Straubing
Encyclopedia
Straubing is an independent city in Lower Bavaria
, southern Germany
. It is seat of the district
of Straubing-Bogen
. Annually in August the Gäubodenvolksfest
, the second largest fair
in Bavaria, is held.
The city is located on the Danube
forming the centre of the Gäuboden
.
The area of Straubing has been continuously settled since the Neolithic
. The conquest by the Romans
in 16-14 BC had a dramatic impact on the whole region. Even today many traces of the 400-year Roman occupation can be found; for example, the famous 'Römerschatz' (roman treasure) which is shown in the Gäubodenmuseum. Sorviodurum, as the Romans called it, was an important military support base.
After the fall of the Roman Empire Straubing became a centre of settlement of the Bavarii
, mostly around the church St. Peter (built in the 9th century) between Allachbach and Danube. According to the customs of the Bavarii the settlement was named after their leader Strupinga, which later evolved into the name Straubing.
1218 a new part of the city (called 'new town') was founded by Louis I Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria. Straubing became the capital of the duchy of Bavaria-Straubing
under Duke William I when Bavaria was divided among the sons of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
in 1349. In 1429 Straubing passed to Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
-Munich
, who ordered the murder of Agnes Bernauer
in Straubing. The grave of Agnes Bernauer cannot be found. But in the graveyard of St. Peter church is a chapel built by Duke Ernest.
Nowadays, this new town is the centre of Straubing with many shops, offices, restaurants and a pedestrian area. Most buildings there still have medieval style. The nightlife of Straubing, with many pubs and discothèques, is concentrated in this area.
A must is the beautiful gothic cathedral-like Basilika St. Jakob, the romanesque St. Peter's Church, the Carmelite Monastery with its baroque Church and library, St. Vitus, where you can find a life-size personification of "state and church" joined in holy matrimony.
In 1944 und 1945 Straubing suffered from several American air raids. The local military hospital was destroyed to the extent of 80 percent with a loss of 45 patients.
Straubing also has many industrial areas and a port at the river Danube with access to the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal
, a connection from the North Sea
to the Black Sea
. It is the centre of the Bavarian high tech offensive in biotechnology
.
, Munich
, Ingolstadt
and Burghausen
the old town of Straubing features especially many gothic buildings.
with: Romans-sur-Isère
, France
Tuam
, Ireland
Wels
, Austria
Lower Bavaria
Lower Bavaria is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state.- Geography :Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions - Landshut and Donau-Wald. Recent election results mark it as the most conservative part of Germany, generally giving huge...
, southern 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 seat of the district
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
of Straubing-Bogen
Straubing-Bogen
Straubing-Bogen is a Kreis in the eastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are Cham, Regen, Deggendorf, Dingolfing-Landau, Landshut and Regensburg. The district-free city Straubing is completely surrounded by the district...
. Annually in August the Gäubodenvolksfest
Gäubodenvolksfest
The Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing is the second largest genuine folk festival in Bavaria, Germany, after the Munich Oktoberfest.- History :...
, the second largest fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
in Bavaria, is held.
The city is located on the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
forming the centre of the Gäuboden
Gäuboden
The Gäuboden is a region in Lower Bavaria in southern Germany without any clear geographic or cultural boundaries, that covers an area about 15 kilometres wide south of the River Danube and the Bavarian Forest, beginning opposite Wörth an der Donau and stretching as far as Künzing...
.
History
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. The conquest by the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
in 16-14 BC had a dramatic impact on the whole region. Even today many traces of the 400-year Roman occupation can be found; for example, the famous 'Römerschatz' (roman treasure) which is shown in the Gäubodenmuseum. Sorviodurum, as the Romans called it, was an important military support base.
After the fall of the Roman Empire Straubing became a centre of settlement of the Bavarii
Bavarii
The Bavarii were a Germanic tribe whose name emerged late in Teutonic tribal times. The full name originally was the Germanic *baio-warioz. This name has been handed down as Baiwaren, Baioaren, Bioras, latinised Bavarii, Baioarii. or Bavarii, Bavarians, Bajuwaren, Bajuvarii, Bajuwaren and Baiern....
, mostly around the church St. Peter (built in the 9th century) between Allachbach and Danube. According to the customs of the Bavarii the settlement was named after their leader Strupinga, which later evolved into the name Straubing.
1218 a new part of the city (called 'new town') was founded by Louis I Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria. Straubing became the capital of the duchy of Bavaria-Straubing
Bavaria-Straubing
Bavaria-Straubing denotes the widely-scattered territorial inheritance in the Wittelsbach house of Bavaria that were governed by independent dukes of Bavaria-Straubing between 1353 and 1432; a map of these marches and outliers of the Holy Roman Empire, vividly demonstrates the fractionalisation of...
under Duke William I when Bavaria was divided among the sons of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
in 1349. In 1429 Straubing passed to Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
Ernest of Bavaria-Munich , , from 1397 Duke of Bavaria-Munich.-Biography:Ernest was a son of John II and ruled the duchy of Bavaria-Munich together with his brother William III....
-Munich
Munich
Munich 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...
, who ordered the murder of Agnes Bernauer
Agnes Bernauer
Agnes Bernauer was the mistress and perhaps also the first wife of Albert, later Albert III, Duke of Bavaria...
in Straubing. The grave of Agnes Bernauer cannot be found. But in the graveyard of St. Peter church is a chapel built by Duke Ernest.
Nowadays, this new town is the centre of Straubing with many shops, offices, restaurants and a pedestrian area. Most buildings there still have medieval style. The nightlife of Straubing, with many pubs and discothèques, is concentrated in this area.
