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Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube,
Naab __NOTOC__ The Naab (Czech: ''Nába'') is a river in Bavaria, Germany, and is a left tributary of the Danube. Including its main source river Waldnaab, it is long. Its average discharge at the mouth is . The Naab is formed by the confluence of t ...
and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the fourth-largest city in the State of Bavaria after Munich, Nuremberg and Augsburg. From its foundation as an imperial Roman river fort, the city has been the political, economic and cultural centre of the surrounding region; it is still known in the Romance languages by a cognate of its Latin name of "Ratisbona" (the version "Ratisbon" was long current in English). Later, under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, it housed the
Perpetual Diet of Regensburg The Perpetual Diet of Regensburg or the Eternal Diet of Regensburg, (german: Immerwährender Reichstag) also commonly called in English the perpetual Diet of Ratisbon,Jean Berenger, C.A. Simpson, ''The Habsburg Empire 1700-1918'' (2014), p. 134 fr ...
. The medieval centre of the city was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006 because of its well-preserved architecture and the city's historical importance for assemblies during the Holy Roman Empire. In 2014, Regensburg was among the top sights and travel attractions in Germany.


History


Early history

The first settlements in the Regensburg area date from the
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
. The oldest
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...
name given to a settlement near Regensburg was Radasbona, a site where a Roman fort was built around AD 90. In 179, a major new Roman fort, called Castra Regina ("fortress by the river Regen"), was built for Legio III ''Italica'' during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It was an important camp at the most northerly point of the Danube; it corresponds to what is today the core of Regensburg's Old City or ''Altstadt'' east of the Obere and Untere Bachgasse and west of the Schwanenplatz. It is believed that as early as in late Roman times the city was the seat of a bishop, and St Boniface re-established the
Bishopric of Regensburg The Prince-Bishopric of Regensburg (german: link=no, Fürstbistum Regensburg; Hochstift Regensburg) was a small ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire located near the Free Imperial City of Regensburg in Bavaria. It was elevate ...
in 739. From the early 6th century, Regensburg was the seat of a ruling family known as the Agilolfings. From about 530 to the first half of the 13th century, it was the capital of Bavaria. Regensburg remained an important city during the reign of Charlemagne. In 792, Regensburg hosted the ecclesiastical section of Charlemagne's General Assembly, the bishops in council who condemned the heresy of
adoptionism Adoptionism, also called dynamic monarchianism, is an Early Christianity, early Christian Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Diversity in early Christian theology, theological doctrine, which holds that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus was adopted as ...
taught by their Spanish counterparts,
Elipandus Elipandus (717–805) was a Spanish theologian and the archbishop of Toledo from 782. He was condemned by the Catholic Church as an Adoptionist. Six letters written by Elipandus survive, including one to Migetius and another on behalf of the bi ...
of
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Orur ...
and
Felix of Urgell Felix (died 818) was a Christian bishop and theologian. He served as the bishop of Urgell (783–99) and advocated the christology known as Spanish Adoptionism because it originated in the lands of the former Visigothic Kingdom in Spain. He was con ...
. After the partition of the Carolingian Empire in 843, the city became the seat of the Eastern Frankish ruler, Louis II the German. Two years later, fourteen
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
n princes came to Regensburg to receive baptism there. This was the starting point of Christianization of the Czechs, and the diocese of Regensburg became the mother diocese of that of Prague. These events had a wide impact on the cultural history of the Czech lands, as they were consequently part of the Roman Catholic and not the Slavic-Orthodox world. A memorial plate at St John's Church (the alleged place of the baptism) was unveiled a few years ago, commemorating the incident in the Czech and
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
languages. In 800 the city had 23,000 inhabitants, and by 1000 this had increased to 40,000. On 8 December 899
Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia ( 850 – 8 December 899) was the duke of Carinthia who overthrew his uncle Emperor Charles the Fat to become the Carolingian king of East Francia from 887, the disputed king of Italy from 894 and the disputed emperor from Feb ...
, a descendant of Charlemagne, died at Regensburg. In 1096, on the way to the First Crusade, Peter the Hermit led a mob of crusaders that attempted to force the mass conversion of the Jews of Regensburg and killed all those who resisted. Between 1135 and 1146, the Stone Bridge across the Danube was built at Regensburg. This bridge opened major international trade routes between northern Europe and
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
, and this began Regensburg's golden age as a residence of wealthy trading families. Regensburg became the
cultural Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...
centre of southern Germany and was celebrated for its gold work and fabrics.


Late Middle Ages and early modern period

In 1245 Regensburg became a Free Imperial City and was a trade centre before the shifting of trade routes in the late Middle Ages. Regensburg has always been a place where international meetings were held. This was also the case in 1471 when a war against the Turks was to be decided. In 1486, Regensburg became part of the Duchy of Bavaria, but its independence was restored by the
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
ten years later. The first
Diet of Regensburg Diet of Regensburg may refer any of the sessions of the Imperial Diet, Imperial States, or the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire which took place in the Imperial City of Regensburg (Ratisbon), now in Germany. An incomplete lists of Diets o ...
took place in 1541. The city adopted the Protestant Reformation in 1542 and its Town Council remained entirely Lutheran. From 1663 to 1806, the city was the permanent seat of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, which became known as the
Perpetual Diet of Regensburg The Perpetual Diet of Regensburg or the Eternal Diet of Regensburg, (german: Immerwährender Reichstag) also commonly called in English the perpetual Diet of Ratisbon,Jean Berenger, C.A. Simpson, ''The Habsburg Empire 1700-1918'' (2014), p. 134 fr ...
. Thus, Regensburg was one of the central towns of the Empire, attracting visitors in large numbers. A minority of the population remained Roman Catholic, and Roman Catholics were denied civic rights ('). Although the Imperial city had adopted the Reformation, the town remained the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop and several abbeys. Three of these,
St. Emmeram Saint Emmeram of Regensburg (also ''Emeram(m)us'', ''Emmeran'', ''Emmerano'', ''Emeran'', ''Heimrammi'', ''Haimeran'', or ''Heimeran'') was a Christian bishop and a martyr born in Poitiers, Aquitaine. Having heard of idolatry in Bavaria, Emmeram ...
, Niedermünster and Obermünster, were free imperial estates within the Holy Roman Empire, meaning that they were granted a seat and a vote at the Imperial Diet ('). So there was the unique situation that the town of Regensburg comprised five independent "states" (in terms of the Holy Roman Empire): the Protestant city itself, the Roman Catholic bishopric, and the three monasteries. In addition, it was seen as the traditional capital of the region Bavaria (not the state), acted as functional co-capital of the Empire (second to the Emperor's court at Vienna) due to the presence of the Perpetual Diet, and it was the residence of the Emperor's Commissary-Principal to the same diet, who with one very brief exception was a prince himself (for many years the Prince of
Thurn and Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis (german: link=no, Fürstenhaus Thurn und Taxis ) is a family of German nobility that is part of the ''Briefadel''. It was a key player in the postal services in Europe during the 16th century, until the end ...
, still resident in the town).


