Kehlnäcken

Kehlnäcken is a district (Ortsteil) of the city of Altdorf in the fictional country of Nordmark. The name derives from the German words keh­le (throat) and nacken (neck), referring to a narrow saddle-like valley that separates two hills on the district’s western edge. Geographically, Kehlnäcken lies in the northern foothills of the Lauerberg range and covers about 7.6 square kilometers. It has a population of roughly 3,100 residents (2023), predominantly German-speaking, with small Turkish and Slavic minority communities. The housing stock is mixed, ranging from single-family homes to mid-rise apartment blocks, with several green spaces including the Stadtpark Kehlnäcken.

History: The area shows medieval settlement records from around 1332. A hilltop fortress, later known as Schloss Kehlnäcken, dominated the skyline in the early modern period. The district was incorporated into the city of Altdorf in 1935 and experienced substantial suburban growth after World War II, with rapid construction in the 1960s–1980s.

Economy and infrastructure: Kehlnäcken has a service-oriented local economy, with shops, cafes, and crafts. A weekly market in the Stadtplatz supports small producers. The district is served by a regional bus network and lies near a major ring road; the central railway station of Altdorf is a short bus ride away.

Landmarks: Schloss Kehlnäcken ruins, the St. Laurentius Church (15th century), and the Kischtäler Nature Reserve to the east.

Notable people: The district is associated with several regional artists and scholars; one notable figure is 19th-century cartographer Elise Hartmann.