Kulmbach
Encyclopedia
Kulmbach is the capital of the district of Kulmbach
in Bavaria
in Germany
. The town is famous for Plassenburg
Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its famous sausages, or Bratwürste.
, about 15.5 miles (25 km) northwest of the city of Bayreuth. To the south of Kulmbach, the River Main begins at the confluence of its headstreams, the White Main
and Red Main.
Kulmbach was first mentioned as Kulma in a deed of gift in the Alcuin
Bible between 1028 and 1040. The name comes from a stream that comes descends the mountain (Culmin-aha, Culmna). This stream was later renamed Kohlenbach due to a misunderstanding.
When the male line of the Schweinfurt counts died out, Kulmbach passed to the Dießen line of the Andechs family through the marriage of the Schweinfurts' daughter and heiress, Gisela, to Count Arnold of Dießen.
The counts acquired other lands around Kulmbach, built the first fort, the Plassenburg
, in the first third of the twelfth century and founded a market town and a church in today's upper town (Obere Stadt). In 1180 the House of Andechs was elevated to an imperial princedom by the Emperor Barbarossa
and given the title of Duke of Merania after the town of Marano between Venice
and Trieste
(now Marano Lagunare
).
Around 1231 Kulmbach was granted town rights. In place of the old Plassenburg, the site of which is unclear, the dukes built a new castle on a hill spur above Kulmbach. The rule of the Meranian family ended with the last Duke of Merania, Otto II, who died childless in 1248.
After years of inheritance disputes the castle of Plassenburg and hence rule over Kulmbach went in 1260 to the Thuringia
n counts of Orlamünde. The Orlamündes finished the new Plassenburg castle and founded the monastery of Himmelkron
. Later, they pledged the castle and town. In 1340, after the death of the last Orlamünde, pursuant to an agreement, the burggraves of Nuremberg, members of the Hohenzollern family, took over Kulmbach and Plassenburg.
Until the 17th century, Plassenburg was the residence of the burggrave office or Amt. Later it was the Amt for the Hohenzollern Principality of Kulmbach
(also: Brandenburg-Kulmbach or, after 1604, Brandenburg-Bayreuth). As a result of its favourable location on the historic and 'escorted' roads to Bamberg
, Nuremberg
, Eger
, Hof and Leipzig
trade in the town flourished - guilds were formed for the weavers, dyers and silk embroiderers. In 1398, 1500 to 2000 inhabitants lived in Kulmbach; this can be seen from a burggraviate inventory of land, houses and taxes. The town was ruled by a lordly Vogt or sheriff, the mayor and a council of prominent citizens.
As a result of the transfer of the princely privilege in 1363, and the electorate and the March of Brandenburg in 1415, all subsequent Franconian Hohenzollerns called themselves Margrave
s of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. From 1411 to 1529 Kulmbach townsfolk stood as chancellor
s at the head of the administration for the March of Brandenburg (Dr. Frederick Sesselmann, Sigismund Zehrer and Sebastian Stublinger).
On 31 January 1430 the Hussites sacked the town.
In the course of rebuilding the town, which had been largely destroyed, St. Peter's Church was rebuilt in late Gothic style. It was here that the first Protestant church service was celebrated under Margrave George the Pious in 1528.
The belligerent margrave, Albert Alcibiades, wanted to bring all Franks under his rule and set up a Frankish duchy. So he moved to oppose the bishoprics of Bamberg and Würzburg, whose rulers allied themselves with the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. In the Second Margrave War
, this alliance invaded Kulmbach on St. Conrad's Day (named after Saint Conrad of Constance
), 26 November 1553, and plundered the city. On 21 October 1554 the Plassenburg, whose garrison had hitherto held out against their enemy, was also set on fire and destroyed. The battle is recreated in the German Tin Soldiers Museum in Kulmbach.
From 1557 the town was rebuilt under the new margrave, George Frederick. In 1559 the reconstruction of the Plassenburg
, one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Germany, began. However, George Frederick's successor, Margrave Christian, moved the location of his Residenz
in 1604 to neighbouring Bayreuth as the Plassenburg no longer fulfilled the ideas of courtly absolutism, and the expansion of the castle came to an end. Nevertheless, the margravial residence returned to Kulmbach several times, once, in 1605, due to a fire in the city of Bayreuth and then again, for safety, during the Thirty Years War. Kulmbach was also burned as a Protestant town by imperial troops, but the Plassenburg proved impregnable.
