"Where I Live -- Artificial Sankt Augustin" Sankt Augustin by RhineRoll

Sankt Augustin Travel Guide: 0 reviews and 12 photos

Where People Live and Commute

Sankt Augustin is a vivid example that Suburbia doesn't just exist in the United States. A city of some 60,000 people, Sankt Augustin has been created rather artificially by merging about 10 villages together under a common administrative structure. Some of these villages still have a rural feel to them, at least in their central parts. Others have been transformed and urbanized into genuine suburbs for Bonn (5 miles) and Cologne (15 miles)
This picture was taken from the window of my bedroom and gives a pretty good example of how things look like here. The terraced houses in the picture's middle are typical for middle/lower middle class dwellings.

Convenient, but ugly

Sankt Augustin Shopping Centre

In the late 70s, town planners went berserk and deciced to create a modern city centre for Sankt Augustin. They built a large shopping centre and a couple of huge business/office buildings around it. Did they do a good job? I don't think so! They did succeed, however, in emphasizing the facelessness of Sankt Augustin. For me, who lives in a large apartment block close to the shopping centre, it's a trade-off between convenience (very convenient) and atmosphere (nonexistent). Communications into Bonn and Cologne are excellent, even though the main roads are quite congested during rush hour .

Also, within a 100 km perimeter, there's an incredible wealth of great places to visit. -- the Cities of Bonn, Cologne -- the nice market town of Siegburg -- dozens of other beautiful towns and villages -- the river valleys of the Rhine, Sieg, Ahr, the Eifel hills.... I could go on an on and on... and I'll add stuff on a regular basis. Germany isn't such a bad place after all!

Aurora over Sankt Augustin!

Aurora over Sankt Augustin

This is a really incredible shot I managed to take right from my apartment. First of all, auroras are hardly ever visible in our southerly latitudes. Only every 11 years, when the sun's eruptions reach peak levels does it become possible to make such observations. The second astonishing thing about this picture is the fact that the aurora is visible despite the huge amount of light polution from the Rhine Valley conurbation -- the light area to the left of the picture is caused by Cologne International Airport!!!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Convenient Reasonably Quiet and Safe Suburb
Cons:Unless you live in one of the smaller villages, this is the German version of suburban nothingness
In a nutshell:The convenient and central location is Sankt Augustin's main asset

Intro Updated Oct 24, 2004
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Travelogues (1)

Written Oct 24, 2004

9 photos

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Comments (17)

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alywang Apr 10, 2007 at 3:55 AM

I think no matter what it is,home is always sweet!
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poons Feb 13, 2007 at 2:12 PM

Yes a VT party in the best place for mussels! I'd certainly muscle in on that one ;o) Good luck with the land purchase Win. X
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ChristinaNest Feb 28, 2006 at 6:30 AM

You don't find many pages of suburbs here on VT but this is also part of life. After all, how many people live in castles or historic building so thanx for showing something 'off the beaten track'. Greetings from Sofia and take care!
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Lacristina Sep 9, 2005 at 2:17 PM

If the aurora in Pennsylvania(where I live) is even half as good as the lights in your photo, I'll be in astronomical heaven!
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allikat Sep 9, 2005 at 5:02 AM

Wow, you really did get to enjoy the Northern Lights! We sometimes get wildfire here - not the same thing, just static on a hot night, but still great to watch.
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Birsen Jun 4, 2005 at 6:19 AM

Hi Winfried, Greetings from Gran Canaria!I loved your pictures:))
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Colzy Jan 17, 2005 at 7:34 AM

Guten Tag Rhiney! Heading down your way this weekend I think, Koblenz and Trier. Have already had the pleasure of visiting Bonn and Cologne. Snow predicted though.... should be interesting... How you going with your resolutions??
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piccolina Jan 11, 2005 at 7:45 AM

You just give me the idea for the travelogue n.2..:-))
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gkitzmil Dec 30, 2004 at 9:55 AM

But of course when you visit Beethoven's geburtshaus or the Kölner Dom, or Roman ruins then you appreciate history that is not quite the same in the U.S. Sorry the idea of suburban living is spreading everywhere!
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Anjutka Nov 27, 2004 at 2:10 AM

I see that your town can look nice too. Pics you made are nice, especially Indian summer!:)