Füssen
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- The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Fuessen.
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Image:Karte Fuessen in deutschland.png |
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| Country | Germany |
| State | Bavaria |
| Administrative region | Swabia |
| District | Ostallgäu |
| Population | 14,357 (31/12/2002) |
| Area | 43.52 km² |
| Population density | 320 /km² |
| Elevation | 808 m |
| Coordinates | 47°34′ N 10°42′ E |
| Postal code | 87629 |
| Area code | 08362 |
| Mayor | Christian Gangl (CSU) |
| Website | stadt-fuessen.de |
Füssen is a town in Bavaria, Germany, in the district Ostallgäu situated 5 kilometres from the Austrian border. It is located at , on the banks of the Lech river.The River Lech flows into the Forggensee. As of 2002 it has a population of 14,357. The Füssen's coat of arm shows a triskelion (three feet).
It had been a settlement in Roman times on the "Via Claudia Augusta",a road that leads southwards to northern Italy and northwards to the former regional capital of the Roman province called "Castra Augusta" today Augsburg. The original name was Foetibus (Latinized German origin for foot).
The Hohes Schloss (High Castle), the former summer residence of the prince bishops of Augsburg and one of Swabia's largest and best preserved late gothic castle complexes, is Füssen's landmark. Today the schloss houses a branch gallery of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings, which focuses on late gothic and Renaissance works of art. Below the Hohes Schloss is the baroque complex of the former Benedictine Monastery of St. Mang, whose history goes back to the 9th century.
Füssen is the highest town of Bavaria (808 m above sea level). The famous castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are located near the town,travellers by rail, change on to buses at Füssen railway station. Richard Wagner the famous German composer, used to come to Füssen by rail when he visted King Ludwig II. The town is also familiar to travelers as the terminus of the Romantic road. Steve McQueen's motorcycle stunts and many other scenes in The Great Escape were filmed in and around the town.
The Forggensee is a man made lake which was built to prevent flooding. It is the catchment area for all the melting snow in the spring. After the middle of October the lake is drained ready for the next spring melt.
Füssen has St Mang,(Magnus of Füssen) as its Patron Saint.He is buried in the crypt of the St. Mang Basilica. His staff and other relics hang above the main altar.St.Mang's Feast Day is 6 September. On this day Holy Mass is celebrated then all process by torchlight through the old part of the city.During the week of the Saint's Feast a special 'Magnus Wine' is sold. Only 500 bottles are produced.
Another son of Füssen has also been raised to the title of Blessed by the Roman Catholic Church. Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos was born 11 January 1819 in Füssen.His father was the sacristan at St. Mang Basilica. He became a priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.The Blessed died in New Orleans, USA on 4 October 1867. He was made a Blessed on 9 April 2000 by Pope John Paul II. Relics of the Blessed Seelus can also be found in the Basilica. His Feast Day is October 5.
The local newspaper for Füssen is the Allgäuer Zeitung,It is printed daily except Sundays and on a Holy Day of Obligation. It contains a special section with only Füssen news called the Füssener Blatt.