Finally, in 1642, the residence was moved permanently to Bayreuth, and Kulmbach lost its political importance. As a result, little of significance happened here in the years that followed.
When Margrave Charles Frederick Alexander sold the March of Brandenburg-Bayreuth to his cousin, the King of Prussia, on account of his lover, Lady Elizabeth Craven, Kulmbach, too, became Prussian, and the Plassenburg was used in the years that followed as a camp for French prisoners of war.
Since the Plassenburg represented an obstacle to French and Bavarian forces advancing against Prussia in 1806, the town of Kulmbach was occupied in October and November that year. After the capitulation of its Prussian garrison, the castle was slighted in order to render it militarily useless.
Finally, Kulmbach was granted to Bavaria in 1810.
In 1846 it was connected to the King Ludwig South-North Railway
. This resulted in a tremendous economic boom - particularly for the breweries - as their products could now be readily exported. So the number of breweries grew to 26 in 1882.
In 1890 Kulmbach was elected as a free (kreisunmittelbar) town.
In 1933, the NSDAP seized power in Kulmbach and the Imperial School of German Technology (Reichsschule der deutschen Technik) was established in the Plassenburg. As a result Kulmbach was even given an additional motorway junction which is now the start of today's A 70 autobahn.
In early 1945, Kulmbach was captured by American troops without a fight.
In the local government reforms of 1972, the districts of Kulmbach and Stadtsteinach were merged and Kulmbach is now the county town.
since 1998 Kilmarnock
, Scotland
since 1974 Lüneburg
, Germany
, Lower-Saxony since 1967 Lugo, Italy
since 1974 Rust
, Austria
since 1981Saalfeld, Germany
, Thuringia
since 1988
scandal.
. "AGO" specialises in biomasse and cogeneration
power stations.
Kulmbach (district)
Kulmbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Kronach, Hof, Bayreuth and Lichtenfels.-History:...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in 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...
. The town is famous for Plassenburg
Plassenburg
Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its famous sausages, or Bratwürste.
Location
Kulmbach is located in the middle of the Bavarian province of Upper FranconiaUpper Franconia
Upper Franconia is a Regierungsbezirk of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia , all now part of the German Federal State of Bayern .With more than 200 independent breweries which brew...
, about 15.5 miles (25 km) northwest of the city of Bayreuth. To the south of Kulmbach, the River Main begins at the confluence of its headstreams, the White Main
White Main
The White Main |Weismain]]), is the larger and shorter of the two headstreams of the River Main. It rises in the Fichtelgebirge and merges near Steinenhausen, southwest of Kulmbach, with the left-hand, southern headstream, the Red Main, to form the Main. The length of the White Main is variously...
and Red Main.
Town districts
Kulmbach is divided into the following districts (with population in brackets):
|
|
History
From about 900 AD there was a small settlement in what is now the district of Spiegel, which consisted of a forest lodge and a fortified tenant farm (Fronhof) to protect the River Main crossing at Grünwehr. The area later passed into the hands of the Count of Schweinfurt, whose power was usually exercised through the office of the walpode.Kulmbach was first mentioned as Kulma in a deed of gift in the Alcuin
Alcuin
Alcuin of York or Ealhwine, nicknamed Albinus or Flaccus was an English scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert at York...
Bible between 1028 and 1040. The name comes from a stream that comes descends the mountain (Culmin-aha, Culmna). This stream was later renamed Kohlenbach due to a misunderstanding.
When the male line of the Schweinfurt counts died out, Kulmbach passed to the Dießen line of the Andechs family through the marriage of the Schweinfurts' daughter and heiress, Gisela, to Count Arnold of Dießen.
The counts acquired other lands around Kulmbach, built the first fort, the Plassenburg
Plassenburg
Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
, in the first third of the twelfth century and founded a market town and a church in today's upper town (Obere Stadt). In 1180 the House of Andechs was elevated to an imperial princedom by the Emperor Barbarossa
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
and given the title of Duke of Merania after the town of Marano between Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
(now Marano Lagunare
Marano Lagunare
Marano Lagunare is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 50 km northwest of Trieste and about 35 km south of Udine...
