for paupers and pilgrims. Until 1518, the Komtur of the order also served as the parish priest.
In 1816 Adenau became the seat of an independent district. The District of Adenau was one of the poorest districts in Prussia. In 1927 the Nürburgring opened, built on the initiative of local magistrate Dr. Otto Creutz. In 1932 the district of Adenau was merged into the district of Ahrweiler.
Population development.
The population development of Adenau refers to today's area of Adenau. The numbers 1871-1987 are census results:
Politics.
The town council consists of 20 councillors and the local mayor.
Schools.
In Adenau, there are three schools: a primary, a secondary ("Realschule") and a high school ("Gymnasium"). The Erich Klausener Gymnasium
has 723 pupils and 46 teachers. The secondary school has 486 pupils. 
(Hauptschule) The primary school has 240 pupils and 21 teachers.
Hohe Acht.
The Hohe Acht is a tertiary volcano, the highest peak in the Eifel, rising 747 m above sea level. It is immediately east of Adenau. The Kaiser-Wilhelm-tower has stood on the peak since 1909. The tower was built from 1908 to 1909 on the occasion of the silver wedding of Emperor Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Victoria. The 16.3 m high tower was designed by architect Freiherr von Tettau and became a protected monument in 1987. The tower offers extensive views of the Eifel landscape.
Culture.
The international rock festival Rock am Ring
is a major cultural event. Every year 80,000 or more people meet near Adenau to "rock". The event first took place in 1985, and was originally planned as a unique event. It was so successful, with 75,000 participants, that it was decided to make it an annual event. There has been one 2-year break since then after attendance numbers fell in 1988, after which the festival resumed in 1991 in a revised format with more emphasis on new acts. The camp associated with the festival is an important part of the experience.
Twin towns — sister cities.
Adenau is twinned with: