Löbau

For other uses, see Löbau (disambiguation).
Löbau

Coat of arms
Löbau

Coordinates: 51°05′40″N 14°40′0″E / 51.09444°N 14.66667°E / 51.09444; 14.66667Coordinates: 51°05′40″N 14°40′0″E / 51.09444°N 14.66667°E / 51.09444; 14.66667
Country Germany
State Saxony
District Görlitz
Municipal assoc. Löbau
Government
  Mayor Dietmar Buchholz
Area
  Total 78.74 km2 (30.40 sq mi)
Population (2014-12-31)[1]
  Total 15,288
  Density 190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 02708
Dialling codes 03585
Vehicle registration GR
Website www.loebau.info

Löbau (Upper Sorbian: Lubij) is a city in the east of Saxony, Germany, in the traditional region of Upper Lusatia. It is situated between the slopes of the Löbauer Berg and the fertile hilly area of the Upper Lusatian Mountains. It is the gateway to this volcanic mountainous area and half way between the cities of Bautzen, Görlitz and Zittau.

Löbau Town hall.
King Friedrich-August tower

History

Löbau was first mentioned in 1221 as "Oppidum Lubaw". During the Middle Ages the city was a member of the Six-City League of Upper Lusatia, consisting of the Lusatian cities Bautzen, Görlitz, Kamenz, Lauban, Löbau and Zittau, which was established in 1346.

The town is widely known for the piano manufacturing company August Förster.

Main sights

The town hall of the city is a noteworthy mixture of several architectural styles. Another famous building is the Villa Schminke or Schminke House (publicly accessible) by the German architect Hans Scharoun, one of the most important exponents of organic and expressionist architecture. The building dates from the 1930s, but resembles the architecture of the 1950s. It is regarded as one of Scharoun's most beloved artworks.

The King-Friedrich-August-Tower upon the Löbauer Berg is Löbau's landmark; the tower made of cast iron was built in 1854 on the Löbauer Berg, and is 28 m tall. It is the biggest cast-iron tower in Europe and offers magnificent views of the Lusatian Highlands.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Löbau is twinned with:

People

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, August 22, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.