Coburg
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| Country | Germany |
| State | Bavaria |
| Administrative region | Oberfranken |
| District | urban district |
| Population | 42,257 (2003) |
| Area | 48.3 km² |
| Population density | 875 /km² |
| Elevation | 296 m |
| Coordinates | 50°16′ N 10°58′ E |
| Postal code | 96450 |
| Area code | 09561 |
| Licence plate code | CO |
| Mayor | Norbert Kastner (SPD) |
| Website | stadt.coburg.de |
Coburg is a city located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2003 population was 42,257. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920. Before 1918, it was the capital of the small duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Coburg's Coat of Arms honoring the city's patron Saint Maurice was granted in 1493.
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[edit] History
Coburg lies about 90 km south of Erfurt and about 100 km north of Nuremberg. Coburg was first mentioned in the eleventh century. Following several changes of aristocratic ownership, it came into the hands of the House of Wettin in 1353 from the House of Henneberg with the marriage of Friedrich III, the Strong, with Katherina von Henneberg and was initially regarded by them as a Saxon outpost within Franconia. In 1586, it was raised to the status of capital of one of the dynasty's splintered Saxon-Thuringian territories, the new Duchy of Saxe-Coburg.
One Germany's largest castles, the mighty Veste Coburg, built in 1225, dominates the town from its hillside. Presently it is home to three museums. Downtown, the Ehrenburg, built in 1543, was gutted by fire in 1690 and rebuilt in Baroque style, with stuccowork by North Italian craftsmen that includes a famous "Hall of the Giants". Its Gothic Revival exterior was remodelled by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in the 19th century. It now also houses a museum as well as a famous library.
From 1826 to 1918, Coburg was one of the two capitals of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. During the nineteenth century, dynastic marriages created ties with the royal families of Belgium, Bulgaria, Portugal, as well as Great Britain, the last being achieved when Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, born at suburban Schloss Rosenau, married his first cousin, Queen Victoria. This marriage established the present British royal house, which renamed itself Windsor during World War I. This marriage in turn led to a union with Germany's ruling dynasty, the Hohenzollerns, when the couple's eldest child, Victoria, married the future Kaiser Friedrich III.
In 1920, two years after the abdication of the last duke, the locals voted to join Bavaria. Unlike other Saxon-Thuringian principalities, having joined Bavaria avoided later incorporation into the German Democratic Republic after World War II. As a result, the town spent the Cold War years lying right next to the Iron Curtain, surrounded by East German territory on three sides.
[edit] Districts
Coburg is divided into 15 districts:
- Coburg City
- Beiersdorf
- Bertelsdorf
- Cortendorf
- Creidlitz
- Glend
- Ketschendorf
- Löbelstein
- Lützelbuch
- Neu- and Neershof
- Neuses
- Rögen
- Scheuerfeld
- Seidmansdorf
- Wüstenahorn
Over two thirds of Coburg's population live in Coburg City.
[edit] Sights
- Coburg State Theater
- Coburg Doll Museum
- Ehrenburg
- Callenberg Palace
- St.-Moriz Church (14th-16th centuries)
- Town Hall (1414)
- Veste Coburg (One of the biggest and most beautiful castles in Germany, containing 3 museums)
- Castle Rosenau near Coburg
[edit] Culture
Coburg is home to two major festivals: Samba Festival and Johann Strauss Musiktage. Coburg is referred to as "Europe's Capital of Samba" [1].
As a result of the large presence of the US Army prior to German re-unification, Americans and American culture are still present in Coburg and the surrounding area. This influence ranges from American-style pubs and restaurants to two sports clubs sponsoring [2] baseball teams.
[edit] Famous Individuals
Besides various royalty, other famous individuals associated with Coburg include Hans Berger (graduated), William Frishmuth (born), and Eduard Study (born).
In 1530, Martin Luther stayed in the Veste Coburg to follow negotiations at the Imperial Diet in Augsburg. He also preached at St. Moriz church.[3]
In 1922, Adolf Hitler led several hundred stormtroopers in a march through the city, fighting pitched street battles with leftists. During the Nazi era, the Coburg Badge was one of the most prestigious party medals.
Hans Morgenthau, founder of International Relations as a field of study, was born here.
[edit] Trivia
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council asserts that Frankfurt is traditionally credited with originating the frankfurter. According to the Council, this claim is disputed and that the hot dog was created in the late 1600s by Johann Georghehner, a butcher, living in Coburg.[4]
[edit] Traffic
[edit] Car
Coburg can be reached by car via B 303 Schweinfurt-Coburg-Schirnding, B 4 Hamburg-Coburg-Nürnberg or highway A 73 Suhl-Coburg-Nürnberg.
[edit] Train
Coburg has four train stations
- Coburg-Neuses
- Coburg-Nord
- Coburg mainstation
- Coburg-Creidlitz
From the Mainstation one can go to Lichtenfels, Bamberg, Forchheim, Erlangen, Fürth and Nürnberg, to Neustadt bei Coburg, Sonneberg, to Bad Rodach and to Kulmbach, Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg.
In future the high speed train ICE will stop in Coburg, on the new route Berlin-Erfurt-Coburg-Nürnberg
[edit] Airports
With little planes you can land on the two airfields:
- Coburg Brandensteinsebene
- Coburg Steinrücken
Bigger Airports are in Frankfurt, Erfurt and Nürnberg
[edit] Public Transportation System
The public transportation system in Coburg is operated by SÜC ("Stadt- und Überlandwerke Coburg") with 22 bus lines. The OVF ("Omnibus Verkehr Franken") covers Coburg's surrounding countryside with additional 11 bus lines. At the moment a central bus station is being built near Theatre Square.
[edit] External links
- Coburg Tourist Board
- World sites atlas
- Schloss- under Gartenverwaltung Coburg
- Aerial view of the Castle
- Lots of Photos from Coburg
