Neuss
Encyclopedia
Neuss (ˈnɔʏs; spelled Neuß until 1968; Limburgish: Nüss) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
. It is located on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf
. Neuss is the largest city within the Rhein-Kreis Neuss
district and owes its prosperity to its location at the crossing of historic and modern trade routes. It is primarily known for its historic Roman sites, as well as the annual Neusser Bürger-Schützenfest
. In 1984 Neuss celebrated 2000 years since its foundation. It therefore holds the title of "Germany's oldest city" alongside the city of Trier
.
in 16 BC as a military fortification (castra
) with the current city to the north of the castra, on the confluence of the rivers Rhine and Erft
, with the name of Novaesium. Later a civil settlement was founded in the area of today's center of the town during the 1st century AD. Novaesium, together with Trier
(Augusta Treverorum), is one of the three oldest Roman settlements in Germany. 451 settled by Huns.
because of its prime location on several routes, by the crossing of the great Rhine valley, and with its harbour and ferry
. During the 10th century, the remains of the martyr
and tribune
Saint Quirinus
, not to be confused with the Roman god Quirinus
, had been relocated to Neuss. This resulted in pilgrimage
to the shrine of St. Quirinus even from countries beyond the borders of the Holy Roman Empire
. Neuss was first documented as a town in 1138.
One of the main events in the town's history is the siege of the town in 1474–75
by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy
, that lasted for nearly a year. The citizens of Neuss withstood the siege and were therefore rewarded by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III
. The town was granted the right to mint its own coins and to carry the imperial coat of arms
, the imperial eagle and the crown, in the town's own coat of arms. Neuss became a member of the Hanseatic League
, although it was never accepted by the other members of the League.
resulted in worsening finances for Neuss. Its importance as a place for trading declined rapidly, and from the mid-17th century onwards, Neuss became a place only important for its agriculture.
Until the late 18th century, Neuss belonged to the Electorate of Cologne. From 1794 to 1814, Neuss was part of France
during the reign of Napoleon
. In 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars
, Neuss became part of the Kingdom of Prussia
, and was reorganized as a district with the municipalities of Neuss, Dormagen
, Nettesheim, Nievenheim, Rommerskirchen
and Zons
. The town had a population of 6,333 at that time. It was part of the Prussian Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
(1815–22) and its successor, the Rhine Province
(1822–1946).
in 1946.
In 1968 the spelling of the name was changed from Neuß to Neuss. In 1975 the town of Neuss and the district of Grevenbroich
were joined to form the district of Rhein-Kreis Neuss
with a population of 440,000 and its seat of government in Neuss.
, France
, since 1972 Pskow, Russia
, since 1990 Rijeka
, Croatia
, since 1990 Saint Paul, United States
, since 1999 Nevşehir
, Turkey
, since 2007 Bolu
, Turkey
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, 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 located on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. Neuss is the largest city within the Rhein-Kreis Neuss
Rhein-Kreis Neuss
Neuss is a Kreis in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Nearby are the urban districts Mönchengladbach, Krefeld, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, the districts Rhein-Erft-Kreis, Düren, Heinsberg and the district Viersen.-History:...
district and owes its prosperity to its location at the crossing of historic and modern trade routes. It is primarily known for its historic Roman sites, as well as the annual Neusser Bürger-Schützenfest
Neuss Schützenfest
The Neuss Schützenfest, officially the Neuss' citizens' marksmen's festival is the Schützenfest of the German city of Neuss. It is held annually on the last weekend in August...
. In 1984 Neuss celebrated 2000 years since its foundation. It therefore holds the title of "Germany's oldest city" alongside the city of Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
.
History
Ancient Rome
Neuss was founded by the RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in 16 BC as a military fortification (castra
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
) with the current city to the north of the castra, on the confluence of the rivers Rhine and Erft
Erft
The Erft is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows through the foothills of the Eifel, and joins the Lower Rhine . Its origin is near Nettersheim, and its mouth in Neuss-Grimlinghausen south of the Josef-Cardinal-Frings-bridge. The river is 103 km long, which is significantly...
, with the name of Novaesium. Later a civil settlement was founded in the area of today's center of the town during the 1st century AD. Novaesium, together with Trier
Trèves
-France:Trèves is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Trèves, in the Rhône department* Trèves, in the Gard department* Trèves, former commune of the Maine-et-Loire department, now part of Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault...
(Augusta Treverorum), is one of the three oldest Roman settlements in Germany. 451 settled by Huns.
Middle Ages
Neuss grew during the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
because of its prime location on several routes, by the crossing of the great Rhine valley, and with its harbour and ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
. During the 10th century, the remains of the martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
and tribune
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
Saint Quirinus
Saint Quirinus of Neuss
Saint Quirinus of Neuss , sometimes called Quirinus of Rome is venerated as a martyr and saint of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches...
, not to be confused with the Roman god Quirinus
Quirinus
In Roman mythology, Quirinus was an early god of the Roman state. In Augustan Rome, Quirinus was also an epithet of Janus, as Janus Quirinus. His name is derived from Quiris meaning "spear."-History:...
, had been relocated to Neuss. This resulted in pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to the shrine of St. Quirinus even from countries beyond the borders of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. Neuss was first documented as a town in 1138.