).
Around 1231 Kulmbach was granted town rights. In place of the old Plassenburg, the site of which is unclear, the dukes built a new castle on a hill spur above Kulmbach. The rule of the Meranian family ended with the last Duke of Merania, Otto II, who died childless in 1248.
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
n counts of Orlamünde. The Orlamündes finished the new Plassenburg castle and founded the monastery of Himmelkron
Himmelkron
Himmelkron is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Himmelkron is arranged in the following boroughs:* Gössenreuth* Himmelkron* Lanzendorf...
. Later, they pledged the castle and town. In 1340, after the death of the last Orlamünde, pursuant to an agreement, the burggraves of Nuremberg, members of the Hohenzollern family, took over Kulmbach and Plassenburg.
Until the 17th century, Plassenburg was the residence of the burggrave office or Amt. Later it was the Amt for the Hohenzollern Principality of Kulmbach
Principality of Bayreuth
The Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence...
(also: Brandenburg-Kulmbach or, after 1604, Brandenburg-Bayreuth). As a result of its favourable location on the historic and 'escorted' roads to Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
, Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Eger
Cheb
Cheb is a city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, with about 33,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Ohře , at the foot of one of the spurs of the Smrčiny and near the border with Germany...
, Hof and Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
trade in the town flourished - guilds were formed for the weavers, dyers and silk embroiderers. In 1398, 1500 to 2000 inhabitants lived in Kulmbach; this can be seen from a burggraviate inventory of land, houses and taxes. The town was ruled by a lordly Vogt or sheriff, the mayor and a council of prominent citizens.
As a result of the transfer of the princely privilege in 1363, and the electorate and the March of Brandenburg in 1415, all subsequent Franconian Hohenzollerns called themselves Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
s of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. From 1411 to 1529 Kulmbach townsfolk stood as chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
s at the head of the administration for the March of Brandenburg (Dr. Frederick Sesselmann, Sigismund Zehrer and Sebastian Stublinger).
On 31 January 1430 the Hussites sacked the town.
In the course of rebuilding the town, which had been largely destroyed, St. Peter's Church was rebuilt in late Gothic style. It was here that the first Protestant church service was celebrated under Margrave George the Pious in 1528.
The belligerent margrave, Albert Alcibiades, wanted to bring all Franks under his rule and set up a Frankish duchy. So he moved to oppose the bishoprics of Bamberg and Würzburg, whose rulers allied themselves with the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. In the Second Margrave War
Second Margrave War
The Second Margrave War was a conflict in the Holy Roman Empire between 1552 and 1555. Instigated by Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, it involved numerous raids, plunderings and the destruction of many towns and castles in the empire, especially in...
, this alliance invaded Kulmbach on St. Conrad's Day (named after Saint Conrad of Constance
Conrad of Constance
-Life:Conrad was a member of the powerful Welf family, son of Count Heinrich of Altdorf. After an education at the cathedral school in Constance, he became provost of Constance Cathedral and in 934 was made Bishop of Constance....
), 26 November 1553, and plundered the city. On 21 October 1554 the Plassenburg, whose garrison had hitherto held out against their enemy, was also set on fire and destroyed. The battle is recreated in the German Tin Soldiers Museum in Kulmbach.
From 1557 the town was rebuilt under the new margrave, George Frederick. In 1559 the reconstruction of the Plassenburg
Plassenburg
Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
, one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Germany, began. However, George Frederick's successor, Margrave Christian, moved the location of his Residenz
Residence
The term residence may refer to:* House* Home* Nursing home* Residence in English family law, pertaining to where children should live in the case of disputes* Habitual residence, a civil law term dealing with the status of refugees, and child abduction...
in 1604 to neighbouring Bayreuth as the Plassenburg no longer fulfilled the ideas of courtly absolutism, and the expansion of the castle came to an end. Nevertheless, the margravial residence returned to Kulmbach several times, once, in 1605, due to a fire in the city of Bayreuth and then again, for safety, during the Thirty Years War. Kulmbach was also burned as a Protestant town by imperial troops, but the Plassenburg proved impregnable.
Finally, in 1642, the residence was moved permanently to Bayreuth, and Kulmbach lost its political importance. As a result, little of significance happened here in the years that followed.
