While you’ve probably never heard of Nördlingen, you’ve probably seen something like it before. Situated in the southeast part of Germany, this German town appears in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and serves as the model for the Shiganshina Districtin the Japanese animeAttack on Titan . The town, which was built in the 9th century, shines brightly like a diamond. But why does it shine?
To find the answer, one has to look back 15 million years. During this time, a giant meteorstruck the area. It left a hole in the ground known as the Nördlinger Ries. When the meteor hit, it left the ground covered with tens of thousands of tiny diamonds. Back in the 9th century, diamond-coatedstones were used to build the town of Nördlingen. While the diamonds are too small to be of value, they have made the town truly unique. Although it may be the only such town in the world, people who live there don’t think much of it. As one says: “We see it every day; for us it’s nothing special.”