Late modern period

In 1803 the city lost its status as an imperial city following its incorporation into the
Principality of Regensburg The Principality of Regensburg (german: Fürstentum Regensburg) was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire that was created in 1803. Its capital was Regensburg. Following the dissolution of the Empire in 1806, the principality became a member s ...
. It was handed over to the
Archbishop-Elector of Mainz The Elector of Mainz was one of the seven Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire. As both the Archbishop of Mainz and the ruling prince of the Electorate of Mainz, the Elector of Mainz held a powerful position during the Middle Ages. The Archb ...
and Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire
Carl von Dalberg Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg (8 February 1744 – 10 February 1817) was Prince- Archbishop of Regensburg, Arch-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, Bishop of Constance and Worms, prince-primate of the Confederation of the Rhine and G ...
in compensation for the territory of the Electorate of Mainz located on the left bank of the Rhine which had been annexed by France under the terms of the Treaty of Lunéville in 1801. The Archbishopric of Mainz was formally transferred to Regensburg. Dalberg united the bishopric, the monasteries, and the town itself, making up the
Principality of Regensburg The Principality of Regensburg (german: Fürstentum Regensburg) was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire that was created in 1803. Its capital was Regensburg. Following the dissolution of the Empire in 1806, the principality became a member s ...
(''Fürstentum Regensburg''). Dalberg strictly modernized public life. Most importantly, he awarded equal rights to Protestants and Roman Catholics alike. In 1810 Dalberg ceded Regensburg to the Kingdom of Bavaria, he himself being compensated by the award of
Fulda Fulda () (historically in English called Fuld) is a town in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district (''Kreis''). In 1990, the town hosted the 30th Hessentag state festival. History ...
and
Hanau Hanau () is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main and is part of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Its Hanau Hauptbahnhof, station is a ...
to him under the title of "
Grand Duke of Frankfurt The Grand Duchy of Frankfurt was a German satellite state of Napoleonic creation. It came into existence in 1810 through the combination of the former territories of the Archbishopric of Mainz along with the Free City of Frankfurt itself. Histor ...
". Between April 19 and April 23, 1809, Regensburg was the scene of the Battle of Ratisbon between forces commanded by Henri Gatien Bertrand and Napoleon himself and the retreating
Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
forces. The city was eventually overrun, after supplies and
ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
ran out. The city suffered severe damage during the fight, with about 150 houses being burnt and others being looted.
Robert Browning Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentary, historical settings ...
's poem ''Incident at the French Camp'' describes the battle from the French perspective, but is filled with historical errors.


Nazism and World War II

The Jewish community was persecuted after the Nazi Party came to power in Germany in 1933, many Jews fled in the following years, and some were also expelled to Poland; thanks, however, to a Polish-German agreement they were allowed to return to the city. On November 9, 1938, during the Kristallnacht, the
Regensburg Synagogue The original Regensburg Synagogue, erected between 1210 and 1227, was an edifice in Old Romanesque style in Regensburg (also known as Ratisbon), southern Germany, on the site of the former Jewish hospital, in the center of the ghetto, where ...
and several Jewish homes and stores were destroyed, and around 220 Jews were arrested, some were also deported to the
Dachau concentration camp , , commandant = List of commandants , known for = , location = Upper Bavaria, Southern Germany , built by = Germany , operated by = ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) , original use = Political prison , construction ...
. During World War II, many Jews emigrated to various countries, and in 1942, over 200 Jews were deported either to Piaski in German-occupied Poland or the Theresienstadt Ghetto in German-occupied Czechoslovakia. In the final months of World War II, in March and April 1945, the
Regensburg subcamp The Regensburg satellite camp (''KZ-Außenlager Regensburg'') ( Stadtamhof, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany), also known as the Colosseum subcamp (''Außenkommando Colosseum'') in the vernacular at the time, was established in 1945 as the last subca ...
of the Flossenbürg concentration camp was located in the city, with 460
forced laborers Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, violence including death, or other forms of ex ...
of various nationalities, 40 of whom died. Regensburg was home to both a
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
aircraft factory and an oil refinery, which were bombed by the Allies on August 17, 1943, in the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission, and on February 5, 1945, during the Oil Campaign of World War II. Although both targets were badly damaged, Regensburg itself suffered little damage from the Allied strategic bombing campaign, and the nearly intact medieval city centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's most important cultural loss was that of the Romanesque church of Obermünster, which was destroyed in a March 1945 air raid and was not rebuilt (the belfry survived). Also, Regensburg's slow economic recovery after the war ensured that historic buildings were not torn down and replaced by newer ones. When the upswing in restoration reached Regensburg in the late 1960s, the prevailing mindset had turned in favour of preserving the city's heritage.


History after 1945

Between 1945 and 1949, Regensburg was the site of the largest displaced persons (DP) camp in Germany. At its peak in 1946–1947, the workers' district of Ganghofersiedlung housed almost 5,000
Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...
and 1,000 non-Ukrainian refugees and displaced persons. With the approval of U.S. Military Government in the American Allied Occupation Zone, Regensburg and other DP camps organised their own camp postal service. In Regensburg, the camp postal service began operation on December 11, 1946. At the beginning of the 1960s, Regensburg invested heavily in technical and social
infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...
to attract industry.
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
was the first multinational company to come to Regensburg, a significant step in the city's development after World War II. In 1965,
Regensburg University The University of Regensburg (german: link=no, Universität Regensburg) is a public research university located in the medieval city of Regensburg, Bavaria, a city that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university was founded on 18 ...
was founded;
Regensburg University of Applied Sciences The Regensburg University of Applied Sciences (german: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg, literally: ''Eastern Bavarian Technical University of Regensburg'') is a university in Regensburg, Germany. It was founded in 1971 as a colleg ...
was established in 1971. The second multinational company, BMW, arrived in 1986 and set up a large production plant. Since the 1990s, several well-known
hightech High technology (high tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the most complex or the newest te ...
companies have been located in Regensburg, such as Infineon and
OSRAM Osram Licht AG is a German company that makes electric lights, headquartered in Munich and Premstätten (Austria). Osram positions itself as a high-tech photonics company that is increasingly focusing on sensor technology, visualization and tre ...
, contributing to the city's current wealth. In 1997, Regensburg was awarded the
Europe Prize The Europe Prize is a premium established in 1955 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold ...
for its outstanding achievements in
European integration European integration is the process of industrial, economic integration, economic, political, legal, social integration, social, and cultural Regional integration, integration of states wholly or partially in Europe or nearby. European integrat ...
. The World Heritage Committee listed Regensburg's Old Town a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2006. It is one of the largest medieval old towns north of the Alps and very well preserved, with the nickname "Italy's most northern city". Close to the Stone Bridge, the city of Regensburg established a World Heritage Centre in the historic Salzstadl in 2007, where detailed information on Regensburg's 2000-year history is given.