When Margrave Charles Frederick Alexander sold the March of Brandenburg-Bayreuth to his cousin, the King of Prussia, on account of his lover, Lady Elizabeth Craven, Kulmbach, too, became Prussian, and the Plassenburg was used in the years that followed as a camp for French prisoners of war.
Since the Plassenburg represented an obstacle to French and Bavarian forces advancing against Prussia in 1806, the town of Kulmbach was occupied in October and November that year. After the capitulation of its Prussian garrison, the castle was slighted in order to render it militarily useless.
Finally, Kulmbach was granted to Bavaria in 1810.
In 1846 it was connected to the King Ludwig South-North Railway
Ludwig South-North Railway
The Ludwig South-North railway , built between 1843 and 1854, was the first railway line to be constructed by Royal Bavarian State Railways...
. This resulted in a tremendous economic boom - particularly for the breweries - as their products could now be readily exported. So the number of breweries grew to 26 in 1882.
In 1890 Kulmbach was elected as a free (kreisunmittelbar) town.
In 1933, the NSDAP seized power in Kulmbach and the Imperial School of German Technology (Reichsschule der deutschen Technik) was established in the Plassenburg. As a result Kulmbach was even given an additional motorway junction which is now the start of today's A 70 autobahn.
In early 1945, Kulmbach was captured by American troops without a fight.
In the local government reforms of 1972, the districts of Kulmbach and Stadtsteinach were merged and Kulmbach is now the county town.
Mayors
- 1946–1958: Georg Hagen, SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
- 1958–1970: Wilhelm Murrmann, FWG
- 1970–1994: Dr. Erich Stammberger, Wählergemeinschaft Kulmbach (WGK)
- 1994–2007: Inge Aures, SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
- since 2007: Henry Schramm, CSUChristian Social Union of BavariaThe Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
Town council
The local elections of 2002 and 2008 resulted in the following representation on the town council:| 2002 | 2008 | |
|---|---|---|
| CSU Christian Social Union of Bavaria The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany... |
11 | 10 |
| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
12 | 9 |
| Greens Alliance '90/The Greens Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir... /Open list |
1 | 3 |
| Voters' Association | 6 | 7 |
| FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
- | 1 |
| Totals | 30 | 30 |
Twinned towns
Bursa, TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
since 1998 Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
since 1974 Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
, 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...
, Lower-Saxony since 1967 Lugo, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
since 1974 Rust
Rust
Rust is a general term for a series of iron oxides. In colloquial usage, the term is applied to red oxides, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
since 1981Saalfeld, 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...
, Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
since 1988
Culinary specialities
Besides the usual Upper Franconian specialties, there is Kulmbacher Bratwurst sausage which consists of a very fine ground pork and is served in aniseed rolls, the so-called Stölla. These sausages may be eaten at one of the many sausage stalls in the town. Known far beyond the town itself is the strong beer known as EKU 28, brewed by the Kulmbacher Brauerei, which for years was regarded as the strongest beer in the world. Kulmbach has also earned a reputation as a food centre thanks to the Max Rubner Institute (Federal Agency for Food Safety, formerly the Federal Institute for Meat Research), which has come to prominence since the BSEBSE
- Medicine :* Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a neurological disease commonly known as "mad cow disease"* Breast self-examination* Bone surface element- State Secondary Education Boards of India :*Board of Secondary Education, Assam...
scandal.
Sport and Recreation
- The club, ATS Kulmbach 1861, is one of the oldest and largest sports clubs in Bavaria.
- Kulmbach Airfield (Kulmbacher Flugplatz ) EDQK
Museums
- Plassenburg museums:
- German Tin Soldier Museum in the PlassenburgPlassenburgPlassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
, with more than 300,000 tin figures - Frederick the Great Army Museum (Armeemuseum Friedrich der Große)
- Upper Main Landscape Museum (Landschaftsmuseum Obermain) with a replica of the Ebstorf MapEbstorf MapThe Ebstorf Map is an example of a mappa mundi similar to the Hereford Map, made by Gervase of Ebstorf, who was possibly the same man as Gervase of Tilbury, some time in the thirteenth century....
