Weißenburg in Bayern

Weißenburg in Bayern The old town hall of Weißenburg is one of the icons of the city Coat of arms Weißenburg in Bayern Location of Weißenburg in Bayern within Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district  Coordinates: 49°01′50″N 10°58′19″E Country Germany State Bavaria Admin. region Mittelfranken District Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen Government  • Lord Mayor Jürgen Schröppel (SPD) Area  • Total 97.55 km2 (37.66 sq mi) Population (2013-12-31)  • Total 17,732  • Density 180/km2 (470/sq mi) Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Postal codes 91781 Dialling codes 09141 Vehicle registration WUG Website www.weissenburg.de Imperial City of Weißenburg im Nordgau Reichsstadt Weißenburg im Nordgau Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire ← 1296–1803 → Capital Weißenburg im Nordgau Government Republic Historical era Middle Ages  •  Founded before 867  •  Gained Reichsfreiheit 1296  •  Mediatised to Bavaria 1803

Weißenburg in Bayern (formerly also Weißenburg im Nordgau) is a town in Middle Franconia, Germany. It is the capital of the district Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen. In 2010 its population was 17,513.

Weißenburg was a Free Imperial City for 500 years.

Geography

Location

Weißenburg is located in central Bavaria, in the south of the administrative region Mittelfranken. Large cities in the area are Ingolstadt (55.5 km), Nuremberg (61.7 km), Augsburg (85 km), Munich (134.6 km) and Würzburg (150.4 km).

Subdivision

The municipality is divided into 27 Ortsteile: the main town and the 26 villages of Dettenheim, Emetzheim, Gänswirtshaus, Haardt, Hagenbuch, Hammermühle, Hattenhof, Häuser am Wülzburger Berg, Heuberg, Holzingen, Kattenhochstatt, Kehl, Laubenthal, Markhof, Niederhofen, Oberhochstatt, Potschmühle, Rohrwalk, Rothenstein, Schleifer am Berg, Schmalwiesen, Stadelhof, Suffersheim, Weimersheim, Weißenhof and Wülzburg.

History

Early history

Castell Biriciana

The history of Weißenburg is generally traced back to the Roman fort that was built in the area towards the end of the first century. The settlement lay on the border of the Roman Empire and on the Tabula Peutingeriana from the 4th century it had the name Biriciana. Germanic tribes destroyed the fort and settled in what is still the city centre. The first mention of the name Weißenburg is in a deed dating from 867. The city became the seat of a royal residence during the reign of the Franks and according to legend, Charlemagne stayed there to supervise the construction of Fossa Carolina.

The Free Imperial City of Weißenburg

Illustrated map of Weißenburg, c. 1725

The city became a Free Imperial City in 1296 and continued to grow until the Reformation. Following the example of Nuremberg the city joined the Protestant side but it suffered heavily in the ensuing wars. However, the rights of the city as a Free Imperial City and an Imperial Estate were restored in the final peace treaty and some growth resumed. Despite its insignificant size and economic importance, the city, like the other 50-odd free imperial cities, was virtually independent.

Modern history

Weißenburg lost its independence in 1802 and became part of the Bavarian kingdom in 1806. It was however saved from insignificance with the construction of a railway between Nuremberg and Augsburg which goes through the city and which supported industrialisation. Following World War II over 6,000 refugees and people expelled from the territories which Germany lost settled in the city and have since played an important role in its industry and culture.

The many stages in the history of Weißenburg can still be seen today. There are many ruins from the Roman times. One of the finest is the remains of a Roman bath which was excavated in 1977 and has been turned into a museum. The city wall from the Middle Ages has survived almost intact with its towers and in the Gothic Town Hall the city's elected members have held their meetings from 1476.

Sights

• The Ellinger Tor is the most famous City gate of Weißenburg.
• The Bismarck tower is a memorial to the first German chancellor Otto von Bismarck.
• The Castra Birciana is a former Roman military camp.

Wülzburg

Wülzburg is a historical fortress about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the center of Weißenburg. It stands on a hill 200 metres (660 ft) above Weißenburg, at an elevation of 630.5 metres (2,069 ft), and was originally a Benedictine monastery dating from the 11th century. It was converted into a fortress from 1588 to 1605 and is one of the best-preserved Renaissance fortresses in Germany. Today it is part of the city of Weißenburg.

The Nazis used it as a prison camp during the war; it was here that the Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff was held for over a year before he died of TB.

Famous people

• Gustav Ritter von Kahr, politician (29 November 1862 – 30 June 1934)
• Hans Hofmann, painter (21 March 1880 – 17 February 1966)
• Rudolf Nebel, rocket pioneer and engineer (21 March 1894 – 18 September 1978)
• Markus Steinhöfer, footballer, (b. 7 March 1986)

Sister cities

• Valka, Latvia

External links

• Media related to Weißenburg in Bayern at Wikimedia Commons
• Weißenburg in Bayern travel guide from Wikivoyage