Miltenberg

Miltenberg

Coat of arms
Miltenberg

Coordinates: 49°42′14″N 09°15′52″E / 49.70389°N 9.26444°ECoordinates: 49°42′14″N 09°15′52″E / 49.70389°N 9.26444°E
Country Germany
State Bavaria
Admin. region Unterfranken
District Miltenberg
Government
 • Mayor Helmut Demel (Liberale Miltenberger)
Area
 • Total 60.18 km2 (23.24 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
 • Total 9,197
 • Density 150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 63897
Dialling codes 09371
Vehicle registration MIL
Website www.stadt-miltenberg.de

Miltenberg is the seat of the like-named district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany.

Geography

View from the Main of Miltenberg

Location

The historic Miltenberg lies on the Main’s left bank on the “left knee” of the Mainviereck (“Main Square”) between the Spessart and Odenwald ranges. Since the Main riverbed in the Miltenberg area is relatively near the foot of the Odenwald, only a narrow strip of usable land is left, which in bygone centuries was time and again flooded by the Main. The historic centre, which stands on this land, often sustained considerable damage in these floods. Only in the 21st century efficient flood control measures, most of all a wall, have significantly reduced the adverse effects of these floods. Since about the beginning of the 20th century, after buying land from the neighbouring community of Großheubach, Miltenberg has been spreading itself out on the right bank.

History

Historic Old Town and Mildenburg

Even as far back as prehistoric and early historical times, people knew about the strategic importance of the strait at the Main "knee" between the Odenwald and the Spessart, building mighty circular ramparts on the Greinberg above Miltenberg and on the Bürgstadter Berg (hills). About 155 AD, the Romans laid down the almost dead straight "Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes" on the Main. Near today’s Miltenberg, the Limes came up against the Main, which from here northwards formed the Roman Empire’s natural border with Germania. Remnants of two Roman castra can be found nearby, one between Miltenberg and Bürgstadt (Kastell Miltenberg-Ost) and the other between Miltenberg and Kleinheubach (Altstadtkastell).[2]

Computer reconstruction of the Altstadtkastell.

Under the protection of the castle Mildenburg (built about 1200), the town of Miltenberg took hold. It had its first documentary mention in 1237. By about 1379, the two town towers, the Mainz Gate (Mainzer Tor) and the Würzburg Gate (Würzburger Tor) formed the eastern and western boundaries of today’s historic centre, which grew narrow and long between the river and the steep slope. Already by the Middle Ages, Miltenberg's red buntsandstein was highly sought-after, with things such as grindstones and columns being hewn in the surrounding woods. Even before 1319, the Spital St. Peter (hospital) was founded by Archbishop Peter of Aspelt.

Miltenberg – Excerpt from the Topographia Hassiae by Matthäus Merian the Younger, 1655
Inscription on the Heunensäule

Until 1803, Miltenberg belonged to Electoral Mainz. After securalization and the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, Miltenberg passed to the Principality of Leiningen, with which it was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1806. After having become part of the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1810, the town finally became part of Bavaria in 1816.

The so-called Heunensäulen were made near Miltenberg. They are special bunter columns meant for Mainz Cathedral when it was built more than a thousand years ago. The master builder, however, decided that they were not needed, so they never became part of the cathedral. One of them now stands in Mainz’ cathedral square, a gift to the city on the occasion of the cathedral’s thousandth anniversary in 1975. An explanatory plaque has been attached to the column.

Miltenberg has a historic centre featuring many timber-frame houses. In 1912 and 1951, Miltenberg acquired lands on the Main’s right bank to expand the town.

The castle has been under the town’s ownership since 1979. In 2010/2011, the castle was renovated. It now houses a unique museum of icons and contemporary art (Museum.Burg.Miltenberg). In the castle’s inner ward once was the Teutonenstein, a 5 m-tall sandstone column the inscription of which is still a puzzle to this day. The Teutonenstein is now in the Museum.Stadt.Miltenberg at the historic market square.