Geography


Topography

Regensburg is situated on the northernmost part of the Danube river at the geological crossroads of four distinct
landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...
s: *to the north and northeast lies the Bavarian Forest with granite and gneiss mountains, wide forests and its
national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
*to the east and south-east is the fertile Danube plain (Gäuboden) which are highly cultivated
loess Loess (, ; from german: Löss ) is a clastic, predominantly silt-sized sediment that is formed by the accumulation of wind-blown dust. Ten percent of Earth's land area is covered by loess or similar deposits. Loess is a periglacial or aeolian ...
plains *the south is dominated by the Tertiary Hill Country, a continuation of Alpine Foreland *to the West is Franconian Jura


Climate

Regensburg straddles the humid continental (''Dfb'') and oceanic (''Cfb'') climate zones under the Köppen climate classification. While the average temperature of in the period from 1971 to 2000 is slightly above the German average (), still only 5 of the 80 cities in Germany above 100,000 inhabitants are colder. The average precipitation of per year ranges slightly below the German average (approximately ). For the newer period from 1981 to 2010 the average temperature and precipitation rose up to respectively . As this increase in the average temperature can also be seen in the other cities, Regensburg still ranks fifth place (shared with Ingolstadt and Kiel) in the above-mentioned ranking. With a total of 1670 sunshine hours per year, Regensburg is roughly 120 hours above German average. The warmest month of the year, on average, is July. The coolest month of the year, on average, is January.


Main sights


City

Regensburg includes the largest medieval old town north of the Alps with nearly 1,500 listed buildings and a picturesque cityscape. Its most famous sights are located mainly in the Old Town, such as: *The ''
Dom Dom or DOM may refer to: People and fictional characters * Dom (given name), including fictional characters * Dom (surname) * Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto * Dom people, an et ...
'' (Cathedral) is an example of pure German
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
and is regarded as the main work of Gothic architecture in Bavaria. It was founded in 1275 and completed in 1634, with the exception of the towers, which were finished in 1869. The interior contains numerous interesting monuments, including one of
Peter Vischer Peter Vischer the Elder (c. 1455January 7, 1529) was a German sculptor, the son of Hermann Vischer, and the most notable member of the Vischer Family of Nuremberg. Biography Peter was born in Nuremberg, where he also died. He became "master" in ...
's masterpieces. Adjoining the cloisters are two chapels which predate the cathedral. One of these, known as the old cathedral, goes back perhaps to the 8th century. The official choir for the liturgical music at St Peter's Cathedral is the famous
Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...
("cathedral sparrows"). *The stone bridge, built 1135–1146, is a highlight of medieval bridge building. The knights of the
2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds or 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Second of arc, an angular measurement unit ...
and
3rd Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...
crusade The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...
s used it to cross the Danube on their way to the
Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
. *The
Regensburg Sausage Kitchen The Historic Sausage Kitchen of Regensburg (German: ''Historische Wurstküche zu Regensburg'') is a restaurant in Regensburg, Germany. This is notable as perhaps the oldest continuously open public restaurant in the world. In 1135 AD a building wa ...
is a major tourist destination, but locals eat there as well. It was originally built as the construction headquarters of the stone bridge and now lies adjacent to it. *Remains of the Roman fortress' walls including the Porta Praetoria *The Church of St. James, also called ''Schottenkirche'', a Romanesque basilica of the 12th century, derives its name from the monastery of Irish Benedictines (
Scoti ''Scoti'' or ''Scotti'' is a Latin name for the Gaels,Duffy, Seán. ''Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia''. Routledge, 2005. p.698 first attested in the late 3rd century. At first it referred to all Gaels, whether in Ireland or Great Britain, but l ...
) to which it was attached; the principal doorway is covered with very unusual grotesque carvings. It stands next to the ''Jakobstor'', a medieval city gate named after it. *The old parish church of St. Ulrich is a good example of the Transition style of the 13th century, and contains a valuable antiquarian collection. It houses the diocesan museum of religious art. *Examples of the Romanesque basilica style are the church of Obermünster, dating from 1010, and the abbey church of
St. Emmeram Saint Emmeram of Regensburg (also ''Emeram(m)us'', ''Emmeran'', ''Emmerano'', ''Emeran'', ''Heimrammi'', ''Haimeran'', or ''Heimeran'') was a Christian bishop and a martyr born in Poitiers, Aquitaine. Having heard of idolatry in Bavaria, Emmeram ...
, built in the 13th century, remarkable as one of the few German churches with a detached bell tower. The cloisters of the ancient abbey, one of the oldest in Germany, are still in a fair state of preservation. In 1809 the conventual buildings were converted into a palace for the prince of
Thurn and Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis (german: link=no, Fürstenhaus Thurn und Taxis ) is a family of German nobility that is part of the ''Briefadel''. It was a key player in the postal services in Europe during the 16th century, until the end ...
, hereditary postmaster-general of the Holy Roman Empire. *The Adler-Apotheke, located nearby the Regensburg Cathedral, was founded in 1610 and is one of the oldest pharmacies in Regensburg. The ancient interior and historical vessels can be viewed. *Wealthy patrician families competed against each other to see who could build the highest tower of the city. In 1260, the ''Goldener Turm'' (golden tower) was built on Wahlenstraße. *The Old Town Hall, dating in part from the 14th century, contains the rooms occupied by the Imperial Diet from 1663 to 1806. *The ''Gasthof zum Goldenen Kreuz'' (Golden Cross Inn) is also of historical interest: it is where Charles V made the acquaintance of Barbara Blomberg, the mother of Don John of Austria. *The statue of
John of Austria John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...
, born 1547 in Regensburg, was erected 1978 on the fourth centenary of his death and is a copy of a monument in Messina, Italy. *Perhaps the most pleasant modern building in the city is the Gothic villa of the king of Bavaria on the bank of the Danube. The grounds are now opened to public and known as VillaPark. *Among the public institutions of the city are the public library, picture gallery, botanical garden, and the institute for the making of
stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
. The city's colleges (apart from the University of Regensburg) include an
episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...
clerical seminary, and a school of church music. *
St. Emmeram's Abbey Saint Emmeram's Abbey (german: Kloster Sankt Emmeram or ''Reichsabtei Sankt Emmeram''), now known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis, Schloss St. Emmeram or St. Emmeram's Basilica, was a Benedictine monastery founded in about 739 at Regensburg in Bavari ...
, now known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis, is a huge castle owned by the powerful Thurn and Taxis family. * Schloss Höfling, a castle owned by the Thurn und Taxis family *The City Park, the oldest and largest park in Regensburg with a lot of artwork. *The
Botanischer Garten der Universität Regensburg The Botanischer Garten der Universität Regensburg is a botanical garden maintained by the University of Regensburg on campus at Universitätsstraße 31, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. It comprises 4.5 hectares. The garden is open daily except Sat ...
is a modern botanical garden located on the University of Regensburg campus. *
Herzogspark Herzogspark is a municipal park, with small botanical garden, located on the banks of the Danube at the western edge of the old city, at Hundsumkehr Strasse, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The park dates to 1293, when a new wall was constructed ...
also contains several small botanical gardens.


