Saverne ChatRohan 44.JPG
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Saverne (french: Saverne, ; Alsatian: ; german: Zabern ) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin
department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a
pass Pass, PASS, The Pass or Passed may refer to: Places *Pass, County Meath, a townland in Ireland * Pass, Poland, a village in Poland *Pass, an alternate term for a number of straits: see List of straits *Mountain pass, a lower place in a mountai ...
over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km (27 mi) northwest of
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
. In 2018, the commune of Saverne had a population of 11,289, and its urban area, of 18,740.


Geography

Saverne lies on the river
Zorn Zorn is a family name of German origin meaning "wrath". Historically, it was predominantly strong in German influenced cities such as Strasbourg, Kempten, Innsbruck, and Würzburg. Today, the surname Zorn can be frequently found in Bavaria, Baden- ...
, at the foot of the Vosges Mountains. It is crossed by the Marne–Rhine Canal and the Paris–Strasbourg railway. The A4 autoroute (Paris–Strasbourg) passes a few km north of the town. Saverne station has rail connections to Paris, Strasbourg, Metz, Nancy and several regional destinations.


History

Saverne ( la, Tres Tabernae Cesaris: Caesar's three taverns, so called because in the older days there were three taverns on the way to the Lorraine plateau where they would change oxen due to the steep incline) was an important place in the time of the Roman Empire, and, after being destroyed by the
Alamanni The Alemanni or Alamanni, were a confederation of Germanic tribes * * * on the Upper Rhine River. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Caracalla of 213, the Alemanni captured the in 260, and later expanded into pres ...
, was rebuilt by the emperor
Julian Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (give ...
. Ammianus Marcellinus, '' Res Gestae'' XVI.11.11 With the settlement of the
Alemanni The Alemanni or Alamanni, were a confederation of Germanic tribes * * * on the Upper Rhine River. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Caracalla of 213, the Alemanni captured the in 260, and later expanded into pres ...
, the town became part of the Germanosphere. After 870 AD the town belonged to
East Francia East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's Carolingian Empire, empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided t ...
, which turned into the Holy Roman Empire. During the
German Peasants' War The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (german: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It failed because of intense oppositio ...
the town was occupied, in 1525, by the insurgents, who were driven out in their turn by Duke Anton of Lorraine. It suffered much from the ravages of the Thirty Years' War, but the episcopal palace, then destroyed, was subsequently rebuilt. After 1680 the town was annexed by the French. The episcopal palace was in 1852 converted by Louis Napoleon into a place of residence for widows of knights of the Legion of Honour. Saverne was conquered by Imperial Germany after the Franco-Prussian War. It was returned to French control after World War I. In 1913, the city was the theater of the infamous " Saverne Affair". This event gave rise to the term ''Zabernism'' (from the German name of the town), meaning abuse of military authority, or unwarranted aggression.


Population


Sights

The emblem of the town is a unicorn. Legend has it that a unicorn's horn was found in one of the nearby castles in ruins. It is more likely that a
narwhal The narwhal, also known as a narwhale (''Monodon monoceros''), is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada and Russia. It is o ...
's tooth was discovered and mistaken for a unicorn's horn. However, it gave its name to the local beer (fr: ''Bière de la Licorne'') and to the
Karlsbräu Karlsberg () is one of the largest breweries in Germany; the Karlsberg Group also owns various other beer brands. It is called Karlsbräu outside of Germany to differentiate it from the Danish brewing company Carlsberg. History Established 1878 ...
brewery (f: ''Brasserie la Licorne'') making it. Its principal building, the Rohan Castle (''Château des Rohan''), is the former residence of the
bishops of Strasbourg {{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 These persons were bishop, archbishop or prince-bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Strasbourg (including historically Prince-Bishopric of Strasbourg): Bishops and prince-bishops *Amandus *Justinus vo ...
, rebuilt by
Cardinal de Rohan Louis René Édouard de Rohan known as Cardinal de Rohan (25 September 1734 – 16 February 1803), ''prince de Rohan-Guéméné'', was a French Bishop of Strasbourg, politician, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and cadet of the Rohan f ...
in 1779, it was used by the Germans as barracks. It now houses the city museum with its large archeological collection of Roman and Celtic artifacts, a hostel, a small arts and crafts museum as well as the collection of 20th century and ethnological art donated by feminist journalist and politician
Louise Weiss Louise or Luise may refer to: * Louise (given name) Arts Songs * "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005 * "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984 * "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013 * "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929 *"Louise", by Clan of ...
. Other sights include the 15th century former castle (''Château vieux'') and the adjacent 15th century Roman Catholic parish church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité with fine
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 ...
and sculptures; a Gothic former Franciscan, then
Récollets The Recollects (french: Récollets) were a French reform branch of the Friars Minor, a Franciscan order. Denoted by their gray habits and pointed hoods, the Recollects took vows of poverty and devoted their lives to prayer, penance, and spirit ...
, monastery with a church and a cloister ornated by 17th-century frescoes; as well as several old houses, among which the heavily decorated ''Maison Katz'' stands out. In the vicinity are the ruined castles of Haut-Barr,
Grand Geroldseck Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commu ...
, Ochsenstein and
Greifenstein Greifenstein is a municipality in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany. Its administrative seat is Beilstein. Greifenstein covers 67.43 km² on the eastern slope of the Westerwald range. It was named for the castle of the same name in th ...
. Hence a road, immortalized by Goethe in ''Dichtung und Wahrheit'', leads across the Vosges to
Pfalzburg Phalsbourg (; ; Lorraine Franconian: ''Phalsburch'') is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France, with a population of about 5,000. It lies high on the west slopes of the Vosges, northwest of Strasbourg by rai ...
. The mountain pass (
Col de Saverne The Col de Saverne (Pass of Saverne or Saverne Pass, ) is a natural pass in the north of the Vosges mountains, near Saverne, which permits travel between the départements of Bas-Rhin and Moselle, and therefore between Alsace and Lorraine. Transp ...
) contains a vast botanical garden, the Jardin botanique du col de Saverne. Saverne is also known for its Rose Garden, locally known as ''La roseraie''. It is also the host of the International Contest of New Roses every year. The Garden itself blesses visitors with over 550 varieties of rose

