Garz
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| Garz/Rügen (Garz) | |
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| Country | Germany |
| State | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| Administrative region | Bergen auf Rügen (Amt) |
| District | Rügen |
| Population | 2,625 (30/9/2005) |
| Area | 65.44 km² |
| Population density | 40 /km² |
| Elevation | 20 m |
| Coordinates | 54°19′ N 13°21′ E |
| Postal code | 18574 |
| Area code | 03838, 038304, 038307 |
| Licence plate code | RÜG |
| Mayor | Klaus Meißner |
Garz/Rügen (IPA: [garts]) is a city in Rügen district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The city is administered by the Amt of Bergen auf Rügen, in the city of the same name. In June 2004, the once self-governing community of Zudar on the peninsula of the same name was amalgamated into Garz. In January 2005, Karnitz was also amalgamated into Garz.
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[edit] Geography
Garz lies in the south of the island of Rügen, about 5 km from the coast. The area is low rolling hills, and the highest point is the Kanonenberg at 34 m. Garz is 22 km from Stralsund on the mainland, and 12 km from the district seat, Bergen auf Rügen.
The following communities all belong to Garz/Rügen: Bietengast, Dumsevitz, Foßberg, Freudenberg, Glewitz, Götzlaffshagen, Grabow, Groß Schoritz, Karnitz, Klein Stubben, Kniepow, Koldevitz, Kowall, Losentitz, Maltzien, Poltenbusch, Poppelvitz, Rosengarten, Schabernack, Silmenitz, Swiene, Tangnitz, Wentorf, Zicker and Zudar.
[edit] History
The name Garz comes from the Slavic Gardec and means "fortified place" or "little castle". The town was the former princely residence Charenza, whose castle wall may still be seen today. The castle was destroyed, together with the temple that was also here, by the Danes in 1168. Garz was raised to city in 1319 and thus is said to be the oldest city on the island of Rügen. It was an important trading centre in the Middle Ages. The city is moulded today, as in the past, by an agricultural economy.
In 1930, the diabetes researcher Gerhardt Katsch founded Germany's first home for the clinical and sociomedical treatment of diabetics in Garz. After the institution moved to Karlsburg in Vorpommern, an outpost of the Karlsburg Institute (Central Institute for Diabetes) stayed in Garz as a holiday spot for treating diabetic children over the summer holidays.
[edit] Culture and sightseeing
[edit] Buildings
Things that are worth seeing are, among others:
- the Slavic castle wall (remains of Charenza castle), which are counted among Germany's best preserved;
- the St. Petri Evangelical Church in the Gothic style, built about 1400.
Near Garz, Deutsche Telekom AG runs a transmission facility for VHF, television and microwave radio relay. A 190-m-high steel lattice mast provides a mount for the antennae.
[edit] Economy and infrastructure
[edit] Transport
The town has at its disposal a well built network of bicycle paths with a length of about 42.5 km.
[edit] Public institutions
Located in the town is the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Museum, dedicated to the poet of that name born in the area.
[edit] Personalities
[edit] Sons and daughters of the city
- Johann Christian Ludwig Hellwig (1743-1831), German entomologist