Surroundings

Near Regensburg there are two very imposing classical buildings erected by Ludwig I of Bavaria as national monuments dedicated to German patriotism and greatness: *The more imposing of the two is the '' Walhalla'', a costly reproduction of the Parthenon, erected as a Teutonic temple of fame on a hill rising from the Danube at
Donaustauf Donaustauf is a market town in Bavaria, east of Regensburg at the foothills of the Bavarian Forest. The ruins of a medieval castle, presumably erected between 914 and 930, tower above the small town. Situated nearby on a hill rising from the Da ...
, to the east. The interior, which is richly decorated with coloured marble,
gilding Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...
and sculptures, contains the busts of more than one hundred notable Germans. *The second of King Ludwig's buildings is the ''
Befreiungshalle The Befreiungshalle (''"Hall of Liberation"'', ) is a neoclassical monument on the Michelsberg hill above the town of Kelheim in Bavaria, Germany. It stands upstream of Regensburg on the river Danube at the confluence of the Danube and the Al ...
'' at Kelheim, higher up the Danube. It is a large circular monument built for the glorification of the heroes of the 1813 War of Liberation. Weltenburg Abbey (Kloster Weltenburg), a Benedictine monastery, is located in Weltenburg near the town of Kelheim. The abbey is situated on a peninsula of the Danube, by what are known as the "Weltenburg Narrows" or " Danube Gorge". The monastery, founded by Irish or Scottish monks in about 620, is said to be the oldest monastery in Bavaria. To the east of Regensburg lies the Bavarian Forest and its
National Park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
, one of the most visited
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
s in Germany. Regensburg is on the designated heritage route, the Route of Emperors and Kings.


Culture


Museums and exhibitions

There are 20 museums in Regensburg. The
Regensburg Museum of History The Regensburg Museum of History (''Regensburg Historische Museum'') currently resides in a former Minorite monastery, is a museum of the history, art and culture of Regensburg and eastern Bavaria from the Stone Age to the present day. The f ...
covers the history, culture and arts of Regensburg and Eastern Bavaria from the
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
to the present. The Imperial Diet Museum (Reichstagsmuseum) in the Old Town Hall presents life during the Holy Roman Empire. Its main attractions are an original torture chamber and the Reichssaal, the rooms occupied by the Imperial Diet from 1663 to 1806. The Kepler Memorial House (Keplergedächtnishaus) illustrates the life of the famous astronomer and mathematician
Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (; ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, best known for his laws ...
. The Municipal Art Gallery (Leerer Beutel) houses art collections, film events and cultural festivals. The city has also added several outdoor museums, known as "Document" sites, which give an overview of specific topics such as Roman, Jewish and Bavarian history. In addition, there are the Diocese Museums (Bistumsmuseen) of Regensburg and a branch of the Bavarian National Museum located in St. Emmeram's Abbey, which contains the Princely Treasure Chamber of the Thurn und Taxis family. The Domschatzmuseum where church treasures, monstrances and tapestries are displayed is in St. Peter's Cathedral. Other museums include the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie, the Naturkundemuseum Ostbayern, the Reptile Zoo, the
Regensburg Museum of Danube Shipping The Regensburg Museum of Danube Shipping (''Donau-Schiffahrts-Museum Regensburg'') is a maritime museum of river shipping on the river Danube and other rivers, sited in the town of Regensburg in Germany Germany,, officially the Fede ...
(Donau-Schiffahrts-Museum), the Public Observatory Regensburg as well as the Watch Museum (Uhrenmuseum), the Golf Museum, the Post Museum and the Dinoraeum. To celebrate its centenary in 2018, the State of Bavaria opened the Museum of Bavarian History in Regensburg. There are also guided tours of most of the historical monuments in Regensburg, as well as organized tours of the city available in several languages.


Theaters

The
Theater Regensburg Theater Regensburg (also known as the Stadttheater Regensburg, theatre of the city of Regensburg) is a theatrical organization that produces operas, musicals, ballets, plays, and concerts in Regensburg, Germany. The organization operates sever ...
on the Bismarckplatz was established in 1804 and is the city's most important theater. Operas, operettas, musicals and ballets are performed there. In the summer open-air performances also take place. While the theater on the Bismarckplatz is the city's oldest and largest, the Theater Regensburg also has four other stages with programmes that complement each other. In the ''Neuhaussaal'' of the theater on the Bismarckplatz, concerts by the Philharmonic Orchestra Regensburg take place. The
Velodrom The Velodrom (velodrome) is an indoor track cycling arena, in the Prenzlauer Berg locality of Berlin, Germany. Holding up to 12,000 people, it was also Berlin's largest concert venue, until the opening of O2 World in 2008. It is part of a large ...
Theater presents musicals and plays. In the Haidplatz Theater it is mainly literary and modern plays that are performed, whereas the Turmtheater at the Goliathplatz puts on cabarets, musicals and plays for children as well as modern plays.


Music

Regensburg is home to the famous
Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...
. The Regensburger Schlossfestspiele has been held in the inner courtyard of the
St. Emmeram's Abbey Saint Emmeram's Abbey (german: Kloster Sankt Emmeram or ''Reichsabtei Sankt Emmeram''), now known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis, Schloss St. Emmeram or St. Emmeram's Basilica, was a Benedictine monastery founded in about 739 at Regensburg in Bavari ...
every July from 2003, sponsored by the former princely house of Thurn und Taxis. Meanwhile, those were attracting musicians like
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
David Garrett David Christian Bongartz (born 4 September 1980), known by his stage name David Garrett, is a German classical and crossover violinist and recording artist. Early life When Garrett was four years old his father purchased a violin for his ol ...
,
Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer * Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in ...
, or Plácido Domingo. Modern music styles, especially jazz, are presented every summer during the Bavarian Jazz weekend during which over a hundred bands, combos, and soloists perform in the Old Town. In 2015, the House of Music was opened, giving a home to skilled musicians and their education.


Film and cinema

The international short film season is hosted annually in Regensburg. It is a non-profit event and takes place every March, being one of the most important of its type in Germany. Aside, there are several cinemas, such as
CinemaxX Vue International (, like "view"), is a multinational cinema holding company based in London, England. It operates in the United Kingdom and Ireland as Vue, with international operations in Denmark and Germany (as CinemaxX); Italy (as The Space ...
, the largest one showing
blockbuster Blockbuster or Block Buster may refer to: *Blockbuster (entertainment) a term coined for an extremely successful movie, from which most other uses are derived. Corporations * Blockbuster (retailer), a defunct video and game rental chain ** Blo ...
s and
arthouse film An art film (or arthouse film) is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily f ...
s, and smaller independent cinemas such as Garbo, Ostentor Kino and Regina Filmtheater. Regensburg has two
open air cinemas An outdoor cinema consists of a digital or analog movie projector, scaffolded construction or inflatable movie screen, and sound system. History Outdoor cinemas first began at around 1916 in Berlin, Germany. During the 1920s, many "rooftop theatr ...
as well.


Dialect

Although the
German language German ( ) is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and Official language, official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Ita ...
is Germany's official language, Regensburg is considered a part of the
Bavarian dialect Bavarian (german: Bairisch , Bavarian: ''Boarisch'') or alternately Austro-Bavarian, is a West Germanic language, part of the Upper German family, together with Alemannic and East Franconian. Bavarian is spoken by approximately 12 million peop ...
language area (') which encompasses much of Bavaria, Austria, and the South Tyrolean region of northern Italy. More specifically, the dialect attributed to Regensburg is called Central Bavarian ('). A 2019 report estimates that about half of Bavaria's 12 million inhabitants speak a variation of the Bavarian dialect. The first dictionary of a German dialect was Johann Ludwig Prasch's '. Published in Regensburg in 1689, it contains 500 words from the Bavarian variation spoken in Regensburg. Regensburg's ''Bauerntheater'', a type of farmers' or folk theater, has staged plays delivered in Bavarian for over 90 years. Moreover, premiering in 2011, Joseph Berlinger's play "Mei Fähr Lady," a story about three "students" taking a crash course in Bavarian dialect, has been performed at Regensburg's Turmtheater over 300 times. In fact, the role of the dialect professor is played by Ludwig Zehetner, professor emeritus in Bavarian dialectology at University of Regensburg. Manfred Rohm, whose pen name Sepp Grantelhauer takes on the Bavarian verb ' for "to complain," writes a weekly satirical column solely in Bavarian for the '.


