Erligheim

Erligheim
Name	Erligheim
State	Baden-Württemberg
Region	Stuttgart
District	Ludwigsburg
Area km2	8.43
Elevation m	259
Population	1,800
Postal code	74391
Area code	07143
Licence	LB

Erligheim is a municipality in the district of Ludwigsburg (district), in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located within the Stuttgart (region) near the Neckar River. It is situated in the historical area between Heilbronn and Stuttgart, with proximity to the Mörikeweg, Kornwestheim and the A81 Autobahn. The community lies in a landscape characterized by vineyards, orchards and small-scale agriculture typical of the Baden-Württemberg wine region.

Geography

Erligheim lies in the northern part of Baden-Württemberg near the Neckar River valley and the Swabian-Franconian Forest. The municipality is accessible from the A81 Autobahn and regional roads connecting to Ludwigsburg, Heilbronn, Bietigheim-Bissingen and Marbach am Neckar. Surrounding municipalities include Großbottwar, Gemmrigheim, Bönnigheim and Besigheim. The local landscape is dominated by vineyards that form part of the Württemberg wine region, with soils influenced by the Keuper and Muschelkalk geological layers common to the Swabian Keuper-Lias Plains. Erligheim's climate is transitional between the Upper Rhine Plain and the Swabian Jura, moderated by the proximity of the Neckar.

History

The area was influenced historically by the Holy Roman Empire and the regional principalities of Württemberg and Baden. Archaeological finds in the region attest to settlement during the Roman Empire period and continuous habitation through the Middle Ages. During the Reformation, jurisdiction shifted among local lords and ecclesiastical authorities, including connections to the Prince-Bishopric of Speyer and the House of Württemberg. In the early modern period the town experienced the effects of the Thirty Years' War and later administrative reorganization under the Kingdom of Württemberg following the German Mediatisation. In the 19th century Erligheim lay within the Oberamt Besigheim before incorporation into the Ludwigsburg (district) during 20th-century territorial reforms in Weimar Republic and later under Nazi Germany and the post-war Federal Republic of Germany.

Politics and Administration

Municipal administration operates under the laws of Baden-Württemberg and is part of the Ludwigsburg (district) local government area. The municipality elects a mayor and a municipal council, liaising with the Regierungsbezirk Stuttgart and district authorities in Ludwigsburg (district) for regional planning and services. It participates in inter-municipal cooperation with neighboring towns such as Gemmrigheim and Besigheim for waste management, schooling and emergency services coordinated through district-level offices and agencies like the Landratsamt Ludwigsburg. Local elections follow statutory frameworks set by the Baden-Württemberg municipal code and are influenced by state-level parties such as the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, the Social Democratic Party of Germany, the Alliance 90/The Greens, and regional voter associations.

Demographics

Population trends reflect the wider dynamics of the Stuttgart (region), with growth influenced by suburbanization from Stuttgart and commuting patterns to Ludwigsburg and Heilbronn. The demographic structure includes families, retirees and commuters employed in sectors centered in Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Heilbronn. Religious life is served by parishes affiliated historically with the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. Migration patterns mirror regional trends documented by the Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg and federal statistics from the Statistisches Bundesamt.

Economy and Infrastructure

The local economy is characterized by viticulture within the Württemberg wine region, small-scale agriculture, and service businesses that support commuters to industry centers such as Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. Proximity to the A81 Autobahn and regional rail links via nearby Bietigheim-Bissingen station and Besigheim station facilitates commuting to employers like Daimler AG, Porsche AG, Bosch (company), Mahle GmbH, and manufacturing clusters in the Stuttgart Region. Public services include municipal utilities, schools linked with the Ludwigsburg educational authority, and emergency services coordinated with the Freiwillige Feuerwehr volunteer fire brigades common in Baden-Württemberg. Local agricultural cooperatives interact with regional wine marketing organizations such as the Württemberg Winegrowers' Association.

Culture and Sights

Cultural life features local festivals, vineyard events, and architecture reflecting the Swabian heritage and building traditions found across Baden-Württemberg. Historic churches, half-timbered houses and the surrounding vineyard landscape attract visitors from Stuttgart and Heilbronn. Nearby cultural institutions include the museums and theaters in Ludwigsburg such as the Ludwigsburg Palace and the State Theatre of Stuttgart (Staatstheater Stuttgart), while regional hiking and cycling routes connect to the Neckar Valley and the Swabian-Franconian Forest Nature Park. Local clubs participate in the sporting network of the Württemberg Football Association and cultural exchanges often link to events in Bönnigheim, Besigheim and Marbach am Neckar.

Notable People

Residents and natives have included local viticulturists connected to the Württemberg Weinstraße, civic leaders who worked within the Ludwigsburg (district) administration, and artisans active in regional craft traditions represented at exhibitions in Stuttgart and Heilbronn. Figures associated with the area have participated in regional bodies such as the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg and contributed to institutions like the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg and the Württemberg Chamber of Crafts.

Category:Ludwigsburg (district) Category:Municipalities in Baden-Württemberg