Weil der Stadt
Encyclopedia
Weil der Stadt is a small town
of about 19,000 inhabitants, located in the Stuttgart Region
of the German state
of Baden-Württemberg
. It is about 30 km (18.6 mi) west of Stuttgart
city center, and is often called "Gate to the Black Forest
". The town is located in the beautiful valley of the river Würm.
In 1075 A.D., the village "Wile" was first mentioned in a document as the property of the famous monastery Hirsau. Weil der Stadt became an Imperial Free City in the 13th century, but had existed for centuries before as an important trading place.
It was completely destroyed during the Thirty Years' War
in 1648 but was subsequently rebuilt, and the center is still dominated by buildings from this period. The city fortifications are still nearly intact with city walls, gates, and several towers called "Red Tower" or "Thief's Tower", "Rope-Maker's Tower", and "Raven's Tower".
Weil der Stadt is best known as the birthplace of both the astronomer
Johannes Kepler
(1571-1630) and the Protestant reformer Johannes Brenz
(1499-1570) of Württemberg
. The association with Kepler is the reason for the town's unofficial title ('The Kepler Town Weil der Stadt'). Due to its surroundings and attractive cityscape which is dominated by the church steeple of St. Peter and Paul, Weil der Stadt is a popular destination for excursions in the Stuttgart region.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Weil der Stadt became part of the Kingdom of Württemberg. Since 1952, the town is part of the German Federal State Baden-Württemberg.
Since 1973, Weil der Stadt is part of the district of Böblingen, including the municipalities of Merklingen, Hausen, Schafhausen, and Münklingen.
Weil der Stadt can be reached by car (via B 295) and by train (S-Bahn 6 from Stuttgart).
and Weil im Schönbuch
. The current name is unusual in that it contains the German dative case (the word Stadt is feminine). It arose because the place of issue in official documents was usually given as "gegeben zu Weil, der Stadt" ("issued in Weil, the town"). The Roman origins of the city are immortalized in the coat-of-arms which feature the SPQR
motto ("Senatus Populusque Romanus", i. e. Senate and People of Rome).
which is celebrated with a parade in the city center. In contrast to the carnival in the Rhineland, the carnival in Weil der Stadt, called Fasnet, is based on Alemannic (Germanic tribe) traditions which are celebrated in various towns in South Western Germany and Switzerland.
Weil der Stadt escaped destruction in World War II
when a French artillery barrage was called off in honor of its being Kepler's birthplace.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of about 19,000 inhabitants, located in the Stuttgart Region
Stuttgart Region
Stuttgart Region is a metropolitan area in Germany and consists of the city of Stuttgart and the surrounding districts of Ludwigsburg, Esslingen, Böblingen, Rems-Murr and Göppingen . About 2.7 million inhabitants live in that area...
of the German state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. It is about 30 km (18.6 mi) west of Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
city center, and is often called "Gate to the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
". The town is located in the beautiful valley of the river Würm.
In 1075 A.D., the village "Wile" was first mentioned in a document as the property of the famous monastery Hirsau. Weil der Stadt became an Imperial Free City in the 13th century, but had existed for centuries before as an important trading place.
It was completely destroyed during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
in 1648 but was subsequently rebuilt, and the center is still dominated by buildings from this period. The city fortifications are still nearly intact with city walls, gates, and several towers called "Red Tower" or "Thief's Tower", "Rope-Maker's Tower", and "Raven's Tower".
Weil der Stadt is best known as the birthplace of both the astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
(1571-1630) and the Protestant reformer Johannes Brenz
Johannes Brenz
Johann Brenz was a German theologian and the Protestant Reformer of the Duchy of Württemberg.-Early Advocacy of the Reformation:...
(1499-1570) of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
. The association with Kepler is the reason for the town's unofficial title ('The Kepler Town Weil der Stadt'). Due to its surroundings and attractive cityscape which is dominated by the church steeple of St. Peter and Paul, Weil der Stadt is a popular destination for excursions in the Stuttgart region.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Weil der Stadt became part of the Kingdom of Württemberg. Since 1952, the town is part of the German Federal State Baden-Württemberg.
Since 1973, Weil der Stadt is part of the district of Böblingen, including the municipalities of Merklingen, Hausen, Schafhausen, and Münklingen.
Weil der Stadt can be reached by car (via B 295) and by train (S-Bahn 6 from Stuttgart).
Name
The original settlement was named Vila, from the Latin villa, which meant "estate, manor" and in late antiquity came to mean "small town". This evolved into Weil. Later the suffix "die Stadt" (the town) was added to distinguish the town from villages of the same name, such as Weil im DorfStuttgart-Weilimdorf
Weilimdorf is a north-western municipality of the German city of Stuttgart and covers an area of 12,6 km² with a population of around 30,0001 . It first became part of Stuttgart in 1933 and until that time was a separate entity with its own administration which was then subsumed into the city...
and Weil im Schönbuch
Weil im Schönbuch
Weil im Schönbuch is a town in the Böblingen district, middle Neckar region, Stuttgart governmental district, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Its unusual name is derived from the presence of a Roman villa in the area. Two smaller villages, Neuweiler and Breitenstein, are incorporated into Weil im...
. The current name is unusual in that it contains the German dative case (the word Stadt is feminine). It arose because the place of issue in official documents was usually given as "gegeben zu Weil, der Stadt" ("issued in Weil, the town"). The Roman origins of the city are immortalized in the coat-of-arms which feature the SPQR
SPQR
SPQR is an initialism from a Latin phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus , referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official emblem of the modern day comune of Rome...
motto ("Senatus Populusque Romanus", i. e. Senate and People of Rome).
Events
Weil der Stadt is a stronghold of traditional carnivalCarnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
which is celebrated with a parade in the city center. In contrast to the carnival in the Rhineland, the carnival in Weil der Stadt, called Fasnet, is based on Alemannic (Germanic tribe) traditions which are celebrated in various towns in South Western Germany and Switzerland.
Weil der Stadt escaped destruction in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when a French artillery barrage was called off in honor of its being Kepler's birthplace.