Buildings

The Old Town of Regensburg with nearly 1,500 listed buildings offers a huge cultural diversity from Roman to modern times.


Recreation

The Old Town of Regensburg is surrounded completely by a green belt. Numerous inner-city parks like the City Park (''Stadtpark''), the ''Herzogspark'', the ''Dörnbergpark'', the ''Villapark'' or the university's botanical garden are a source for recreation and leisure.


Memorial sites

The city of Regensburg has erected several memorials to combat racism,
intolerance Intolerance may refer to: * Hypersensitivity or intolerance, undesirable reactions produced by the immune system * ''Intolerance'' (film), a 1916 film by D. W. Griffith * ''Intolerance'' (album), the first solo album from Grant Hart, formerly o ...
towards minorities, and all other forms of contempt for human dignity: * Memorial for victims of the Holocaust * Memorial for victims of forced "
euthanasia Euthanasia (from el, εὐθανασία 'good death': εὖ, ''eu'' 'well, good' + θάνατος, ''thanatos'' 'death') is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different eut ...
" * Memorial for concentration camp inmates and
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...
* Memorial for violence against women Particular to Regensburg are the so-called ''Stolpersteine'' (stumbling stones) in honor of Jews deported during Nazism.


Events

Twice a year the Regensburg Dult takes place. This is the city's Volksfest, which is Bavaria's fourth largest. The Bürgerfest (citizen celebration) in the Old Town is held every two years, attracting over 100,000 visitors. Every second weekend in July, people dressed as knights and other medieval characters come together at the Regensburg Spectaculum, a medieval market, near the Stone Bridge. Every December, there are several
Christmas markets A Christmas market, also known as ''Christkindlmarkt'' (literally: '' Christ Child Market'', but the term "Christkind" usually refers to an angel-like "spirit of Christmas" rather than literally the Christ Child), ''Christkindlesmarkt'', ''Chri ...
all over the city.


Nightlife

With over 500 bars, restaurants, clubs, and other venues in the inner city alone, Regensburg provides a rich and diverse nightlife due to its young population.


Demographics


Population

In May 2017, Regensburg had 164,896
inhabitants Domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal law," which includes the law that governs a person's status and their property. It is independent of a person's nationality. Although a domicile may change from time to time, a person has only one ...
, making it the fourth largest city in Bavaria. Over the last hundred years, the city has experienced a strong increase in population, surpassing 100,000 inhabitants in 1945 due to Germans who were expelled from various Eastern and Central European countries, at the end of the war. Today, Regensburg is one of the fastest-growing cities in Germany.


International communities

Nearly 12% of the total population are foreign residents. Most of them come from Middle east and Southeastern Europe:


Religion

A majority of Regensburg's population is Catholic. In 2017, about 51.4% of the city's inhabitants identified with the Catholic Church, 13.1% were registered
Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
and about 35.5% identified with other religions or did not have any registered religious affiliation.


Politics

The city of Regensburg falls within the Regensburg electoral district, a constituency of the German federal parliament in Berlin (the Bundestag).


Government

The mayor and the City Council are elected for a period of six years. Both elections take place at the same time. The City Council is composed of 51 members and includes the mayor, two deputy mayors, five counsellors and the other council members. The municipal elections in Bavaria of 2020 delivered the following results:


Boroughs

Regensburg is subdivided into 18 boroughs (Stadtbezirke): Innenstadt, Stadtamhof, Steinweg-Pfaffenstein, Sallern-Gallingkofen, Konradsiedlung-Wutzlhofen, Brandlberg-Keilberg, Reinhausen, Weichs, Schwabelweis, Ostenviertel, Kasernenviertel, Galgenberg, Kumpfmühl-Ziegetsdorf-Neuprüll, Großprüfening-Dechbetten-Königswiesen, Westenviertel, Ober- und Niederwinzer-Kager, Oberisling-Graß, Burgweinting-Harting. Each borough contains a number of localities (Ortsteile), which can have historic roots in older municipalities that became urbanized and incorporated into the city.


Twin towns – sister cities

Regensburg is twinned with: * Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom (1955) * Brixen, Italy (1969) * Clermont-Ferrand, France (1969) * Tempe, United States (1976) *
Plzeň Plzeň (; German and English: Pilsen, in German ) is a city in the Czech Republic. About west of Prague in western Bohemia, it is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 169,000 inhabita ...
, Czech Republic (1993) *
Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...
, Ukraine (1980) * Budavár (Budapest), Hungary (2005) *
Qingdao Qingdao (, also spelled Tsingtao; , Mandarin: ) is a major city in eastern Shandong Province. The city's name in Chinese characters literally means " azure island". Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, it is a major nodal city of the One Belt ...
, China (2009)


Economy

Regensburg's economy counts among the most dynamic and fastest growing in Germany. Focus is on manufacturing industries, such as automotive,
industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
and
electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
.


Companies

There are several multinational corporations located in Regensburg, such as BMW, Continental, E.ON, General Electric, Infineon,
Osram Osram Licht AG is a German company that makes electric lights, headquartered in Munich and Premstätten (Austria). Osram positions itself as a high-tech photonics company that is increasingly focusing on sensor technology, visualization and tre ...
, Schneider Electric,
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
, Telekom and Toshiba as well as hidden champions (
Krones Krones AG is a German packaging and bottling machine manufacturer. It produces lines for filling beverages in plastic and glass bottles or beverage cans. The company manufactures stretch Blow molding, blow-moulding machines for producing polyethy ...
, MR). BMW operates an automobile production plant in Regensburg; the Regensburg BMW plant produces
3 Series The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact executive cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in seven generations. The first generation of the 3 Series was only avail ...
, 1 Series and (previously) Z4 vehicles.
Continental AG Continental AG, commonly known as Continental or colloquially as Conti, is a German multinational automotive parts manufacturing company specializing in tires, brake systems, interior electronics, automotive safety, powertrain and chassis compo ...
, with the headquarters of its car component business,
Osram Osram Licht AG is a German company that makes electric lights, headquartered in Munich and Premstätten (Austria). Osram positions itself as a high-tech photonics company that is increasingly focusing on sensor technology, visualization and tre ...
Opto-Semiconductors,
SGB-SMIT Group The SGB-SMIT Group is a manufacturer of power transformers going back to 1913. The company is headquartered in Regensburg, Germany and has production sites and branches in 20 countries. In 2017 the company was acquired by One Equity Partners. ...
transformers and Siemens as well as Infineon, the former Siemens semiconductor branch, provide a high level of innovation and technical development in Regensburg. Other well known international companies, such as
AREVA Areva S.A. is a French multinational group specializing in nuclear power headquartered in Courbevoie, France. Before its 2016 corporate restructuring, Areva was majority-owned by the French state through the French Alternative Energies and Atom ...
, Schneider Electric and Toshiba, have built plants in or near Regensburg. GE Aviation founded a greenfield site to innovate, develop and produce turbine machinery components with a new manufacturing casting technology. Amazon.com located its first German customer service centre in Regensburg. The hidden champions Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR) and
Krones Krones AG is a German packaging and bottling machine manufacturer. It produces lines for filling beverages in plastic and glass bottles or beverage cans. The company manufactures stretch Blow molding, blow-moulding machines for producing polyethy ...
both are headquartered in or close to Regensburg and are among the major employers. Aside from the industrial sector, tourism contributes a lot to Regensburg's economical growth, especially since 2006, when the city gained status as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The University of Regensburg, the
Regensburg University of Applied Sciences The Regensburg University of Applied Sciences (german: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg, literally: ''Eastern Bavarian Technical University of Regensburg'') is a university in Regensburg, Germany. It was founded in 1971 as a colleg ...
and mercantile trade also play major roles in Regensburg's economy. Increasingly,
biotech Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...
companies were founded in Regensburg over the last two decades and have their headquarters and laboratories in the city's "BioPark". Another focus is on information technology, with the city running a start-up centre for IT firms. One of these former start-ups, CipSoft, now is a known video game company still based in Regensburg. OTTI, the Eastern Bavaria Technology Transfer-Institut e.V., is headquartered in Regensburg.