In 2006, the town made national headlines when parish priest Ulrich Boom rang the bells for 20 minutes during a rally of the far-right National Democratic Party of Germany, thereby disrupting the event.[3] Ulrich Boom later became Auxiliary Bishop.

Incorporations

The following villages have been incorporated into Miltenberg:

Politics

Mayors

Town council

The council is made up of 21 council members with seats apportioned thus:

(as of the municipal election held in March 2014)

Twin Towns

Miltenberg currently has two twin towns

Sponsorship

In 1960, the sponsorship for the Sudeten Germans driven out of the town of Duchcov was undertaken, which finally resulted in the town-twinning.

Coat of arms

The town’s arms might be described thus: Quartered, first and fourth squares are gules with a wheel of six spokes in argent, second and third squares are argent with the letter M in gules.

Miltenberg belonged from its founding in the 13th century until the Old Empire’s downfall in 1803 to Electoral Mainz which is the origin of the Wheel of Mainz. The M first appeared in a seal from the early 16th century that also included Saint Martin, as had earlier seals. The current arms are based on those that were once seen on the now vanished Schindtor, a town gate.[4]

Culture and sightseeing

Hotel Zum Riesen

Main sights

Tourism

Miltenberg lies on the Fränkischer Rotwein Wanderweg ("Franconian Red Wine Hiking Trail"), which was established in 1990, and leads from Großwallstadt through Miltenberg to Bürgstadt.

A new concept was introduced with the Route der Industriekultur Rhein-Main (“Rhine-Main Industrial Culture Route”), which covers the 160 km between Miltenberg and Bingen. Industrial buildings in this area provide the visitors with the opportunity to learn about the industrial heritage in a regional context[5] 700 buildings have already been scientifically catalogued, including Miltenberg’s old railway station.

Gallery

Regular events

Economy and infrastructure

Tourism is very important for the economy of Miltenberg. It is mainly brought on by day trippers from the urban agglomerations in Hesse (Hanau, Offenbach am Main, Darmstadt, Frankfurt), but bunter sandstone, some strong small and medium enterprises and skilled crafts and trade are also important.

Transport

Miltenberg lies on the railway line from Aschaffenburg to Wertheim (Main Valley Railway). Moreover, the Madonnenlandbahn branches off here towards Seckach. There are hourly connections to Aschaffenburg by day. In 1977, Deutsche Bundesbahn closed the terminus station right near the town (Miltenberg Hauptbahnhof) and replaced it with a through station on the other side of the river.

Miltenberg is linked to the urban agglomerations in Hesse, where many inhabitants work. In 2008, the town bypass, which had been discussed and planned for more than 25 years was completed. The building-cost financing, a sum of €55,000,000, was for the first time ever in Bavaria afforded by the so-called public-private partnership model.

Education

In Miltenberg various kinds of schools are represented:

Breweries

There is still one independent, private-owned brewery in town, the Brauhaus Faust.

Famous people

Honorary citizens

[7]

Sons and daughters of the town

People linked with the town

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ "Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes". Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung (in German). 31 December 2013.
  2. ↑ Bernhard Oswald, Das Limes-Kastell Miltenberg-Altstadt, Plexus-Verlag Amorbach 2009, ISBN 978-3-937996-18-9 computer graphics by Dominic Stefani and Martin Goebel
  3. ↑ Der Glöckner vom Untermain. Tagesspiegel, 27 November 2006
  4. ↑ Description and explanation of Miltenberg’s arms
  5. ↑ Neue Wege zur alten Industriekultur. Frankfurter Rundschau on 27 Nov. 2006
  6. ↑ W. O. Keller, 775 Jahre Stadt Miltenberg 1237-2012. Beiträge zur Stadtgeschichte, Miltenberg 2012, ISBN 978-3-87707-864-8
  7. ↑ Source: Karlheinz Spielmann: Ehrenbürger und Ehrungen in der Bundesrepublik. 1965

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Miltenberg.