Bamberg (/ˈbæmbɜːrɡ/,[3]US also/ˈbɑːmbɛərk/,[4][5]German:[ˈbambɛʁk]ⓘ;East Franconian:Bambärch) is a town inUpper Franconia,Bavaria, Germany, on the riverRegnitz close to its confluence with the riverMain. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in 2022.[6] The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearbyBabenberch castle. Cited as one of Germany's most beautiful towns, with medieval streets and buildings, the old town of Bamberg with around 2,400timber houses[7] has been aUNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.[8]
From the 10th century onwards, Bamberg became a key link with theWestern Slavic peoples, notably those of Poland andPomerania. It experienced a period of great prosperity from the 12th century onwards, during which time it was briefly the centre of theHoly Roman Empire.EmperorHenry II was buried in the old town, alongside his wifeKunigunde. The town's architecture from this period strongly influenced that inNorthern Germany andHungary. From the middle of the 13th century onwards, the bishops were princes of the Empire[9] and ruled Bamberg, overseeing the construction of monumental buildings. This growth was complemented by the obtaining of large portions of the estates of theCounts of Meran in 1248 and 1260 by the sea, partly through purchase and partly through the appropriation of extinguished fiefs.
Bamberg lost its independence in 1802, following the secularization of church lands, becoming part ofBavaria in 1803. The town was first connected to the German rail system in 1844, which has been an important part of its infrastructure ever since. After a communist uprising took control over Bavaria in the years followingWorld War I, the state government fled to Bamberg and stayed there for almost two years before the Bavarian capital ofMunich was retaken byFreikorps units (seeBavarian Soviet Republic). The first republican constitution of Bavaria was passed in Bamberg, becoming known as theBamberger Verfassung (Bamberg Constitution).
Following theSecond World War, Bamberg was an important base for the Bavarian, German, and then American military stationed atWarner Barracks, until closing in 2014.
17th century 3D-map of Bamberg.Matthias Merian in Danckerts,Historis, 1632
During the post-Roman centuries of Germanic migration and settlement, the region later included in theDiocese of Bamberg was inhabited for the most part bySlavs. The town, first mentioned in 902, grew up by the castleBabenberch which gave its name to theBabenberg family. On their extinction, it passed to theSaxon house.[9] The area was Christianized chiefly by the monks of theBenedictineFulda Abbey, and the land was under the spiritual authority of theDiocese of Würzburg. In 1007,Holy Roman EmperorHenry II made Bamberg a family inheritance, the seat of a separatediocese. The Emperor's purpose in this was to make the Diocese of Würzburg less unwieldy in size and to give Christianity a firmer footing in the districts ofFranconia, east of Bamberg.[citation needed]
In 1008, after long negotiations with the Bishops of Würzburg andEichstätt, who were to cede portions of their dioceses, the boundaries of the new diocese were defined, andPope John XVIII granted the papal confirmation in the same year. Henry II ordered the building of a newcathedral, which was consecrated on 6 May 1012. The church was enriched with gifts from the pope, and Henry had it dedicated in honor of him. In 1017, Henry foundedMichaelsberg Abbey on the Michaelsberg ("Mount St Michael"), near Bamberg, a Benedictine abbey for the training of the clergy.[10] The emperor and his wife,Kunigunde, gave large temporal possessions to the new diocese, and it received many privileges out of which grew the secular power of the bishop. Pope Benedict VIII visited Bamberg in 1020[11] to meet Henry II for discussions concerning the Holy Roman Empire. While he was there, he placed the diocese in direct dependence on theHoly See. He also personally consecrated some of Bamberg's churches. For a short time, Bamberg was the centre of theHoly Roman Empire. Henry and Kunigunde were both buried in the cathedral.[12]
From the middle of the 13th century onwards, the bishops were princes of the Empire[9] and ruled Bamberg, overseeing the construction of monumental buildings. In 1248 and 1260, the see obtained large portions of the estates of theCounts of Meran, partly through purchase and partly through the appropriation of extinguished fiefs.[citation needed]
Thewitch trials of the 17th century claimed about one thousand victims in Bamberg, reaching a climax between 1626 and 1631, under the rule ofPrince-Bishop Johann Georg II Fuchs von Dornheim.[13] The famousDrudenhaus (witch prison), built in 1627, is no longer standing today; however, detailed accounts of some cases, such as that ofJohannes Junius, remain.[14]
Bambrzy (Posen Bambergers) are GermanPoles who are descended from settlers from the Bamberg area who settled in villages aroundPoznań in the years 1719–1753. In 1759, the possessions and jurisdictions of the diocese situated inAustria were sold to that state. When the secularization of church lands took place (1802) the diocese covered 3,305 km2 (1,276 sq mi) and had a population of 207,000. Bamberg thus lost its independence in 1802, becoming part ofBavaria in 1803.[16] The free state of Bavaria and the Federal Republic of Germany gave protections to Bamberg, though the city does handle its own management of properties.[17]