Tourism

The city recorded 912,238 overnight hotel stays and 531,943 hotel guests in 2012. Tourism figures have nearly doubled within the last 15 years and Regensburg has become one of the most-visited German cities from 100,000 to 500,000 residents. In 2014, Regensburg was ranked as a Top-30 travel attraction in Germany by international tourists.


Infrastructure


Transport

Regensburg Hauptbahnhof Regensburg Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station in the city of Regensburg in southern Germany. Location Regensburg Hauptbahnhof is located on the southern edge of the old city (''Altstadt'') in the immediate vicinity of Schloss St. Emmera ...
(central station) is connected to lines to Munich, Nuremberg,
Passau Passau (; bar, label=Central Bavarian, Båssa) is a city in Lower Bavaria, Germany, also known as the Dreiflüssestadt ("City of Three Rivers") as the river Danube is joined by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north. Passau's popu ...
, Weiden and Hof and Ingolstadt and Ulm. The city lies also on two motorways, the A3 from Cologne and Frankfurt to Vienna, and the A93 from Holledau to Hof. The local transport is provided by a bus network run by the RVV (Regensburger Verkehrsverbund).


Energy

Regensburg's energy is mainly supplied by the German company E.ON, one of the world's largest electric utility service providers. Its subsidiary Bayernwerk runs the local hydropower station in the Danube River. In 2012, about 9.1% of the total electricity consumption was generated by
renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...
sources, about 5.1% of the total heat consumption were generated by renewables. Both figures show, that Regensburg is behind other Bavarian cities in this context. Therefore, the municipal government presented an energy plan in 2014, which should enhance the transformation towards renewable energy sources over the next decade.


Health

Regensburg has one of the most modern
university hospitals A teaching hospital is a hospital or medical centre that provides medical education and training to future and current health professionals. Teaching hospitals are almost always affiliated with one or more universities and are often co-located ...
in Europe, the ''Universitätsklinikum Regensburg''. In addition there are several other well-known hospitals such as the ''Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder'' and the ''St. Josef-Krankenhaus''. Psychiatric illnesses are treated in the ''Bezirksklinikum''. With 19.4
hospital bed A hospital bed or hospital cot is a bed specially designed for hospitalized patients or others in need of some form of health care. These beds have special features both for the comfort and well-being of the patient and for the convenience of he ...
s per 1000 residents, Regensburg has the fourth-highest ratio of beds to residents in Germany as well as the third-highest ratio of
medical doctor A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
s to residents in Germany (339 per 100,000 residents). The city's BioPark, home to Bavaria's second largest
biotech Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...
cluster, hosts numerous
research institutions A research institute, research centre, research center or research organization, is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often i ...
and biotech companies.


Education


Universities and academia

Regensburg is known for its higher education institutions, the largest being the University of Regensburg. Founded in 1962, it is one of Germany's newest universities and ranked among the Top 400 universities worldwide. Among the prominent intellectuals associated with the university are Pope Benedict XVI, Udo Steiner and
Wolfgang Wiegard Wolfgang Wiegard (born 17 February 1946) is a German economist and member of the German Council of Economic Experts. He served as chairman of the council from April 2002 to March 2005. Born in Berlin, Wiegard studied at the University of Heidelbe ...
. The campus is situated in a single location together with the
Regensburg University of Applied Sciences The Regensburg University of Applied Sciences (german: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg, literally: ''Eastern Bavarian Technical University of Regensburg'') is a university in Regensburg, Germany. It was founded in 1971 as a colleg ...
. Since 1874 there has been a College of Catholic Music in the city, the
Hochschule für Katholische Kirchenmusik und Musikpädagogik Regensburg ' (, plural: ') is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to ''universities'' and ''colleges'' in English. The term ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') is reserved for institutions with the right to ...
.


Research

In addition to the research centres and institutes of the universities, there are several
research institutions A research institute, research centre, research center or research organization, is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often i ...
situated in the city of Regensburg. Among them are the Leibniz-Institute for East and Southeast European Studies (IOS), the Regensburg Centre for Interventional Immunology (RCI), the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM) and the BioPark, the Bavarian
biotech Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...
cluster.


Schools

There are eighteen elementary schools in Regensburg. The city also has several secondary education institutions, both public and private, representing all levels of the German school system. There are eight ''Gymnasien'', five ''Realschulen'', six ''Hauptschulen'' and four vocational schools (''Berufsschulen''). In addition, there are several folk high schools with different specialisations. The
SIS Swiss International School The SIS Swiss International Schools are a group of 17 private day schools in Switzerland, Germany and Brazil offering continuous education from kindergarten through to college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational inst ...
provides international educational. Founded in 2002, the ''Sportinternat Regensburg'' was Europe's first baseball boarding school.


Sports


Football

SSV Jahn Regensburg Sport- und Schwimmverein Jahn Regensburg e. V., commonly known as SSV Jahn Regensburg, Jahn Regensburg, SSV Jahn or simply Jahn is a German football club based in Regensburg, Bavaria. The club is based on a gymnastics club founded in 1886 a ...
is the local football club and attracts a fairly large local following. The team was part of a larger sports club founded in 1889 as ''Turnerbund Jahn Regensburg'' which took its name from
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (11August 177815October 1852) was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist whose writing is credited with the founding of the German gymnastics (Turner) movement as well as influencing the German Campaign of 1813, during which a coalition of ...
, whose ideas of gymnastics greatly influenced German sport in the 19th century. The football department was created in 1907. The footballers and swimmers left their parent club in 1924 to form ''Sportbund Jahn Regensburg''.


Ice hockey

is the local ice hockey club, currently playing in the
Oberliga Süd Oberliga ( en, Premier league) may refer to: Association football * Oberliga (football), currently the fifth tier of the German football league system, formerly the first * DDR-Oberliga, the first tier of football in East Germany until 1990, re ...
, Germany's third highest professional league.


