Verden, Aller

Verden an der Aller (German: [ˈfeːɐ̯dn̩ ʔan dɐ ˈʔalɐ] ; Northern Low Saxon: Veern), also called Verden (Aller) or simply Verden, is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, on the river Aller. It is the district town of the district of Verden in Lower Saxony and an independent municipality (de:Selbständige Gemeinde). The town is located in the middle Weser region on the Aller river immediately before it flows into the Weser. As a center of horse breeding and equestrian sports, it bears the nickname "equestrian town". The suffix "Aller" was introduced because the name "Verden" was also used in German to refer to the French town of Verdun. The town name comes from "ford" or "ferry". The town was conveniently located at a ford through the Aller river, near an important trade route. Verden is famous for a massacre of Saxons in 782, committed on the orders of Charlemagne (the Massacre of Verden), for its cathedral, and for its horse-breeding.