One of the main events in the town's history is the siege of the town in 1474–75
Siege of Neuss
The Siege of Neuss, from 1474–75, was part of the Burgundian Wars. The siege, led by Charles the Bold against the Holy Roman Empire city of Neuss, was unsuccessful...
by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
, that lasted for nearly a year. The citizens of Neuss withstood the siege and were therefore rewarded by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
. The town was granted the right to mint its own coins and to carry the imperial coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, the imperial eagle and the crown, in the town's own coat of arms. Neuss became a member of the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
, although it was never accepted by the other members of the League.
Early Modernity
In 1586, more than two-thirds of the city was destroyed by fire, and several wars during the reign of King Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
resulted in worsening finances for Neuss. Its importance as a place for trading declined rapidly, and from the mid-17th century onwards, Neuss became a place only important for its agriculture.
Until the late 18th century, Neuss belonged to the Electorate of Cologne. From 1794 to 1814, Neuss was part of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the reign of Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
. In 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, Neuss became part of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, and was reorganized as a district with the municipalities of Neuss, Dormagen
Dormagen
Dormagen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss.-Geography:Dormagen is situated between Düsseldorf – Cologne – Mönchengladbach on the western bank of the river Rhine.-Division of the town:...
, Nettesheim, Nievenheim, Rommerskirchen
Rommerskirchen
Rommerskirchen is the southernmost municipality in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Notable places:Rommerskirchen possesses rich historical inheritances, including numerous remains of the Roman Villae Rusticae, and those from several Frankish settlements. The town centre...
and Zons
Zons
Zons, or Feste Zons is an old city in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss, Germany. It is now a part of the city of Dormagen since 1975. In 2006 its population was 5,405 .- History :...
. The town had a population of 6,333 at that time. It was part of the Prussian Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
The Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815–22. The province was largely made up of the land held by the former United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
(1815–22) and its successor, the Rhine Province
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province , also known as Rhenish Prussia or synonymous to the Rhineland , was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822-1946. It was created from the provinces of the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
(1822–1946).
19th century - present
Neuss regained its economic power in the 19th century, with expansion of the harbour in 1835, and increasing industrial activity. The city's boundaries were expanded in 1881. Neuss became part of the new state of North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
in 1946.
In 1968 the spelling of the name was changed from Neuß to Neuss. In 1975 the town of Neuss and the district of Grevenbroich
Grevenbroich
Grevenbroich is a town in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Erft, approximately 15 km southwest of Neuss and 15 km southeast of Mönchengladbach.-City districts:...
were joined to form the district of Rhein-Kreis Neuss
Rhein-Kreis Neuss
Neuss is a Kreis in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Nearby are the urban districts Mönchengladbach, Krefeld, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, the districts Rhein-Erft-Kreis, Düren, Heinsberg and the district Viersen.-History:...
with a population of 440,000 and its seat of government in Neuss.
Points of interest
- Botanischer Garten der Stadt NeussBotanischer Garten der Stadt NeussThe Botanischer Garten der Stadt Neuss is a municipal botanical garden located at the intersection of Weingartstrasse and Körnerstrasse, Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is open weekdays without charge....
, the city's botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names... - Saint Quirinus Minster: a 13th-century late romanesque church, dedicated to the city's patron saint and housing a shrine with his relics. Its dome-shaped eastern tower is one of the city's landmarks. In 2009 it was granted the title of minor basilicaMinor basilicaMinor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
. - Obertor (upper gate): southern city gate, build around 1200, today part of the Clemens-Sels-Museum. It is the only remaining of originally six gates that were a part of the medieval town fortification.
- Blutturm (bloody tower): built in the 13th century, the only remaining round tower of the historic town fortification.
- Zum „Schwatte Päd“ (the black horse): established in 1604, oldest public housePublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in the lower rhine region - Saint Sebastianus Church
- Christuskirche (Christ church): historicisticHistoricism (art)Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans. After neo-classicism, which could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by a return to a more ancient classicism, in particular in...
church, the city's oldest Protestant church - Globe Theater, a replica of the London Globe TheatreGlobe TheatreThe Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613...
, with an annual Shakespear-Festival - Neusser Bürger-SchützenfestNeuss SchützenfestThe Neuss Schützenfest, officially the Neuss' citizens' marksmen's festival is the Schützenfest of the German city of Neuss. It is held annually on the last weekend in August...
: one of Germany's largest marksmen's festivalsSchützenfestA Schützenfest is a traditional festival or fair featuring a target shooting competition in the cultures of both Germany and Switzerland....
, taking place annually on the last weekend in August; roundabout 6000 marksmen take part in the traditional parades
Twinnings
Châlons-en-ChampagneChâlons-en-Champagne
Châlons-en-Champagne is a city in France. It is the capital of both the department of Marne and the region of Champagne-Ardenne, despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Reims....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, since 1972 Pskow, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, since 1990 Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, since 1990 Saint Paul, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, since 1999 Nevşehir
Nevsehir
Nevşehir, formerly Muşkara, , is a city and the capital district of Nevşehir Province in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. According to the 2010 census, population of the district is 117,890 of which 85,634 631 live in the city of Nevşehir...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, since 2007 Bolu
Bolu
- Places of interest :The countryside around Bolu offers excellent walking and other outdoor pursuits. There are hotels in the town for visitors. Sights near the town include:* The 14th century mosque, Ulu Camii...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...