Baseball

Regensburg Legionäre is the baseball and softball club from Regensburg. The team is also known as Buchbinder Legionäre, following a sponsorship of the Buchbinder company. The club plays in the German Bundesliga and is one of the most famous and most successful baseball clubs in Germany. Several players now in the MLB formerly played at the club. Its arena, Armin-Wolf-Arena, was built in 1996 and has a capacity of 10,000 spectators, making it to Germany's largest baseball stadium.


Athletics

The local athletics club, LG TELIS FINANZ Regensburg, offers a wide range of different competitions and is counted among the most successful clubs in Germany.


Notable people

* Pope Benedict XVI, professor of theology at the University of Regensburg from 1969 to 1977, who retains the title honorary professor; he is not a former resident of the
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of Regensburg, but his house, less than 1 kilometer from the city, lies in
Pentling Pentling is a municipality in the Regensburg district of Bavaria in Germany. It lies on the river Danube. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph A ...
in the district of Regensburg. He has been an honorary citizen since 2006 * The Princely House of Thurn und Taxis, a German noble family and one of Europe's largest landowners *
John of Austria John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...
(1547–) *
Joseph Hanisch Joseph Hanisch (24 March 1812 9 October 1892) was a Bavarian, Roman Catholic organist and conductor. Hanisch was based in Regensburg from 1829 until his death in 1892. Son of the organist Anton Franz Hanisch. Life Joseph Hanisch was born in ...
, musician, composer and organist * Albrecht Altdorfer (printmaker, painter of landscapes, historical and Biblical subjects of the Renaissance) *
Benjamin Appl Benjamin Appl (born 26 June 1982) is a German-British lyric baritone, a classical singer who has appeared world-wide in opera houses and concert halls, particularly known as a Lieder singer. Early life and education Born in Regensburg, Appl ...
(born 1982), German-British lyric baritone *
Willie Duncan Willie Duncan was born in Iserlohn on 20 April 1955. The left-handed guitarist/vocalist joined the Spider Murphy Gang in 1982. Willie Duncan came to Germany in 1977 from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. Leaving behind Trevor Walter who was late ...
(Spider Murphy Gang) *
Ulrich Eberl Ulrich Eberl (born 1962 in Regensburg, Germany) is a science and technology journalist. After four years as a journalist, he took a position with Diemler from 1992 to 1995 working on their technology publications. In 1995, he took a position as D ...
, science and technology journalist * The Rev. Dr.
Franz Xaver Haberl Franz Xaver Haberl (12 April 1840, in Oberellenbach (today Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg), Lower Bavaria – 5 September 1910, in Ratisbon) was a German musicologist, friend of Liszt, Perosi, and Singenberger, cleric, and student of Proske. He m ...
, one of the most important Roman Catholic musicians in history, teacher of
Perosi Perosi is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Carlo Perosi (1868–1930), Italian cardinal *Lorenzo Perosi Monsignor Lorenzo Perosi (21 December 1872 – 12 October 1956) was an Italian composer of sacred music and ...
(see also Cecilian Movement) *
Johann Georg Gichtel Johann Georg Gichtel (March 14, 1638 – January 21, 1710) was a German mystic and religious leader who was a critic of Lutheranism. His followers ultimately separated from this faith. Biography Gichtel was born at Regensburg, where his father wa ...
(1638–1710), was a
German mystic The Friends of God (German: Gottesfreunde; or gotesvriunde) was a medieval mystical group of both ecclesiastical and lay persons within the Catholic Church (though it nearly became a separate sect) and a center of German mysticism. It was founde ...
and religious leader who was a critic of Lutheranism *
Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (; ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, best known for his laws ...
(mathematician and astronomer) *
Konrad of Megenberg Conrad of Megenberg (german: Konrad von Megenberg, la, Conradus Megenbergensis; 1309–1374) was a German Catholic scholar, and a writer. Biography Conrad was born in either Mainberg or Mebenburg, both in Bavaria. He was born on 2 February 13 ...
, scholar and academic * Simone Laudehr (German national team footballer, women's world cup champion 2007) * Albertus Magnus (13th century polymath) * Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg, a 12th–13th century
rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
and mystic, founder of Chassidei Ashkenaz *
Maximilian Oberst Maximilian Oberst (October 6, 1849 – November 18, 1925) was a German physician and surgeon born in Regensburg. He studied medicine in Munich, and from 1874 to 1877 was an assistant in the surgical department at a hospital in Augsburg. Fro ...
, physician who introduced the Oberst method of block anesthesia *
Petachiah of Ratisbon Petachiah of Regensburg, also known as Petachiah ben Yakov, Moses Petachiah, and Petachiah of Ratisbon, was a German rabbi of the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries CE. At some point he left his place of birth, Regensburg in Bavaria, and settl ...
, a 12th–13th century
rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
, best known for his extensive travels throughout Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and the Middle East *
Elise Barensfeld Elise Barensfeld, born Juliane Katharine Elisabet Barensfeld (27 August 1796 – after 1820), was a German soprano. She toured from age 12 with Johann Nepomuk Mälzel, a friend of Ludwig van Beethoven, and lived in Mälzel's household in Vienna un ...
(1796–after 1820), soprano *
Hisham Zreiq Hisham Zreiq ( ar, هشام زريق, he, הישאם זרייק; born 9 February 1968 in Nazareth), also spelled Zrake, is an award-winning Palestinian Christian- Israeli Independent filmmaker, poet, animator and visual artist. He began working ...
(born 1968), award-winning Palestinian Christian Independent filmmaker, poet and visual artist * Walter Röhrl (born 1947), (racing driver) *
Saint Emmeram Saint Emmeram of Regensburg (also ''Emeram(m)us'', ''Emmeran'', ''Emmerano'', ''Emeran'', ''Heimrammi'', ''Haimeran'', or ''Heimeran'') was a Christian bishop and a martyr born in Poitiers, Aquitaine. Having heard of idolatry in Bavaria, Emmeram ...
, Christian bishop and a martyr,
St. Emmeram's Abbey Saint Emmeram's Abbey (german: Kloster Sankt Emmeram or ''Reichsabtei Sankt Emmeram''), now known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis, Schloss St. Emmeram or St. Emmeram's Basilica, was a Benedictine monastery founded in about 739 at Regensburg in Bavari ...
* Andrea Maria Schenkel (born 1962), best-selling author of
Tannöd ''Tannöd'' is a novel by German author Andrea Maria Schenkel. It was first published in Germany in January 2006 and was adapted for film in 2009. Contents The novel narrates the story of a multiple murder at an isolated Bavarian farm called Ta ...
and other works *
Emanuel Schikaneder Emanuel Schikaneder (born Johann Joseph Schickeneder; 1 September 1751 – 21 September 1812) was a German impresario, dramatist, actor, singer, and composer. He wrote the libretto of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera ''The Magic Flute'' and was t ...
(Librettist of The Magic Flute) * Oskar Schindler (1908–1974), German industrialist (after World War II until his emigration to Argentina) *
Ulrich Schmidl Ulrich Schmidl or Schmidel (1510 in Straubing - 1579 in Regensburg) was a German Landsknecht, conquistador, explorer, chronicler and councilman. Schmidl was, beside Hans Staden, one of the few Landsknechts who wrote down their experiences of tr ...
(supposed co-founder of Buenos Aires) *
Anton Vilsmeier Dr. Anton Vilsmeier (12 June 1894 – 12 February 1962) was a German chemist who together with Albrecht Haack discovered the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction. Early life Anton Vilsmeier was born to the mill owner, Wolfgang Vilsmeier, and his wife, Ph ...
(1894–1962), German chemist best known for the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction, born in Burgweinting, which is now part of Regensburg, and attended the ''Altes Gymnasium'' in Regensburg *
Charles von Hügel Charles von Hügel (born Carl Alexander Anselm Baron von Hügel; 25 April 1795 – 2 June 1870), sometimes spelt in English Huegel, was an Austrian nobleman, army officer, diplomat, botanist, and explorer, now primarily remembered for his tra ...
(1795–1870), Austrian army officer,
diplomat A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or internati ...
,
botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
, and explorer *
Ulrich of Zell Ulrich of Zell, also known as Wulderic, sometimes of Cluny or of Regensburg (c. 1029 – 1093), was a Cluniac The Cluniac Reforms (also called the Benedictine Reform) were a series of changes within medieval monasticism of the Western Chur ...
, Cluniac reformer of Germany, abbot, founder and saint * Wolfgang of Regensburg, Bishop of Regensburg * Elisabeth
Elli Erl Elisabeth Maria Erl (born 25 May 1979) is a German singer-songwriter. She came to fame as the winner of the second season of the television show ''Deutschland sucht den Superstar'', the German ''Idol'' series adaptation. With ''DSDS'', Erl a ...
, winner of German Pop Idol 2004 – singer and teacher at a German secondary school in Düsseldorf *
Ludwig Bemelmans Ludwig Bemelmans (April 27, 1898 – October 1, 1962) was an Austrian-American writer and illustrator of children's books and adult novels. He is known best for the ''Madeline'' picture books. Six were published, the first in 1939. Early life B ...
(1898–1962), Austro-Hungarian born American writer of children's books and internationally renowned gourmet, spent his early life in Regensburg *
Anton Hackl Anton "Toni" Hackl (25 March 1915 – 10 July 1984) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 192 enemy aircraft shot down in over 1,000 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed ...
(1915–1984), Luftwaffe Flying Ace *
Christian Jagodzinski Christian Jagodzinski is a German multi-millionaire Internet entrepreneur and real estate investor. He has developed and turned around many businesses, most notably Telebuch.de, the first online book retailer. Career Jagodzinski began his entrep ...
, multimillionaire, entrepreneur, and investor; Co-founder of Telebuch.de which later became Amazon.com's presence in Germany; grew up in Regensburg, now Miami * Allan Zeman (born 1949), Hong Kong businessman


