Meersburg

Meersburg

Coat of arms
Meersburg

Coordinates: 47°42′N 9°16′E / 47.700°N 9.267°E / 47.700; 9.267Coordinates: 47°42′N 9°16′E / 47.700°N 9.267°E / 47.700; 9.267
Country Germany
State Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region Tübingen
District Bodenseekreis
Municipal assoc. Meersburg
Government
 • Mayor Martin Brütsch (/)
Area
 • Total 12.08 km2 (4.66 sq mi)
Population (2015-12-31)[1]
 • Total 5,776
 • Density 480/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 88709
Dialling codes 07532
Vehicle registration FN
Website www.meersburg.de

Meersburg (Low Alemannic: Meerschburg) is a town of Baden-Württemberg in the southwest of Germany at Lake Constance.

Vineyards, Meersburg, Lake Constance and Alps.
Meersburg 2010

It is known for its medieval city. The lower town ("Unterstadt") and upper town ("Oberstadt") are reserved for pedestrians only and connected by two stairways and a steep street ("Steigstrasse").

History

The name of the town means "Castle on the Sea", the former referring to the castle which, according to a tradition from 1548, was built here in 630 by the Merovingian king Dagobert I.

The commune obtained the status of free city in 1299, though nominally still under the Bishop of Constance. In 1803 it was annexed to the Land of Baden.

After World War II, Meersburg remained in the French military occupation area in Germany.

Main sights

The town is home to two castles, the Old Castle and the New Castle. The Old Castle, built by Merovingian King Dagobert I in the 7th century, accepts visitors. A self-guided tour is available. German poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff lived there for eight years. The New Castle was built in the 18th century. Originally the residence of the Bishop of Constance, it was used for various purposes after the Secularization of 1803. It is now a museum.

There is an entity of Half-timber houses.

Also two medieval town-gates can be seen, which are the remainders of the fortification.

Transportation

Meersburg is the northern terminus of a car ferry to Constance. At the opposite side Meersburg is connected to the region by the B 31, a large roadway which leads from Breisach (at the French border) to Lindau (at the Austrian border), bypassing largely all parts of Meersburg. To exit to Meersburg and to the car ferry, take B 33 to Meersburg and Constance.

Meersburg is also reachable by pleasure boats from Lake Constance to Überlingen (westwards), to Lindau, Bregenz (eastwards) and to Constance opposite.

Famous people

Fürstenhäusle, property of poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff

One of Germany's most celebrated poets, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, lived her final years at Meersburg Castle, from 1841–1848. She also owned the small vine-covered villa known as Fürstenhäusle.[2]

The famous 18th-century doctor Franz Anton Mesmer (from whose name the verb "to mesmerize" derives) died in 1815 in Meersburg and is buried near the old wall of the graveyard about 0.5 kilometres (0.3 miles) northeast of the upper town-gate "Obertor" (see picture beneath).

Viticulture

The Meersburg vineyards at the northern banks of Lake Constance are famous within Germany. The rosée "Weissherbst" wine is a specialty of the region.

International relations

Meersburg is twinned with:

References

  1. ↑ "Gemeinden in Deutschland nach Fläche, Bevölkerung und Postleitzahl am 30.09.2016". Statistisches Bundesamt (in German). 2016.
  2. ↑ Homepage of the Droste-Museum
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