, and displays covering the Reformation, the Destruction of Kulmbach in 1553 and the Reconstruction of the Old Residenz Town. In the Pörbitsch Treasure, discovered in 1912, during construction work, there are gold and silver dishes belonging to the wealthy merchant family, Gutteter that had it buried in their garden during the Thirty Years War.
- German Tin Soldier Museum in the Plassenburg
- The Public Bath House (Badhaus) is one of eight scientifically researched public baths in Germany. The bathing hall, changing and rest rooms, pre-bath and boiler room have been restored and give an impression of bathing in the Middle Ages. On an open gallery on the upper floor works by young artists in the region are exhibited.
- Bavarian Brewery and Bakery Museum (Bayerisches Brauerei- und Bäckereimuseum). Beer has been brewed in Kulmbach's Mönchshof ("monastery") for over 600 years. On the site of the former Mönchshof Brewery, there is now the Mönchshof Restaurant with a large beer garden and the museum. Various information boards and historical machinery, bottles and other equipment give an insight into Bavarian brewing. The museum itself is in a small glass brewery. Visitors are given a small (0.2 litre) glass of museum beer at the end of their visit.
- Alter Friedhof Open-Air Museum (Freilichtmuseum "Alter Friedhof")
Buildings
- The PlassenburgPlassenburgPlassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
is one of the greatest RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
castles in Germany. It is also the origin of the legend of the White LadyWhite Lady (ghost)A White Lady is a type of female ghost reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with some local legend of tragedy. White Lady legends are found around the world. Common to many of them is the theme of losing or being betrayed by a husband or fiancé...
. - Kulmbach's town hall (Rathaus) was built in 1752. Plans for the rococoRococoRococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
façade came from Bayreuth's royal master builder, Joseph Saint-Pierre. The previous town hall, later demolished, dated to the period between 1500 and 1530 and was destroyed during the Second Margrave WarSecond Margrave WarThe Second Margrave War was a conflict in the Holy Roman Empire between 1552 and 1555. Instigated by Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, it involved numerous raids, plunderings and the destruction of many towns and castles in the empire, especially in...
. - The Public Bath House (Badhaus) is first mentioned in the records in 1398. It was scientifically researched and restored. Today part of the building serves as an art gallery.
- The White Tower was built in the 14th century to protect the town wall. Its present appearance dates to the 17th century. The tower was used until the 19th century as a debtor's prison. As part of Kulmbach's town wall the White Tower belongs to the town fortifications of the early 14th century. Like the neighbouring fortified tower of Bürgerloch, the White Tower is a double-towered gateway.
- The Luitpold fountain was built in 1898 to a design by architect, Martin Düfler. Previously the Zinnsfeld fountain, built in 1660 and symbolising the town's market freedoms, stood on the same spot. It is now in the Holzmarkt. During the Nazi era the fountain was dismantled and stored, but rebuilt in 1994. Surrounded by the town hall, market square, numerous cafés and shops it forms one of the social centrepieces of Kulmbach.
- The Red Tower goes back to around 1300 and was part of the old town fortifications. One feature is its roof construction with a curved spire.
- St. Peter's Church (Petrikirche) is a former fortified churchFortified churchChurches have often shown potential to be used for defensive purposes.Europe has a substantial legacy of fortified churches which were used for defensive purposes in time of war...
, whose origins are uncertain. The church tower used to act as a cannon platform, it was later given a pointed roof. After the Hussite War of 1439 it was remodelled as a Late Gothic hall church. In 1878/80 the interior was decorated in the Gothic Revival style. Noteworthy are the altar by Brenk and Schlehdorn, and numerous valuable paintings. It is also the basilica of the Hohenzollern rulers. - The hospital church (Spitalkirche) was built in 1738/1739 on the site of St. Elizabeth's Chapel.
- The LangheimLangheim AbbeyLangheim Abbey was a well-known Cistercian monastery in Klosterlangheim, part of the town of Lichtenfels in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, in the Bishopric of Bamberg.thumb|250px|Ökonomiehof with decorated fountain at Eastern-History:...
Amtshof was built at the end of the 17th century by Leonhard DientzenhoferLeonhard DientzenhoferLeonhard Dientzenhofer wasa German builder and architect from the well known Dientzenhofer family of architect....
