Every anime or comic book fan has imagined venturing into the landscapes of their favorite tales. For fans of Attack on Titan, this fantasy comes to life in Nordlingen, a German town dating back to the Middle Ages. This compact town presents a delightful walking tour for visitors. At the town center, one can climb St. George’s Church and witness the well-preserved medieval city walls from above. These walls, enclosing houses with orange roofs, give the city an anime-like appearance. Despite the lack of official confirmation, the striking resemblances to some Attack on Titan settings have led to the town’s rise as a popular spot for anime fans.
However, Nordlingen’s charm extends well beyond its similarity to an anime. Its connection to space exploration adds a unique feature to its appeal. This can be traced back to the town’s origin when a meteorite struck 15 million years ago. The impact gave birth to the massive Nordlinger Ries Crater and led to the formation of suevites, rocks containing tiny diamonds. These rocks were accidentally incorporated into the town’s architecture by settlers. Local geologists estimate that the town’s structures house roughly 72,000 tons of diamonds, earning Nordlingen the nickname “Diamond City.”
The meteorite crash didn’t just shape the town’s buildings but also transformed its natural environment. Around the crater’s rim are forests thriving in the fertile soil of an ancient salt lake formed by the impact. What’s more, abandoned mines scattered across the landscape attract planetary scientists for research on potential space rocks. The tower of St. George’s Church also displays a gallery of photographs and documents related to American researchers who’ve visited the town.
Photo courtesy of Flickr / 照片：Flickr提供
Whether you’re a casual tourist, an anime fan, or a space enthusiast, Nordlingen provides an exciting journey like no other. In this place where fantasy merges with reality, every corner eagerly awaits your exploration.
每位動畫或漫畫迷都曾幻想過進入他們最喜愛的故事場景中展開冒險。對於《進擊的巨人》的粉絲來說，這個幻想在諾德林根成為現實，這是一座可以追溯至中世紀的德國小鎮。這座小巧的城鎮為遊客提供了一趟愉快的步行之旅。在城鎮的中心，人們可以爬上聖喬治教堂，從高處俯瞰保存完好的中世紀城牆。這些城牆圍繞著橙色屋頂的房子，賦予了該城市動漫般的外觀。儘管沒有得到官方認證，但與《進擊的巨人》一些場景的驚人相似之處使該城鎮成為動畫迷的熱門景點。
然而，諾德林根的魅力遠不止於與動畫場景的相似。它與太空探索的關聯為其吸引力增添了獨特的特點。這可以追溯至該城鎮的起源，有一顆隕石在 1500 萬年前撞擊了這裡。那次撞擊造成了巨大的諾德林根里斯隕石坑誕生，並導致了含有微小鑽石的隕磺礫岩的形成。這些岩石意外地被定居者融入於該城鎮的建築中。當地地質學家估計該城鎮的建築物中大約含有 72,000 噸的鑽石，使諾德林根獲得「鑽石城」的暱稱。
那次隕石撞擊不僅塑造了該城鎮的建築，也改變了其自然環境。在隕石坑的周圍，森林生長在撞擊形成之古老鹽湖的肥沃土壤中。此外，遍布在景觀中的廢棄礦坑吸引了行星科學家進行關於潛在太空岩石的研究。聖喬治教堂的塔樓還展示了與曾經造訪該城鎮的美國研究人員相關的照片和文件。
無論你是一般遊客、動畫迷還是太空愛好者，諾德林根都提供了一趟與眾不同又令人興奮的旅程。在這個幻想與現實交融的地方，每個角落都迫不及待地等待著你的探索。
MORE INFORMATION
anime n.（日本）動畫
titan n. 巨人
medieval adj. 中世紀的
meteorite n. 隕石
crater n. 隕石坑
suevite n. 隕磺礫岩
geologist n. 地質學家
rim n.（圓形物的）外緣；邊緣
planetary adj. 行星的
Key Vocabulary
1. compact adj.
小巧的；密實的
Countries that don’t have a lot of free land, such as Japan, prefer cities to have compact designs.
未擁有大量閒置土地的國家，例如日本，偏好小巧的城市設計。
2. striking adj. 驚人的；引人注目的
The contrast of the bright flowers against the dark background created a striking visual effect.
鮮豔的花朵與深色背景的對比營造出引人注目的視覺效果。
3. impact n. 撞擊；影響；作用
In that car accident, the helmet absorbed the majority of the impact, protecting Ken’s head.
在那場車禍中，安全帽吸收了大部分的撞擊，保護了肯的頭部。
4. accidentally adv. 意外地； 偶然地
Benny accidentally knocked over the vase while playing in the living room.
班尼在客廳玩耍時不小心把花瓶撞翻了。
5. incorporate v. 包含；納入
The Summer Olympic Games incorporate more than 30 different sports.
夏季奧林匹克運動會包含了超過三十種不同的運動項目。
6. transform vt. 轉變；變化；改造
Boarding school transformed the troublesome teenager into a well-behaved young man.
寄宿學校將這名問題少年轉變成有禮貌的年輕人。
7. fertile adj. 肥沃的；繁殖力強的；想像力豐富的
The fertile valley can support the growth of many different kinds of crops.
這片肥沃的山谷可以讓許多不同種類的作物生長。
8. researcher n. 研究人員
research n. 研究；調查
Darren is a researcher who mostly studies rare animals living in South America.
達倫是一名研究人員，主要研究生活在南美洲的稀有動物。
9. merge v. 融合；合併
The two computer companies merged after the larger one purchased the smaller one.
這兩間電腦公司在規模較大的公司買下較小的後合併。
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