Bamberg was first connected to the German rail system in 1844, which has been an important part of its infrastructure ever since. After a communist uprising took control over Bavaria in the years followingWorld War I, the state government fled to Bamberg and stayed there for almost two years before the Bavarian capital ofMunich was retaken byFreikorps units (seeBavarian Soviet Republic). The first republican constitution of Bavaria was passed in Bamberg, becoming known as theBamberger Verfassung (Bamberg Constitution).[18]
In February 1926 Bamberg served as the venue for theBamberg Conference, convened byAdolf Hitler in his attempt to foster unity and to stifle dissent within the then-youngNazi party. Bamberg was chosen for its location in Upper Franconia, reasonably close to the residences of the members of the dissident northern Nazi faction but still within Bavaria.[19]
During theBombing of Bamberg, the city was hit a total of nine times by Allied warplanes between 1944 and 1945. While Bamberg was not attacked as badly as nearbyNuremberg, 4.4% of the city ended up being destroyed and 378 civilians died. The biggest and deadliest bombing run happened on 22 February 1945. In the afternoon, American planes attacked the Bamberg railway station and surroundings with bombs. Because of poor visibility, the bombs were also dropped over residential houses, killing a total of 216 civilians and causing many houses between Oberer Stephansberg and Oberer Kaulberg to be damaged or destroyed as a result. The inner city was also hit, particularly in the Obstmarkt, Lange Straße, Grüner Markt and Keßlerstraße.[20][21] Three significant landmarks in the city were hit: theErlöserkirche orChurch of the Redeemer at the Kunigundendamm which was almost completely destroyed (only the tower remained), the historic Altane on the Grüner Markt and the Alte Maut or Old Toll. A follow-up attack was planned for 23 February, but ultimately cancelled due to bad weather.[22] After that, low-flying Allied aircraft continued to attack Bamberg, threatening large gatherings of people and sometimes also dropping leaflets mocking National Socialism and its propaganda. Another 67 people died as a result of these attacks.[23] The city fell with little resistance to American troops on 14 April, despite the use of explosives on all of the bridges to the city by the retreating German forces. After the war had ended, reconstruction efforts began.
Bamberg is located inFranconia, 63 km (39 mi) north of Nuremberg by railway and 101 km (63 mi) east ofWürzburg, also by rail. It is situated on the Regnitz river, 3 km (1.9 mi) before it flows into theMain river.[citation needed]
Its geography is shaped by theRegnitz and by the foothills of theSteigerwald, part of the German uplands. From northeast to southwest, the town is divided into first the Regnitz plain, then one large and several small islands formed by two arms of the Regnitz (Inselstadt), and finally the part of town on the hills, the "Hill Town" (Bergstadt).[citation needed]
Bamberg extends over seven hills, each crowned by a church. This has led to Bamberg being called the "Franconian Rome"—although a running joke among Bamberg's tour guides is to refer to Rome instead as the "Italian Bamberg". The hills are Cathedral Hill, Michaelsberg, Kaulberg/Obere Pfarre, Stefansberg, Jakobsberg, Altenburger Hill and Abtsberg.[24]
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round.[25] TheKöppen climate classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate), with a certain continental influence as indicated by average winter nighttime temperatures well below zero.[26]
Climate data for Bamberg (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1991–present)
Bamberg is considered an important economic center and is one of the 15 strongest economic regions in Bavaria compared to the other 95 districts and independent cities. Central locations for industry, manufacturing and trade can be found in the north and east of the city. In the north, around the Bamberg harbor, there is a large industrial area that partly extends into the Hallstadt urban area. Bosch operates its largest plant in Germany in the east and is also the city's most important employer.[citation needed]
Relevant economic sectors in Bamberg are the automotive supply industry, electrical engineering and the food industry. The traditional industry of market gardening with large inner-city cultivation areas, which has characterized the city since its beginnings, is still present. Due to its UNESCO World Heritage status and the more than 800,000 overnight guests a year in the city alone, tourism, hotels and gastronomy also play a central role in the city's economy.[30]
In the 2010s, Bamberg's gross domestic product increased by a total of 17.7%. The city of Bamberg generated €5.1 billion in 2021 (€66,543 per capita).