. Today it is an educational establishment for the Academy for New Media and technical high school for pharmacy technicianPharmacy technicianA pharmacy technician, also sometimes known as a pharmaceutical technician, is a health care worker who performs pharmacy related functions, generally working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist or other health professional...
s. - The Heilingschwert Tower from the 14th century is a round "shell tower" (Schalenturm), part of the town fortifications on the Schießgraben.
- The old cemetery with its many gravestones that underpin the history of the town. In front of the old cemetery on the main road is a memorial to the fallen.
- The Burggüter or fortified buildings of Kulmbach
Regular events
- Volksfest ("Folk festival") in April on the Festplatz at the Schwedensteg
- The Bavarian Police organize a motorcycle rally to Kulmbach every spring in collaboration with Radio Antenne Bayern. It is the largest motorcycle meeting in southern Germany and the tenth one took place in 2010.
- The Kulmbach Volksfest in May
- The three-day Altstadtfest ("old town festival") in June in wide areas of the town centre (Innenstadt).
- The Blaicher Kerwa in June
- On St. Gregori's Day in July schoolchildren from all of Kulmbach's primary schools assemble in the town square (Rathausplatz) and celebrate the Gregori Festival.
- Since 1939 the Kulmbach Beer Week has been staged at the end of July and beginning of August by the brewery, Kulmbacher Brauerei. The brewery, one of the largest in Germany, was founded in Kulmbach and made it famous for its beer. The town is also known as "The secret capital of beer".
- On Christmas Eve the townsfolk and former townsfolk of Kulmbach meet in the morning for FrühschoppenFrühschoppenFrühschoppen is a traditional, German equivalent of brunch, i.e. a combined breakfast and lunch normally eaten in the mid- to late morning. The actual fare varies from region to region....
in the Upper Town (Oberen Stadt). The roads are closed and several thousand visitors go in order to meet friends and relatives whom they have not seen for a long time.
Transport
- Railway station with connexions to Hof, BambergBambergBamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
, WürzburgWürzburgWürzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, Bayreuth, Lichtenfels and Saalfeld/Saale, formerly also Bayreuth Altstadt–Kulmbach railwayBayreuth Altstadt–Kulmbach railwayThe Bayreuth Altstadt–Kulmbach railway was a branch line in the Bavarian provinces of Upper Franconia in southern Germany. It was also known colloquially as the Thurnauer Bockela .... - Junctions on the B 85Bundesstraße 85The Bundesstraße 85 runs southeast through Thuringia and Bavaria, from Kyffhäuser to Passau, near the Austrian border. B85 is approximately long.Cities and towns along B85:...
(Berga/Elster–PassauPassauPassau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
), B 289Bundesstraße 289The German federal highway, the Bundesstraße 289 , runs from Coburg to Rehau in southern Germany.Bundesstraße 289 branches eastwards from the B 4 south of Coburg near Untersiemau...
(CoburgCoburgCoburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
–RehauRehauRehau is a town in the district of Hof, in Bavaria, Germany. The first documented name of Rehau was "Resawe" in the year 1234. Rehau is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 12 km southeast of Hof, and 12 km west of Aš...
) and six kilometres away near Untersteinach B 303Bundesstraße 303The Bundesstraße 303 is a German federal highway that runs from west to east, beginning at the A 7 autobahn west of Schweinfurt and ending at the border with the Czech Republic east of Schirnding...
(SchweinfurtSchweinfurtSchweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
–FichtelgebirgeFichtelgebirgeThe Fichtelgebirge is a mountain range in northeastern Bavaria, Germany. It extends from the valley of the Red Main River to the Czech border, a few foothills spilling over into the Czech Republic. It continues in a northeastern direction as the Ore Mountains, and in a southeastern direction as...
–SchirndingSchirndingSchirnding is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany....
) federal roads, as well as on the A 9 (MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
–BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) and A 70 motorways (Bayreuth–SchweinfurtSchweinfurtSchweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
) - Kulmbach Airfield (506 m above NN) with asphalt runway (719x30 m) about 3 kilometres north of Kulmbach (306 m above NN).
