Cottbus

Cottbus
Cottbus Altmarkt (old market square)
Cottbus
Coordinates
Administration
Country Germany
State Brandenburg
District Urban district
Lord Mayor Frank Szymanski (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area 164.28 km2 (63.43 sq mi)
Elevation 70 m  (230 ft)
Population 102,091 (31 December 2010)[1]
 - Density 621 /km2 (1,610 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate CB
Postal codes 03042-03055
Area code 0355
Website www.cottbus.de

Cottbus (Lower Sorbian: Chóśebuz) is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around 125 km (78 mi) southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of 2010-12-31, its population was 102,091.[2]

Contents

History

The settlement was established in the 10th century, when Sorbs erected a castle on a sandy island in the River Spree. The first recorded mention of the town's name was in 1156. In the 13th century German settlers came to the town and thereafter lived side-by-side with the Sorbs. In medieval times Cottbus was known for wool, and the town's drapery was exported all over the Brandenburg, Bohemia and Saxony. In 1462 Cottbus was acquired by the Margraviate of Brandenburg; in 1701 the city became part of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1815 the surrounding districts of Upper and Lower Lusatia were ceded by the Kingdom of Saxony to Prussia.

From 1949 until German reunification in 1990, Cottbus was part of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

Culture and education

Cottbus is the cultural centre of the Lower Sorbian minority. Many signs in the town are bilingual, and there is a Lower Sorbian-medium Gymnasium, but Sorbian is rarely spoken on the streets.

Next to Cottbus is the famous Branitz Park, created by Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau after 1845.

Cottbus is also home of the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) and the maths/science-oriented Max-Steenbeck-Gymnasium, which is named after the physicist Max Steenbeck.

Every year Cottbus is host to the East European Film Festival.

Cottbus has a football (soccer) team called Energie Cottbus currently playing in the 2nd Division.

Power generation

There are several coal-fired power stations in the area around Cottbus (Lausitz). The biggest stations are "Schwarze Pumpe" (1600 MW), "Boxberg" (1900 MW) and "Jänschwalde" (3000 MW).

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Cottbus is twinned with:

See also

References

External links