Rothenbuch
Encyclopedia
Rothenbuch is a community in the Aschaffenburg district
in the Regierungsbezirk
of Lower Franconia
(Unterfranken) in Bavaria
, Germany
.
(range). Rothenbuch’s location between the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, centred on Frankfurt
, and the Würzburg
region puts it within easy reach of either of these places. Frankfurt Airport
can be reached in roughly 40 minutes, and the nearest InterCityExpress
stop is the railway station at Aschaffenburg
, twenty minutes away.
’s oldest and most significant places.
In 1318, Rothenbuch had its first documentary mention in the words zuo den Rodenboychen when the Archbishop of Mainz, Peter of Aspelt
and the Bishop of Würzburg, Gottfried III of Hohenlohe
, concluded an agreement here dealing with coöperation on security questions.
In 1342, building work began on a palatial castle (Schloss) in Rothenbuch at the source of the Hafenlohr. The first castle dwellers may have indulged in the hunt
.
In the German Peasants' War
in 1525, the castle was heavily damaged or destroyed. In 1566, it was not only newly built but also expanded on Elector of Mainz Daniel Brendel von Homburg’s orders.
A first drawing of Rothenbuch is to be found on the oldest extant map of the Spessart
, the so-called Pfinzigkarte from 1594
Rothenbuch achieved its greatest political importance when the Amtskellerei Rothenbuch, a financial and administrative authority for 14 places in the High Spessart, was established. In 1782, Rothenbuch was declared the seat of the Amtsvogt
ei.
The Electoral Mainz
Amt passed along with this under the 1803 Reichsdeputationshauptschluss to the newly formed Principality of Aschaffenburg
, with which it passed in 1814 (by this time it had become a department of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt) to Bavaria.
On 3 June 1814, Rothenbuch became the seat of a Royal Bavarian Court. In 1879, the Court was dissolved and Rothenbuch was incorporated into the Bezirksamt and later District (Landkreis) of Lohr. In 1972, this district was abolished and Rothenbuch was grouped into the current Aschaffenburg district
. From 1977 to 1993, Rothenbuch formed a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft (Administrative Community) with Waldaschaff
and Weibersbrunn
. On 1 January 1994, Rothenbuch regained its municipal autonomy.
(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)
might be described thus: Party per fess, Or dexter a beech eradicated and sinister a stag’s attires gules, gules a wheel spoked of six argent.
The Wheel of Mainz
refers to the slightly less than 500 years in which Rothenbuch belonged to the Archbishopric of Mainz
. The beech
tree and the hart’s antlers symbolize the forest and the hunt respectively.
can be clearly seen in the two access bridges. At the castle rises the Hafenlohr, which once filled the moat and also the nearby lakes that teemed with fish. The castle served as a central administrative seat in the Spessart and was for more than two centuries the lawcourt
for 14 surrounding communities. Since 1994, the building has been used as a hotel
.
Nationally known and worth seeing is the “Historic Christmas Market” held on the first weekend in Advent
, with more than 15,000 visitors. The Stadtzeitung Aschaffenburg (newspaper) described the Christmas Market as the nicest in the whole of the Bavarian Lower Main with the observation “Here Father Christmas feels right at home”.
and forestry
in 1998. In producing businesses this was 118, and in trade and transport
25. In other areas, 48 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls were employed, and 665 such workers worked from home. There was one processing business. Five businesses were in construction (2 in the industry itself and 3 others in related fields), and furthermore, there are 2 agricultural operations with a meadowland area of 157 ha.
The statistics for 2003 show that there were 543 workers commuting
to jobs elsewhere, whereas 111 commuted to jobs in the community.
). Bundesstraße
26 from Aschaffenburg to Würzburg
runs by 3 km from the community. Rothenbuch is served by buses from Aschaffenburg and Lohr.
Aschaffenburg (district)
Aschaffenburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Offenbach, Main-Kinzig , the districts Main-Spessart and Miltenberg, and the town of Aschaffenburg....
in the Regierungsbezirk
Regierungsbezirk
In Germany, a Government District, in German: Regierungsbezirk – is a subdivision of certain federal states .They are above the Kreise, Landkreise, and kreisfreie Städte...
of Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria , Germany ....