Economy
Kulmbach has traditionally been a manufacturing base for the drinks and food industry. Relatively recently it has become a home to biotechnical pharmaceuticals in the shape of Roche Kulmbach GmbH (previously Alnylam Europe AG), as well as the construction and management of hot water and air conditioning equipment, heat pumps, storage and direct heating equipment, such as that made by Glen DimplexGlen Dimplex
Glen Dimplex is an Irish-based consumer electrical goods firm. It is the world's largest electrical heating business and holds significant market positions in the domestic appliance industry worldwide...
. "AGO" specialises in biomasse and cogeneration
Cogeneration
Cogeneration is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat....
power stations.
Famous personalities
Honorary citizens
See List of honorary citizens of KulmbachFamous people born in Kulmbach
- John Charles Meussdorffer I (born April 9, 1823; died December 3, 1894); Created one of the first hat manufacturing businesses in San Francisco.
- Friedrich Sesselmann (born around 1410; died 21 September 1483 in KamenzKamenzKamenz is a Lusatian town in eastern Saxony, Germany, with a population of 18,243, and is part of the Bautzen district. The town is located about northeast of Dresden and about northwest of Bautzen....
); 1445–83 chancellor of the Electorate of BrandenburgBrandenburgBrandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, 1455–83 Bishop of LebusBishopric of LebusThe Bishopric of Lebus was a Roman Catholic diocese and later an ecclesiastical territory of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed from 1125 until 1598... - Kaspar Preyel (born ?; died 28 July 1517); 1504–17 auxiliary bishopAuxiliary bishopAn auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
in Bamberg and titular bishopTitular bishopA titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Athyra (appointed by Pope Julius IIPope Julius IIPope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
) - Pankraz Gutteter (born 1472; died 1532 in Krakau); long-distance trader
- Hans Suess, also Hans von KulmbachHans von KulmbachArtist Hans von Kulmbach was born around 1480 in Kulmbach, Franconia and died previous to Dec. 3, 1522 in Nuremberg. Hans von Kulmbach was the artist who created the Kraków St. John's Altar....
(born around 1480; died around 1522 in Nuremberg); artist and graphic designer of the Albrecht DürerAlbrecht DürerAlbrecht Dürer was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since...
school - Ludwig Agricola (born around 1508; died after 1540); thelogian, reformer
- Caspar Vischer (born around 1510; died 10 August 1579); senior builder and engineer for the margrave, George Frederick, during the rebuilding of the PlassenburgPlassenburgPlassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
; heavily involved in the rebuilding of Kulmbach after its devastation in the Second Margrave WarSecond Margrave WarThe Second Margrave War was a conflict in the Holy Roman Empire between 1552 and 1555. Instigated by Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, it involved numerous raids, plunderings and the destruction of many towns and castles in the empire, especially in... - Jakob Ellrod (born 7 November 1601; died 28 July 1671 in GefreesGefreesGefrees is a town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge, 21 km northeast of Bayreuth. It was the site a of battle during the Napoleonic Wars....
); priest, astronomer and mathematician, ancestor of the Reichsfreiherr family of Ellrod - Sigmund Theophil StadenSigmund Theophil StadenSigmund Theophil Staden was an important early German composer.Staden was born in Kulmbach, son of Johann Staden, the founder of the so-called Nuremberg school...
(baptised 6 November 1607; buried 30 July 1655 in NurembergNurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
); organist, composer, waitWait (musician)Waits or Waites were British town pipers. From medieval times up to the beginning of the 19th century, every British town and city of any note had a band of Waites...
, artist and poet. Composer of the oldest fully preserved German opera, Das geistlich Waldgedicht oder Freudenspiel, genant Seelewig (UA Nuremberg 1644; librettist: Georg Philipp HarsdörfferGeorg Philipp HarsdorfferGeorg Philipp Harsdörffer , German poet and translator, was born in Nuremberg.He studied law at Altdorf and Strassburg, and subsequently traveled through the Netherlands, England, France and Italy...
