Thierhaupten

Thierhaupten
Coat of arms
Thierhaupten
Location of Thierhaupten within Augsburg district
Coordinates: 48°34′N 10°55′E / 48.567°N 10.917°E / 48.567; 10.917Coordinates: 48°34′N 10°55′E / 48.567°N 10.917°E / 48.567; 10.917
Country	Germany
State	Bavaria
Admin. region	Schwaben
District	Augsburg
Government
• Mayor	Franz Neher (SPD)
Area
• Total	39.15 km2 (15.12 sq mi)
Elevation	430 m (1,410 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	3,991
• Density	100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	86672
Dialling codes	08271
Vehicle registration	A
Website	www.thierhaupten.de

Thierhaupten is a market town in south-central Germany in the district of Augsburg (district) in the Swabia administrative region of Bavaria, and is located at the Lech river valley.

There are 8 town districts (Ortsteile) in Thierhaupten:

Thierhaupten is located on the eastern margin of the Lech river valley in the middle between Augsburg and Donauwörth. The "lower village" is located in the Lech river valley, so as the villages Ötz and Altenbach. The "upper village" of Thierhaupten and the villages Neukirchen, Weiden, Hölzlarn, Sparmannseck are located in the Old Bavarian Tertiary Hills.

The Lech river is the western frontier of the town district of Thierhaupten, but it does not touch the town itself. The Friedberger Ach creek goes through Thierhaupten from south to north.

The Kühberg (499 m NN) ("cow hill") in the village district of Neukirchen is the highest elevation of Thierhaupten. The Kreuzberg (479 m NN) ("cross hill") dominates the Thierhaupten town itself.

The name "Thierhaupten" is of Germanic origin: there must have been a Germanic settlement, where animal heads were exposed (Tierhaupt = animal head). In the year of 1776 a sandy stone animal head was dug out. This could be a further indication in favour of this theory.

After a legend, in the year 750 Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria (Agilolfings dynasty) lost his way in the woods around Thierhaupten and swore to God to build a monastery (Thierhaupten Abbey) at the place of his rescue. Suddenly a hind appeared and showed him his way back (German hunter's jargon: Tier = hind). Still today a hind is on the Thierhaupten coat of arms.