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Bamberg[31]
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
52.403
54.083
53.694
56.029
56.320
58.070
60.349
62.917
64.083
64.040
63.650
66.543
In the 2016 Future Atlas, Bamberg was ranked 32nd out of 402 districts, municipal associations and independent cities in Germany, making it one of the places with "very high future prospects".
The number of business registrations in the city of Bamberg remains at a high level. In the independent city of Bamberg, the number of business registrations in 2023 was 682, compared to 655 registrations the year before. In 2021, 702 new companies were registered with the city of Bamberg. The number of businesses in the city of Bamberg for 2023 is 2,624 companies. 87 of these businesses employ more than 100 people. Of these, almost half (969) are craft businesses.[32]
As the population in the city has grown, the number of employees has also risen continuously in recent years:[31] Between 2005 and 2022, the number of employees increased by almost 20%.[32]
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Employees subject to social security contributions
52.259
53.181
54.078
54.695
54.478
57.435
55.414
56.491
Number of unemployed people
1.894
1.839
1.765
1.628
1.579
1.922
1.931
1.814
There are around 56,500 people in employment in the city in 2022. The unemployment rate in December 2022 was 4.3%, above the Bavarian average of 3.1%. In the neighboring district of Bamberg, the unemployment rate was 2.3%.[33]
Important sectors of the manufacturing industry in Bamberg are drive technologies and electrical engineering. Bosch has been operating a production facility in Bamberg with over 6000 employees since 1939. The company produces energy, mobility and drive systems, in particular spark plugs for the automotive industry. Due to its dependence on the combustion engine, the company announced in 2019 that it would be switching to fuel cells,[145] although around 1000 jobs are to be transferred to other locations from 2026. Coburg-based automotive supplier Brose has had an administration building with 600 employees on Berliner Ring since 2016. Together with the plant in Hallstadt, the region is the company's second-largest location with more than 2,000 employees.[34]
Another important company is Wieland Electric in the field of electrical engineering. The company was founded in Bamberg in 1910 and is considered a pioneer in electrical connection technology and is still the world market leader for pluggable installation technology in the building sector.[citation needed]
Rudolf Zimmermann Bamberg (RZB), with over 800 employees worldwide, produces lights and lighting systems near the port of Bamberg.[35] Over 70 companies are located on the 100 hectares of the port. In 2023, over 416,000 tons of goods were loaded at the port, especially foodstuffs and bulk goods. In addition, over 700 river cruise ships docked here.[36] The Bamberg asphalt mixing plant[37] and a Schwenk concrete plant are also located in the immediate vicinity.[citation needed]
Bamberg is also home to numerous small and medium-sized companies in other sectors. One special feature here is the centuries-old tradition of instrument making. Organ building, which is currently being continued by master craftsman Thomas Eichfelder, is particularly noteworthy, as is the construction of violins, clarinets and other woodwind instruments.[citation needed]
Bamberg's city centre is characterized by a diverse retail sector, partly due to tourism. This generated a turnover of 682 million euros in 2023. In the 2018 shopping mile ranking by real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Bamberg was ranked first in Germany for cities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. With an average of 5,155 visitors per hour, the Grüner Markt was the 52nd most popular shopping street in Germany. In 2023, the Grüner Markt had almost 8.5 million passers-by, an increase of 130,000 visitors compared to the previous year.[38]
