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{{Expand German|topic=geo|date=January 2021}}{{Infobox German district
|name             = Donau-Ries
|state            = Bavaria
|image_flag       = Flagge Landkreis Donau-Ries.svg
|image_coa        = DEU Landkreis Donau-Ries COA.svg
|capital          = [[Donauwörth]]
|regierungsbezirk = [[Swabia (Bavaria)|Swabia]]
|area             = 1275
|Kreisschlüssel   = 09779
| district_admin    = Stefan Rößle
| admin_party       = CSU
|carsign          = DON, NÖ
|url              = {{url|https://www.donau-ries.de/}}
|map              = {{Germany district OSM map |parent_subdivision = Q980}}
}}

'''Donau-Ries''' (''[[Danube]]-[[Nördlinger Ries|Ries]]'') is a [[Districts of Germany|''Landkreis'' (district)]] in [[Swabia (Bavaria)|Swabia]], [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of [[Ansbach (district)|Ansbach]], [[Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen]], [[Eichstätt (district)|Eichstätt]], [[Neuburg-Schrobenhausen]], [[Aichach-Friedberg]], [[Augsburg (district)|Augsburg]] and [[Dillingen (district)|Dillingen]], and by the state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] (districts of [[Heidenheim (district)|Heidenheim]] and [[Ostalbkreis]]).

==History==
From [[Palaeolithic]] times on the [[Nördlinger Ries]] was a very attractive site for human settlement. The valley of the Danube was abounding with game, and many caves in the slopes of the crater provided shelter for [[Neanderthals]] and their successors.

The Ries was always densely populated. From 450 to 15 BC [[Celt]]ic peoples built their settlements on the tops of the hills. Remains of Celtic [[circular fort]]s and sanctuaries can be found all over the region. They were replaced about 90 AD by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]], who secured the region by building forts and the [[Germanic Limes|Limes]] (which was some km north of the present district).

The Romans were driven away about 250 AD by the [[Alamanni]], which in turn were defeated by the [[Franks]] in 496. In the early years of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] new castles were erected, among them [[Schloss Oettingen]], which was the centre of the county of [[Oettingen]]. This county was first mentioned in 1141, ruled over the villages of the Ries and managed to gain further territories around. In the 15th century the county was divided into the two states of [[Oettingen-Oettingen]] and [[Oettingen-Wallerstein]]. Later the former decided to become [[Protestantism|Protestant]], while the latter remained [[Catholicism|Catholic]]. This was the reason for a bloody enmity resulting in decades of war. Even prior to the Thirty Years' War there were battles, mass executions and [[witchhunt]]s in both parts. In the [[Thirty Years' War]] the Ries was almost completely devastated and depopulated. Two major battles of that war took place in the region: the [[Battle of Nördlingen (1634)]] and the [[Battle of Nördlingen (1645)]].

After the war, the Counts of the mini-states (in the meantime a third county called [[Oettingen-Spielberg]] had been founded) recruited settlers from [[Austria]] to repopulate the land. The hostilities between the counties were revived. There was fighting in the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], with two major battles taking place in the Ries. All this came to an end, when the last Protestant ruler of Oettingen-Oettingen died without a successor. The remaining states of Oettingen-Wallerstein and Oettingen-Spielberg annexed his lands and turned them into a Catholic region.

In 1806 [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] dissolved both Oettingen states and awarded them to [[Bavaria]]. In the [[Congress of Vienna]] the affiliation of the region with Bavaria was confirmed, and the sovereignty of the Ries ended.

The present district was established in 1972 by merging the former districts of Nördlingen and Donauwörth.

==Geography==
In the south, the [[Danube]] crosses the district, running from west to east. It is joined by the [[Lech (river)|Lech]] river coming from the south. North of the river there is a hill chain, the so-called '''Riesalb''' connecting the mountain chains of the [[Swabian Alb]] in the west and the [[Frankish Alb]] in the east. Further north there is the '''[[Nördlinger Ries]]''', a huge depression, which is in fact an ancient [[impact crater]], caused by a [[meteorite]] some 14.8 million years ago.

== Politics ==
{{expand section|date=February 2025}}
*[[Donau-Ries (electoral district)]]

==Coat of arms==
The coat of arms displays:
* The eagle of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] symbolising the Free Imperial Cities of Donauwörth and Nördlingen
* The yellow cross on red background was part of the arms of all Oettingen counties
* The blue and white checkered pattern of Bavaria

==Towns and municipalities==
{{Imagemap Germany district DON|Municipalities in DON.svg|300px{{!}}thumb{{!}}Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district}}
{|
! align=left width=33%|Towns
! align=left width=33%|Municipalities
|- valign=top
||
#[[Donauwörth]]
#[[Harburg, Bavaria|Harburg]]
#[[Monheim, Bavaria|Monheim]]
#[[Nördlingen]]
#[[Oettingen in Bayern]]
#[[Rain (Lech)|Rain]]
#[[Wemding]]
||
#[[Alerheim]]
#[[Amerdingen]]
#[[Asbach-Bäumenheim]]
#[[Auhausen]]
#[[Buchdorf]]
#[[Daiting]]
#[[Deiningen]]
#[[Ederheim]]
#[[Ehingen am Ries]]
#[[Forheim]]
#[[Fremdingen]]
#[[Fünfstetten]]
#[[Genderkingen]]
#[[Hainsfarth]]
#[[Hohenaltheim]]
#[[Holzheim, Donau-Ries|Holzheim]]
#[[Huisheim]]
#[[Kaisheim]]
||
<ol start=19>
<li> [[Maihingen]]
<li> [[Marktoffingen]]
<li> [[Marxheim]]
<li> [[Megesheim]]
<li> [[Mertingen]]
<li> [[Mönchsdeggingen]]
<li> [[Möttingen]]
<li> [[Munningen]]
<li> [[Münster, Bavaria|Münster]]
<li> [[Niederschönenfeld]]
<li> [[Oberndorf am Lech]]
<li> [[Otting]]
<li> [[Reimlingen]]
<li> [[Rögling]]
<li> [[Tagmersheim]]
<li> [[Tapfheim]]
<li> [[Wallerstein, Bavaria|Wallerstein]]
<li> [[Wechingen]]
<li> [[Wolferstadt]]
</ol>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Landkreis Donau-Ries}}
*[https://www.donau-ries.de/ Official website] (German)

{{Germany_districts_bavaria}}
{{Cities and towns in Donau-Ries (district)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|48.83|10.67|display=title|format=dms}}

[[Category:Donau-Ries| ]]
[[Category:Swabia (Bavaria)]]