(Unterfranken) 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...
, 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...
.
Location
Rothenbuch lies in the Bavarian Lower Main (Bayerischer Untermain), in the heart of Germany’s biggest broadleaf woodland, the SpessartSpessart
The Spessart is a low mountain range in northwestern Bavaria and southern Hesse, Germany. It is bordered on three sides by the Main River. The two most important towns located at the foot of the Spessart are Aschaffenburg and Würzburg....
(range). Rothenbuch’s location between the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, centred on Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, and the Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg 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....
region puts it within easy reach of either of these places. Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport may refer to:Airports of Frankfurt, Germany:*Frankfurt Airport , the largest airport in Germany*Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, a general aviation airport*Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , a converted U.S...
can be reached in roughly 40 minutes, and the nearest InterCityExpress
InterCityExpress
The Intercity-Express or ICE is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries. It is the highest service category offered by DB Fernverkehr and is the flagship of Deutsche Bahn...
stop is the railway station at Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg Hauptbahnhof
is the central railway station of Aschaffenburg in Germany.The station was built in 1854 by the Ludwigs-West-Bahn. It remained largely unchanged until destroyed in a 1944 air raid, after which it was rebuilt in the style typical for the 1950s...
, twenty minutes away.
History
Rothenbuch is among the Inner SpessartSpessart
The Spessart is a low mountain range in northwestern Bavaria and southern Hesse, Germany. It is bordered on three sides by the Main River. The two most important towns located at the foot of the Spessart are Aschaffenburg and Würzburg....
’s oldest and most significant places.
In 1318, Rothenbuch had its first documentary mention in the words zuo den Rodenboychen when the Archbishop of Mainz, Peter of Aspelt
Peter of Aspelt
Peter Aspelt was Archbishop of Mainz from 1306 to 1320, and an influential political figure of the period. He brought the archbishopric to its peak of power....
and the Bishop of Würzburg, Gottfried III of Hohenlohe
Hohenlohe
Hohenlohe is the name of a German princely family and the name of their principality.At first rulers of a county, its two branches were raised to the rank of principalities of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and 1764 respectively; in 1806 they lost their independence and their lands formed part of...
, concluded an agreement here dealing with coöperation on security questions.
In 1342, building work began on a palatial castle (Schloss) in Rothenbuch at the source of the Hafenlohr. The first castle dwellers may have indulged in the hunt
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
.
In the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
in 1525, the castle was heavily damaged or destroyed. In 1566, it was not only newly built but also expanded on Elector of Mainz Daniel Brendel von Homburg’s orders.
A first drawing of Rothenbuch is to be found on the oldest extant map of the Spessart
Spessart
The Spessart is a low mountain range in northwestern Bavaria and southern Hesse, Germany. It is bordered on three sides by the Main River. The two most important towns located at the foot of the Spessart are Aschaffenburg and Würzburg....
, the so-called Pfinzigkarte from 1594
Rothenbuch achieved its greatest political importance when the Amtskellerei Rothenbuch, a financial and administrative authority for 14 places in the High Spessart, was established. In 1782, Rothenbuch was declared the seat of the Amtsvogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
ei.
The Electoral Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
Amt passed along with this under the 1803 Reichsdeputationshauptschluss to the newly formed Principality of Aschaffenburg
Principality of Aschaffenburg
The Principality of Aschaffenburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the Confederation of the Rhine from 1803–10. Its capital was Aschaffenburg....
, with which it passed in 1814 (by this time it had become a department of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt) to Bavaria.
On 3 June 1814, Rothenbuch became the seat of a Royal Bavarian Court. In 1879, the Court was dissolved and Rothenbuch was incorporated into the Bezirksamt and later District (Landkreis) of Lohr. In 1972, this district was abolished and Rothenbuch was grouped into the current Aschaffenburg district
Aschaffenburg (district)
Aschaffenburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Offenbach, Main-Kinzig , the districts Main-Spessart and Miltenberg, and the town of Aschaffenburg....
. From 1977 to 1993, Rothenbuch formed a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft (Administrative Community) with Waldaschaff
Waldaschaff
Waldaschaff is a community in the Aschaffenburg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.-Location:...
and Weibersbrunn
Weibersbrunn
Weibersbrunn is a community in the Aschaffenburg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.-Location:The community lies in the Bavarian Lower Main ....
