Meersburg () is a town in
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
in the southwest of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
. It is on
Lake Constance
Lake Constance (german: Bodensee, ) refers to three bodies of water on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps: Upper Lake Constance (''Obersee''), Lower Lake Constance (''Untersee''), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Lak ...
.
It is known for its medieval city. The lower town ("Unterstadt") and upper town ("Oberstadt") are reserved for pedestrians only, and connected by two stairways and a steep street ("Steigstrasse").
History
The name of the town means "Castle on the Sea", referring to a castle which, according to a tradition from 1548, was built here in 630 by the Merovingian king
Dagobert I.
The commune obtained the status of free city in 1299, though nominally still under the
Bishop of Constance. In 1803 it was annexed to the Land of
Baden
Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine.
History
The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...
.
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, Meersburg was in the
French military occupation area in Germany.
Main sights
The town is home to two castles, the
Old Castle and the
New Castle. The Old Castle, built by Merovingian King
Dagobert I in the seventh century, is one of the oldest surviving castles in Germany. It is in private ownership. A self-guided tour is available. German poet
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff lived there for eight years and purchased the
Prince's House. The New Castle was built in the eighteenth century. Originally the residence of the bishop of Constance, it was used for various purposes after the
Secularization
In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses ...
of 1803. It is now a museum. There is also an expanse of
half-timbered house
Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...
s, and two medieval town gates, which are the remains of the
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere ...
.
Transport
Meersburg is the northern terminus of a car ferry service to
Constance. On the opposite side Meersburg is connected to the region by the B 31, a major road that leads from
Breisach
Breisach (formerly Altbreisach; Low Alemannic: ''Alt-Brisach'') is a town with approximately 16,500 inhabitants, situated along the Rhine in the Rhine Valley, in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about halfway ...
(on the French border) to
Lindau
Lindau (german: Lindau (Bodensee), ''Lindau am Bodensee''; ; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic: ''Lindou'') is a major Town#Germany, town and Lindau (island), island on the eastern side of Lake Constance (''Bodensee'' in German) in Bavaria, Ge ...
(on the Austrian border), largely bypassing all parts of Meersburg. To exit to Meersburg and to get to the car ferry, one takes B 33 to Meersburg and Constance.
Meersburg is also reachable by pleasure boat services from Lake Constance to Überlingen (to the west), to Lindau, Bregenz (to the east) and to Constance opposite.
Famous people
One of Germany's most celebrated poets,
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, lived her final years at
Meersburg Castle, from 1841–1848. She also owned the small vine-covered villa known as ''Fürstenhäusle''.
Homepage of the Droste-Museum
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The famous eighteenth-century doctor Franz Anton Mesmer (from whose name the verb "to mesmerize" derives) died in 1815 in Meersburg and is buried near the old wall of the graveyard about northeast of the upper town-gate "Obertor" (see picture beneath).
others
* Stefan Lochner (c.1410–1451) German painter working in the late "soft style" of the International Gothic.
* Hugo von Hohenlandenberg (c.1457–1532 in Meersburg) Bishop of Konstanz.
* Hieronymus Harder (1523–1607) German botanist and teacher of Latin.
* Baron Joseph Maria Christoph von Lassberg (1770–1855) German antiquary
An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifacts, archaeological and historic si ...
, lived at Meersburg Castle from 1838.
* Friedrich August Walchner (1799–1865) German geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...
, chemist
A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...
and mineralogist.
* Levin Schücking
Levin Schücking (full name: ''Christoph Bernhard Levin Matthias Schücking''; September 6, 1814 – August 31, 1883) was a German novelist. He was born near Meppen, Kingdom of Prussia, and died in Bad Pyrmont, German Empire. He was the uncle of ...
(1814–1883) German novelist, lived at Meersburg Castle 1841/1843.
* Robert Eberle (1815–1862), German animal painter
* Fritz Mauthner
Fritz Mauthner (22 November 1849 – 29 June 1923) was an Austrian novelist, theatre critic and satirist. He was an exponent of philosophical scepticism derived from a critique of human knowledge and of philosophy of language.
Mauthner was b ...
(1849–1923 in Meersburg) Austro-Hungarian novelist, theatre critic, satirist, and exponent of philosophical skepticism
Philosophical skepticism ( UK spelling: scepticism; from Greek σκέψις ''skepsis'', "inquiry") is a family of philosophical views that question the possibility of knowledge. It differs from other forms of skepticism in that it even rej ...
.
* Markus Baur (born 1971) former German handball player now turned trainer.
Viticulture
The Meersburg vineyards at the northern banks of Lake Constance are famous within Germany. The rosée "Weissherbst" wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...
is a specialty of the region.
International relations
Meersburg is twinned with:
* Hohnstein
Hohnstein () is a town located in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district of Saxony, Germany. As of 2020, its population numbered a total of 3,262.
Geography
It is situated in Saxon Switzerland, 12 km east of Pirna, and 28 km s ...
, Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a ...
, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
– since 1991
* Louveciennes
Louveciennes () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, between Versailles and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and adjacent to Marly-le-Roi.
Populat ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
– since 1991
* San Gimignano
San Gimignano () is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of ...
, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
– since 2002
Gallery
File:Meersburg old.jpg, Old castle of Meersburg
File:House near the Altes Schloss.jpg, Half-timbered water mill, now private house near the Altes Schloss, Meersburg
File:Meersburg (Aw58MW)1.jpg, City gate
File:Franz Anton Mesmers Grabstein 01 Gesamt.jpg, Gravestone of Franz Anton Mesmer in Meersburg
File:AltstadtMeersburg3.jpg, View of the centre of the upper town
References
4
New Mayor
External links
The official Meersburg homepage
Meersburg-Webcam: 2 livecams show the historical marketplace
Meersburg: history and images (in German)
Meersburg: Pictures
{{Authority control
Populated places on Lake Constance
Bodenseekreis
Articles containing video clips