Kaufungen
Encyclopedia
Kaufungen is a municipality in the district of Kassel
, in Hesse
, Germany
. It is situated in the narrow valley of the river Losse, surrounded by the steep, wooded hills of the Kaufunger Wald
, approx. 10 kilometres east of Kassel
.
In 1017 Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
and his queen Cunigunde of Luxemburg
founded Kaufungen Abbey
, a Benedictine convent, perched on the steep edge of the Losse valley above what is now the centre of Oberkaufungen. Upon the death of her husband, Cunigunde entered the convent, and lived there until her death in 1033 or 1039. The Reformation
brought the closure of the convent in 1527, but the large church (the Stiftskirche) is still standing and in use as a parish church today. At various points in its history, Kaufungen has been a local centre for mining, glass-making, charcoal burning, forestry and paper manufacture.
The farming settlement of Niederkaufungen, situated slightly downriver where the narrow Losse valley begins to open out into the wide, flat plain of the Fulda
, is of more recent origin. In 1970 the villages of Nieder- and Oberkaufungen formally merged to form the present municipality. Since 1974, the Stiftskirche has played host to the Kaufunger Konzerte series of classical music concerts.
Both Nieder- and Oberkaufungen have historic village centres, with well-preserved half-timbered houses. The main attraction in Oberkaufungen is the early eleventh century Stiftskirche church which hosts regular classical music concerts. Just behind it lies in the smaller but older St George's Chapel, which is believed to date from the tenth century. Oberkaufungen also has two museums: the Alte Schule (Old School) museum documents the history of the town from the Middle Ages until the present day, while the Roßgang mining museum features reconstructions of historical mining scenes. Niederkaufungen is the site of the Kommune Niederkaufungen
, one of Germany's largest intentional communities. Located within Oberkaufungen, there is an authentic Italian Ice shop, Eis Cafe Cortina.
, and provides easy access to Nieder- and Oberkaufungen.
Kaufungen no longer has a passenger railway service, but instead is connected to Kassel's tram
network. The frequent number 4 service runs directly to the city centre and onwards to the mainline railway station at Wilhelmshöhe. In the other direction, the tram line continues up the Losse valley through Helsa
to its end in Hessisch Lichtenau
.
Through the centre of Niederkaufungen the railway and tram lines run together in an unusual six-rail gauntlet track configuration, which allows a narrow tram-train to reach the platform, but still allows space for mainline freight trains down the centre.
Kaufungen is situated on the Märchenlandweg (literally: fairy tale way), a long distance footpath and riding and cycle way.
Kassel (district)
Kassel is a Kreis in the north of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Northeim, Göttingen, Werra-Meißner, Schwalm-Eder, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Höxter...
, in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is situated in the narrow valley of the river Losse, surrounded by the steep, wooded hills of the Kaufunger Wald
Kaufunger Wald
The Kaufungen Forest is a range of steep, wooded hills straddling the border between the states of Hesse and Lower Saxony in central Germany.The hills lie in the fork of the Rivers Fulda and Werra, which meet at Hannoversch Münden just to the north. They are bounded to the west and north-west by...
, approx. 10 kilometres east of Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
.
Division of the municipiality
The town is centred upon the historic villages of Oberkaufungen and Niederkaufungen, which are joined by modern housing developments to form a significant conurbation. The municipality of Kaufungen also includes Kaufungen-Papierfabrik, a largely industrial area on the eastern fringes of Kassel.History
The first historical reference to Coufunga was in 1011, when it was in use as a royal court. However, the extant St. Georgskapelle (St George's Chapel) is believed to be rather older, probably dating from the 10th century.In 1017 Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
and his queen Cunigunde of Luxemburg
Cunigunde of Luxemburg
Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg, O.S.B. , also called Cunegundes and Cunegonda, was the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Saint Henry II. She is the Patroness of Luxembourg; her feast day is 3 March....
founded Kaufungen Abbey
Kaufungen Abbey
Kaufungen Abbey was a Benedictine nunnery founded in 1017 by the Empress Kunigunde, located in Kaufungen in Hessen, Germany.In 1532, during the Reformation, Count Philip I of Hesse appropriated it and gave it, together with Wetter Abbey, to the Hessische Ritterschaft for the care and shelter of...
, a Benedictine convent, perched on the steep edge of the Losse valley above what is now the centre of Oberkaufungen. Upon the death of her husband, Cunigunde entered the convent, and lived there until her death in 1033 or 1039. The Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
brought the closure of the convent in 1527, but the large church (the Stiftskirche) is still standing and in use as a parish church today. At various points in its history, Kaufungen has been a local centre for mining, glass-making, charcoal burning, forestry and paper manufacture.
The farming settlement of Niederkaufungen, situated slightly downriver where the narrow Losse valley begins to open out into the wide, flat plain of the Fulda
Fulda River
The Fulda is a river in Hesse, Germany. It is one of two headstreams of the Weser . The Fulda is 218 km in length....
, is of more recent origin. In 1970 the villages of Nieder- and Oberkaufungen formally merged to form the present municipality. Since 1974, the Stiftskirche has played host to the Kaufunger Konzerte series of classical music concerts.
Points of interest
Kommune Niederkaufungen
Kommune Niederkaufungen is one of the largest intentional communities in Germany. Founded in 1986, it is an egalitarian, left-wing, income-sharing commune with consensus decision-making. It is situated in a complex of former farm buildings in the historic centre of the village of Niederkaufungen ,...
, one of Germany's largest intentional communities. Located within Oberkaufungen, there is an authentic Italian Ice shop, Eis Cafe Cortina.
Transportation
The A7 Autobahn forms the border between Kaufungen-Papierfabrik and the city of Kassel. The B7 trunk road skirts the town on its way to EisenachEisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
, and provides easy access to Nieder- and Oberkaufungen.
Kaufungen no longer has a passenger railway service, but instead is connected to Kassel's tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
network. The frequent number 4 service runs directly to the city centre and onwards to the mainline railway station at Wilhelmshöhe. In the other direction, the tram line continues up the Losse valley through Helsa
Helsa
Helsa is a municipality and village in the district of Kassel, in Hesse, Germany. The municipality is situated in the Losse valley amongst the hills of the Kaufunger Wald, approx. 15 km east of Kassel.-Division of the municipality:...
to its end in Hessisch Lichtenau
Hessisch Lichtenau
Hessisch Lichtenau is a small town in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in eastern Hesse, Germany. It was the 2006 host of the 46th Hessentag.-Location:...
.
Through the centre of Niederkaufungen the railway and tram lines run together in an unusual six-rail gauntlet track configuration, which allows a narrow tram-train to reach the platform, but still allows space for mainline freight trains down the centre.
Kaufungen is situated on the Märchenlandweg (literally: fairy tale way), a long distance footpath and riding and cycle way.
Twin towns
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