. On 1 January 1994, Rothenbuch regained its municipal autonomy.
Population development
Within the municipal area, 993 inhabitants were counted in 1900, 1,476 in 1950 and 1,975 in 2007.Community council
The council is made up of 13 council members, counting the fulltime mayor.| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
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... |
Freie Bürger | Total | |
| 2008 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 seats |
(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)
Mayor
Since 2002, the mayor has been Gerhard Aulenbach (SPD). At the municipal elections on 2 March 2008, he was confirmed in office with 97.5% of the vote.Coat of arms
The community’s armsCoat 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...
might be described thus: Party per fess, Or dexter a beech eradicated and sinister a stag’s attires gules, gules a wheel spoked of six argent.
The Wheel of Mainz
Wheel of Mainz
thumb|150px|version until 1992thumb|150px|version from 1992 - 2008thumb|150px|version from 2008The Wheel of Mainz or Mainzer Rad, in German, was the coat of arms of the Archbishopric of Mainz and thus also of the Electorate of Mainz , in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It consists of a silver wheel...
refers to the slightly less than 500 years in which Rothenbuch belonged to the Archbishopric of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
. The beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
tree and the hart’s antlers symbolize the forest and the hunt respectively.
Schloss Rothenbuch
The castle had its first mention in a document from 3 July 1318. Found today on the site is a former hunting castle that was built to Daniel Brendel von Homburg’s plans in 1567. The four-winged complex features a rectangular inner courtyard with a polygonal stair tower in the north wing. That the castle formerly had a moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
can be clearly seen in the two access bridges. At the castle rises the Hafenlohr, which once filled the moat and also the nearby lakes that teemed with fish. The castle served as a central administrative seat in the Spessart and was for more than two centuries the lawcourt
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
for 14 surrounding communities. Since 1994, the building has been used as a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
.
Other attractions
- European cultural hiking path
- Heimatmuseum Altes Bauernhaus (local history museum)
- In the Rothenbuch Forest are found Germany’s most imposing stands of oakOakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
. The Heisterblock section of the woods is Central EuropeCentral EuropeCentral Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
’s biggest and oldest oak forest.
Nationally known and worth seeing is the “Historic Christmas Market” held on the first weekend in Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
, with more than 15,000 visitors. The Stadtzeitung Aschaffenburg (newspaper) described the Christmas Market as the nicest in the whole of the Bavarian Lower Main with the observation “Here Father Christmas feels right at home”.
Economy and infrastructure
Municipal tax revenue in 2007 amounted to €1,000,000, of which business taxes (net) made up €155,000. The community’s per capita debt amounted to 0.Agriculture and forestry
According to official statistics, there were 47 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls working in agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
in 1998. In producing businesses this was 118, and in trade and transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
25. In other areas, 48 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls were employed, and 665 such workers worked from home. There was one processing business. Five businesses were in construction (2 in the industry itself and 3 others in related fields), and furthermore, there are 2 agricultural operations with a meadowland area of 157 ha.
The statistics for 2003 show that there were 543 workers commuting
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
to jobs elsewhere, whereas 111 commuted to jobs in the community.
Transport
Rothenbuch lies 7 km from Autobahn A 3 (Weibersbrunn interchangeInterchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
). Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
26 from Aschaffenburg to Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg 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....
runs by 3 km from the community. Rothenbuch is served by buses from Aschaffenburg and Lohr.
Education
As of 1999, the following institutions were in the community:- KindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s: 75 places with 61 children - Primary schools: 1 with 5 teachers and 96 pupils
Awards
- 2005 district winner in the contest Unser Dorf soll schöner werden - Unser Dorf hat Zukunft (“Our Village Should Become Lovelier – Our Village Has a Future”)
- 2006 2nd place in Lower Franconia contest Unser Dorf soll schöner werden
- 2006 district winner in the contest Lebendiges Grün in Stadt und Land (“Living Green in Town and Country”)
- 2006 “Nicest Christmas Market in the Bavarian Lower Main” (according to the Stadtzeitung Aschaffenburg newspaper)
- 2008 district winner in the contest Unser Dorf soll schöner werden - Unser Dorf hat Zukunft