Gallery

File:Dom St. Peter.JPG, The Interior of
Regensburg Cathedral Regensburg Cathedral (german: Dom St. Peter or Regensburger Dom), also known as St. Peter's Cathedral, is an example of important Gothic architecture within the German state of Bavaria. It is a landmark for the city of Regensburg, Germany, and ...
File:Regensburg-steinerne-Bruecke.jpg, The Stone Bridge and
Regensburg Cathedral Regensburg Cathedral (german: Dom St. Peter or Regensburger Dom), also known as St. Peter's Cathedral, is an example of important Gothic architecture within the German state of Bavaria. It is a landmark for the city of Regensburg, Germany, and ...
by night File:210704 regensburg-neupfarrplatz-aus-richtung-kassiansplatz 1-480x640.jpg, New Parish Church (Neupfarrkirche) File:270404 regensburg-kapelle-st-georg-und-afra 1-640x480.jpg, The romanic chapel ''St. George and Afra'' File:RegensburgDonauAnsicht2012.JPG, The Danube seen from the Stone Bridge File:020704 regensburg-reichstagssaal-erker 1-480x640.jpg, The bay window of the Old Town Hall File:Regensburg Goliathhaus 06 2006.JPG, File:130404 regensburg-don-juan-d'austria 1-480x640.jpg, Monument of Don
Juan de Austria John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...
File:Kloster Sankt Emmeram 01.jpg,
St. Emmeram's Abbey Saint Emmeram's Abbey (german: Kloster Sankt Emmeram or ''Reichsabtei Sankt Emmeram''), now known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis, Schloss St. Emmeram or St. Emmeram's Basilica, was a Benedictine monastery founded in about 739 at Regensburg in Bavari ...
File:DampfnudelbaeckereiRegensburg 0047.jpg,
Dampfnudel A ' ( lit. "steam-noodle"; plural ', Alsatian: ) is a dumpling eaten as a meal or as a dessert in Germany, Austria and in France (Alsace- Moselle). It is a typical dish in southern Germany. History There are ' city gates in Freckenfeld a ...
bakery in the Baumburger Turm File:Regensburg - Steinerne Bruecke ohne Dom.jpg, The Stone Bridge File:Regensburg Bruckmanndl 07 2006.JPG, Little Boy (Bruckmandl) on the Stone Bridge File:Old city gate.jpg, Old city gate


See also

*
History of the Jews in Regensburg The history of the Jews in Regensburg, Germany reaches back over 1,000 years. The Jews of Regensburg are part of Bavarian Jewry; Regensburg was the capital of the Upper Palatinate and formerly a free city of the German empire. The great ...
*
List of mayors of Regensburg This is a list of mayors of Regensburg. It includes the First Mayors (''Erster Bürgermeister'') and Lord Mayors of Regensburg (''Oberbürgermeister der Stadt Regensburg'') since 1811/1818. {{DEFAULTSORT:Mayors of Regensburg Regensburg Polit ...
*
List of the prince-bishops and bishops of Regensburg The Bishops of Regensburg (Ratisbon) are bishops of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany.
* Regensburg (district)


Notes


References


Sources

* David L. Sheffler, ''Schools and Schooling in Late Medieval Germany: Regensburg, 1250–1500'' (Leiden, Brill, 2008) (Education and Society in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, 33).


External links


Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof
UNESCO Official Website
Explore the Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof in the UNESCO collection on Google Arts and Culture
*
Virtual tour of Regensburg

Stone Bridge of Regensburg Digital Media Archive
(creative commons-licensed photos, laser scans, panoramas), mainly covering the medieval Stone Bridge but also including surrounding areas, with data from a Christofori und Partner/
CyArk CyArk (from "cyber archive") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Oakland, California, United States founded in 2003. CyArk's mission is to "digitally record, archive and share the world's most significant cultural heritage and ensure ...
research partnership
Regensburg
– Pictures, Sights and more
Great privilege for Regensburg by King Philip of Swabia for Regensburg from 1207
taken from the collections of the Lichtbildarchiv älterer Originalurkunden at
Marburg University The Philipps University of Marburg (german: Philipps-Universität Marburg) was founded in 1527 by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, which makes it one of Germany's oldest universities and the oldest still operating Protestant university in the wor ...

"Here Their Stories Will Be Told…" The Valley of the Communities at Yad Vashem, Regensburg
at Yad Vashem website. {{Authority control 1803 disestablishments States and territories established in 1245 Populated places on the Danube Bavarian Circle Medieval German architecture Displaced persons camps in the aftermath of World War II World Heritage Sites in Germany Roman fortifications in Raetia States and territories disestablished in 1803