A must is the beautiful gothic cathedral-like Basilika St. Jakob, the romanesque St. Peter's Church, the Carmelite Monastery with its baroque Church and library, St. Vitus, where you can find a life-size personification of "state and church" joined in holy matrimony.
In 1944 und 1945 Straubing suffered from several American air raids. The local military hospital was destroyed to the extent of 80 percent with a loss of 45 patients.
Straubing also has many industrial areas and a port at the river Danube with access to the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal
Rhine-Main-Danube Canal
The Rhine–Main–Danube Canal , located in Bavaria, Germany, connects the Main and the Danube rivers across the European Watershed, running from Bamberg via Nuremberg to Kelheim...
, a connection from the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
to the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. It is the centre of the Bavarian high tech offensive in biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
.
Main sights
As one of five ducal residences of medieval Bavaria next to LandshutLandshut
Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany, belonging to both Eastern and Southern Bavaria. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the...
, Munich
Munich
Munich 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...
, Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
and Burghausen
Burghausen, Altötting
Burghausen is the largest city in the Altötting district of Oberbayern in Germany. It is situated on the Salzach river, near the border with Austria. Its castle, atop a ridge, is the longest castle in Europe .- History :...
the old town of Straubing features especially many gothic buildings.
- The RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
Church of St. PeterChurch of St. Peter (Straubing)The Church of St. Peter, Straubing is a Romanesque basilica in Straubing, Germany. It was built in the second half of the 12th century, and is distinguished by its two sculpted portals...
(12th century) http://www.viadanubia.de/images/2001_0613_124323StraubingStPeter.JPG - The gothic City tower (begun in 1316) http://www.dia-niederbayern.de/Bilder/Straubing_Stadtturm.jpg
- The gothic town hall
- The medieval ducal castle Herzogsschloss (begun in 1356) http://www.vs-st-jakob.de/start/schloss.jpg
- The gothic Basilica of St. Jacob (present-day church begun in 1393) http://www.basilika-st-jakob.de
- The Church St. Vitus (St. Veit) - home of the oldest still existing Confraternity in Germany, the St. Salvator-Confraternity http://www.salvator-bruderschaft.de
- The Carmelite Monastery and Church Holy Spirit (since 1368; by Hans von BurghausenHans von BurghausenHans von Burghausen was a German architect. He designed the Church of St Martin, Landshut and completed it in 1498....
- the only monastery which survived the dissolution of 1802) The monks support especially Palestinian Christians http://www.karmelitenorden.de/straubing/fuehrung.html - Church St.Ursula (Ursulinenkirche) of the Asam brothersAsam brothersThe Asam Brothers were sculptors, workers in stucco, painters, and architects, who worked mostly together and in southern Germany...
- The baroque Trinity Column at Theresienplatz
- The Water Tower
- The Sossau church of pilgrimage
- The Straubing Zoo (the only zoo in East Bavaria)
Festivals and main cultural events
- Straubinger Frühlingsfest - a spring festival(annual)
- GäubodenvolksfestGäubodenvolksfestThe Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing is the second largest genuine folk festival in Bavaria, Germany, after the Munich Oktoberfest.- History :...
and Ostbayernschau - Museum containing RomanAncient RomeAncient 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....
artifacts. - Agnes-Bernauer-Festspiele - a historical play to remind of the murdered Agnes Bernauer
- Straubinger Zoo
- A JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
festival - Jazz an der Donau - one of the greatest jazz-festivals in Europe with special guests like Seal, Aretha Franklin or Mousse T. (annual) - Bürgerfest (burgher festival) is held every two years in the historical centre of Straubing
Historical residents
- Agnes BernauerAgnes BernauerAgnes Bernauer was the mistress and perhaps also the first wife of Albert, later Albert III, Duke of Bavaria...
- Mathias Flurl
- Joseph von FraunhoferJoseph von FraunhoferJoseph von Fraunhofer was a German optician. He is known for the discovery of the dark absorption lines known as Fraunhofer lines in the Sun's spectrum, and for making excellent optical glass and achromatic telescope objectives.-Biography:Fraunhofer was born in Straubing, Bavaria...
- Jakob Sandtner
- Emanuel SchikanederEmanuel SchikanederEmanuel Schikaneder , born Johann Joseph Schickeneder, was a German impresario, dramatist, actor, singer and composer. He was the librettist of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera The Magic Flute and the builder of the Theater an der Wien...
- Ulrich SchmidlUlrich SchmidlUlrich Schmidl or Schmidel was a German Landsknecht, conquistador, explorer, chronicler and councilman. Schmidl was, beside Hans Staden, one of the few the Landsknechts, who wrote his experiences down.-Biography:...
- Carl SpitzwegCarl SpitzwegCarl Spitzweg was a German romanticist painter and poet. He is considered to be one of the most important artists of the Biedermeier era....
Sports
- Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
: Straubing TigersStraubing TigersThe Straubing Tigers are a professional men's ice hockey team in the German Ice Hockey League . They play out of Straubing, Germany, and they play their home games at Eisstadion am Pulverturm, which can hold 5,800 spectators....
- DEL (Highest German League) - American FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
: Straubing Spiders - founded in 1985
International relations
Straubing is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Romans-sur-Isère
Romans-sur-Isère
Romans-sur-Isère or Romans is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Geography:...
, 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...
Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Wels
Wels
Wels is the second largest city of the state of Upper Austria, located in the north of Austria, on the Traun River near Linz. It is not part of its surrounding Wels County , but a so-called Statutarstadt . However, Wels is the county seat of Wels-Land.- Geography :Wels is located in the...
, 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...