An old semaphore tower, from the former Landau (and later
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
) to Paris
semaphore line An optical telegraph is a line of stations, typically towers, for the purpose of conveying textual information by means of visual signals. There are two main types of such systems; the semaphore telegraph which uses pivoted indicator arms and ...
, can be seen in the vicinity. It was one of the 50 stations built by the first French Empire on this line which was the second of this kind in France.


Notable people

* Paul Acker (1874–1916), writer, author of popular novels *
Émile Blessig Émile Blessig (born 27 May 1947 in Saverne) was a member of the National Assembly of France The National Assembly (french: link=no, italics=set, Assemblée nationale; ) is the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament under the Fi ...
(born 1947), politician * Jacques-Frédéric (1775–1833) and
François Joseph Français François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King o ...
(1768–1810), engineers and mathematicians of the revolutionary era *
Robert Heitz The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, ho ...
(1895–1984), politician, writer and art critic, painter and French resistance * Louis François Marie Auguste Knoepffler (1864–1918), timber merchant, Mayor of Saverne and a member of the Landtag *
Loïc Lambour Loïc or Loick is a male personal forename chiefly used in Brittany, in western France, and in the Breton community in French-speaking countries. Origins ''Loïc'' is a Breton given name, based on ''Laou'', a Breton diminutive of Gwilherm or Gw ...
(born 1986), artistic photographer * Venerable Francis Libermann (1802–1852), the son of the
Chief Rabbi Chief Rabbi ( he, רב ראשי ''Rav Rashi'') is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities. Since 1911, through a ...
of Saverne. He converted to Catholicism in 1826 and later became known as "The Second Founder of The
Holy Ghost Fathers , image = Holy Ghost Fathers seal.png , size = 175px , caption = The seal of the Congregation depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Trinity. , abbreviation ...
". *
Erich Mercker The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse languag ...
(1891–1973), painter and speed skater * Franz Xaver Murschhauser (1663–1738), composer and organist *
Gérard Oberlé Gérard Oberlé (born 27 November 1945, Saverne) is a French writer and bibliographer. Origin and biography Born in Alsace, of parents from Lorraine originating from Dabo where his grandfather was a clog maker, Gérard Oberlé spent there his su ...
(born 1945), writer and bibliographer *
Georges Reeb Georges Henri Reeb (12 November 1920 – 6 November 1993) was a French mathematician. He worked in differential topology, differential geometry, differential equations, topological dynamical systems theory and non-standard analysis. Biography ...
(1920–1993), mathematician * Dieprand von Richthofen (1875–1946), President of the Senate to the Court of the Reich and anti-Semitic policy (DSP) * Adrien Zeller (1940–2009), French politician (UMP)


See also

* Communes of the Bas-Rhin department


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control Communes of Bas-Rhin Mediomatrici Bas-Rhin communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia Subprefectures in France