POPULATION: About 315,000
CURRENCY: Euro
LANGUAGE: German
RELIGIONS: Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 4%, unaffiliated or other 28%
MAJOR EVENTS:Rosenmontag - February/March
Women's Carnival - February/March
Carnival- 42nd day before Easter
Rhine in Flames - May
Bonner Bierbörse - July
Beethovenfest - September
Pützchens Markt - September
Day of German Unity - October 3
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For a top-notch education in a stimulating environment, Bonn has something to offer students of all levels and disciplines.
Located on the banks of the romantic Rhine River in the German state of North Rhine Westphalia, the city has undergone an amazing transformation since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the shift of the German capital to Berlin. Districts have been completely renovated, with international companies and organizations springing up in the city's financial, economic and political centers. Perhaps best known as the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven, this relaxed and friendly city has a long academic tradition as home to the University of Bonn, founded in the early 19th century. The university's illustrious alumni include the poet Heinrich Heine and the philosopher and revolutionary Karl Marx.
With a population of more than 27,000, 15 percent of which represent international students from over 130 different countries, the University of Bonn is a world class institute of higher education, and a leading research-based university. Semester, academic year, and short-term study programs abound for all levels in a broad range of fields. Arcadia University's "Study Abroad Program in Bonn, Germany" is a five-week program focusing on climate change, renewable energy and other related topics. Combined with field trips and excursions to international and local agencies, students undertake an intensive study of the social, cultural, and historical issues related to this highly-charged global geopolitical concern.
Most study abroad programs include a German language and culture component. In addition, there are many independent language schools in Bonn for visiting students and scholars who wish to gain a better understanding of their host country. The Kreuzbergkirche serves as both a church and a German language school, and is a stunning example of baroque architecture.
Bonn traces its origins to "Bonna," a Roman military settlement mostly inhabited by a Germanic tribe loyal to Rome. Settlements surrounding the central fort were often razed and rebuilt over the years of antiquity as populations and power shifted. Over time the city began to grow and prosper, particularly after becoming the Catholic Archdiocese for Cologne in the 16th century. Bonn today has one of the largest Catholic populations outside of southern Germany, and along with Cologne, celebrates Carnival in a big way.
Bonn was again faced with reconstruction when aerial bombs destroyed most of the inner city during World War II. Bonn served as the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and then of unified Germany from 1990 to 1999. In 1999 the capital of Germany moved from Bonn to Berlin, but despite the shift, Bonn is still remembered as "Bundesstadt" (Federal City) and remains a thriving political center, serving as Germany's United Nations City since 1996.
Bonn has a modern and efficient public transport system, but many locals use bicycles or walk. Visits to a city's museums form an integral part of any study abroad experience, and Bonn is no exception. The town center's Museum Mile attracts tourists to its variety of museums, such as the Beethoven House, the Bonn Art Museum, the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Egyptian Museum at the University of Bonn. Students frequently visit nearby Cologne, which is only a 20 minute train ride away, and can just as easily escape to the countryside for hiking.
Like many places in Germany, Bonn has tons of parks for picnics and paths for bicyclists and walkers/joggers along the Rhein. Bonn also has a lively cultural scene, with a vast array of restaurants and cafés. Located at the entrance of a public swimming pool, the Café Blau is a popular student meeting point. Students form a large part of Bonn's population, so it will come as no surprise that the city has a thriving nightlife with a wide choice of pubs, clubs and discos.