) - Johann Georg Hoffmann (born 6 April 1705; died 29 October 1778); castle master builder
- Johann Peter Apollonius Weltrich (born 30 April 1781; died 23 August 1850); treasurer, carried out historic and scientific research
- Johann Adam Ries (born 16 October 1813; died 16 October 1898 in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
); coin engraver, punchcutter and graphic designer at the Münzhof in Munich - Fritz Huther (born 28 April 1827; died 28 Januar 1899); artist and Kunsterzieher
- Johann Karl Hetz (born 11 November 1828; died 5 August 1899 in Munich); artist, professor and teacher in Munich
- Johann Christoph Lauterbach (born 27 July 1832; died 28 March 1918 in DresdenDresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
); violin virtuoso, conzertmaster, conservatorium teacher, privy councillor in Dresden - Johannes Kaulfuß (born 17 July 1859; died 15 February 1947); scientist, specialist in mossMossMosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and lichenLichenLichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s - Michel Weiß (born 19 September 1867; died 10 April 1951); artist, numerous paintings of Kulmbach and its countryside
- Hans WilsdorfHans WilsdorfHans Wilsdorf was a German watchmaker, and the founder of Rolex and Tudor.Born in Kulmbach, Bavaria and orphaned as a child, Wilsdorf worked for a Swiss watch manufacturer in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1905, he moved to London and set up his own business, wanting to provide quality timepieces at...
(born 22 March 1881; died 6 July 1960 in GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
); businessman, founder of RolexRolexRolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands... - Georg Hagen (born 12 September 1887; died 18 November 1958 in Munich); German politician (SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
) - Fritz Schuberth (born 28 July 1897; died 16 February 1977); German politician (NSDAP) and SSSchutzstaffelThe Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
Oberführer - Nikolaus Wehner (born 26 February 1901; died 19 July 1942 in Totschkowo, USSR), politician (NSDAP)
- Philipp Zeitler (1901–1984), alderman of Würzburg
- Wilhelm Murrmann (born 24 September 1907; died 20 October 1975); lord mayor (FWG)
- Karl Herold (born 6 November 1921; died 1 September 1977); German politician (SPD)
- Horst Lohse (born 16 March 1943); composer, founder and artistic director of the “Days of New Music” in Bamberg
- Heiner Keupp (born 16 Juni 1943); social psychologist and professor
- Philipp Simon Goletz alias Frankensima (born 27 September 1954); entertainer, author and musician
- Jürgen Teipel (born 29 July 1961); journalist and playwright
- Bernd Förtsch (born 1962); founder and owner of the trade magazine Der Aktionär, operator of the Deutschen Anleger Fernsehens DAF
- Alexander Herrmann (born 1971); celebrity and TV chef
Famous people with links to Kulmbach
- Matthias Tretzscher (1626–1686), organ maker
- Johann Christoph Stierlein (born 11 April 1759; died 2 July 1827), cartographer
- Caspar Walter Rauh (born 13 October 1912; died 7 October 1983), artist and illustrator, lived in Kulmbach from 1955
- Thomas GottschalkThomas GottschalkThomas Johannes Gottschalk is a German TV host. He is best-known for hosting the popular show Wetten, dass..?, which he has led to a huge success in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol.-Early life:...
(born 1950), TV presenter - Karl-Theodor zu GuttenbergKarl-Theodor zu GuttenbergKarl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg is a German politician of the Christian Social Union ....
(born 1971), former Federal Minister for DefenceFederal Ministry of Defence (Germany)The Federal Ministry of Defence is a top-level federal agency, headed by the Federal Minister of Defence as a member of the Cabinet of Germany...
, represented the town in the BundestagBundestagThe Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
from 2002 until March 2011; he resigned when extensive plagiarism was discovered in his doctoral thesis
Margraves of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
- See Hohenzollern or Brandenburg-KulmbachPrincipality of BayreuthThe Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence...
Sources
- Deutscher Städteatlas (1989). Band: IV; 9 Teilband. Acta Collegii Historiae Urbanae Societatis Historicorum Internationalis - Serie C. Im Auftrag des Kuratoriums für vergleichende Städtegeschichte e.V. und mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft, hrsg. von Heinz Stoob †, Wilfried Ehbrecht, Jürgen Lafrenz und Peter Johannek. Stadtmappe Kulmbach, Author: Friedrich Bernward Fahlbusch. ISBN 3-89115-039-3, Dortmund-Altenbeken 1989.
- Bogner, Franz X. (2006). Der Obermain. Ein Luftbildporträt von Bayreuth bis Bamberg. Ellwanger-Verlag, Bayreuth, ISBN 3-925361-57-X.