Bamberg recorded 807,294 overnight stays in 2023, an increase of 11% compared to 2022. 85% of overnight guests came from Germany, 15% from abroad. The proportion of travelers from abroad rose particularly sharply in 2023 at 22%. The most important tourist countries of origin are the US, the Netherlands, Poland and Austria. Tourism generates around 330 million euros in gross revenue in Bamberg every year – in the hospitality, retail and service sectors. This results in an income of 153 million euros.[32]
The Town of Bamberg was inscribed on theUNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 due to its medieval layout and its well-preserved historic buildings.[8] Since the Middle Ages, urban gardening has been practiced in Bamberg. The Market Gardeners’ District together with the City on the Hills and the Island District is an integral part of the World Heritage site. In 2005, the Municipality established a unit to coordinate the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Bamberg. In 2019, a visitor and interpretation centre opened for the World Heritage site.[39]
Old town hall (1386), built in the middle of the Regnitz river, accessible by two bridges
Klein-Venedig ("Little Venice"), a colony of fishermen's houses from the 19th century along one bank of the river Regnitz
Michaelsberg Abbey, built in the 12th century on one of Bamberg's "Seven Hills." The former Benedictine abbey, which once housed a brewery, is now home to the Franconian Brewery Museum.[40]
Altenburg, castle, former residence of the bishops
Bamberg Cathedral is a lateRomanesque building with four towers. It was founded in 1004 by Emperor Henry II, finished in 1012[9] and consecrated on 6 May 1012. It was later partially destroyed by fire in 1081. The new cathedral, built by SaintOtto of Bamberg, was consecrated in 1111[41] and in the 13th century received its present late-Romanesque form.[citation needed]
The cathedral is 94 m (308 ft) long, 28 m (92 ft) wide, 26 m (85 ft) high, and the four towers are each about 81 m (266 ft) high. It contains many historic works of art, such as the marble tomb of the founder and his wife, considered one of the greatest works of the sculptorTilman Riemenschneider, and carved between 1499 and 1513.[citation needed] Another treasure of the cathedral is anequestrian statue known as theBamberg Horseman (Der Bamberger Reiter).[9] This statue, possibly depicting the emperorConrad III, most likely dates to the second quarter of the 13th century. The statue also serves as a symbol of the town of Bamberg.[citation needed]
Neue Residenz
TheNeue Residenz (New Residence) (1698–1704) was initially occupied by the prince-bishops, and from 1864 to 1867 by the deposed KingOtto of Greece. ItsRosengarten (Rose Garden) overlooks the town. It has over 4500 roses.[42]
TheAltenburg is located on the highest of Bamberg's seven hills. It was mentioned for the first time in 1109.[43] Between 1251 and 1553 it was the residence of Bamberg's bishops. Destroyed in 1553 byAlbert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, it was used after scant repairs only as a prison, and increasingly fell into decay.
In 1801, A. F. Marcus bought the castle and completely repaired it. His friend, the famous German writerE.T.A. Hoffmann, who was very impressed by the building, lived there for a while. The next owner, Anton von Greifenstein, in 1818 founded an association to preserve the castle. This society still maintains the entire property today.[citation needed] The Altenburg today houses a restaurant.[44]
Other sights
Other churches are theJakobskirche, an 11th-century Romanesquebasilica; theSt. Martinskirche; theMarienkirche orObere Pfarrkirche (1320–1387), which has now been restored to its original pureGothic style. TheMichaelskirche, 12th century Romanesque (restored), on the Michaelsberg, was formerly the church of theBenedictineMichaelsberg Abbey secularized in 1803 and now contains theBürgerspital, oralmshouse, and the museum and municipal art collections.[citation needed]
Of the bridges connecting the sections of the lower town theObere Brücke was completed in 1455. Halfway across this, on an island, is theRathaus or town hall (rebuilt 1744–1756). The lyceum, formerly aJesuit college, contains a natural history museum. The old palace (Alte Hofhaltung) was built in 1591 on the site of an old residence of the counts ofBabenberg. Monuments include the Maximilian fountain (1880), with statues ofKing Maximilian I of Bavaria, the emperor Henry II and his wife,Conrad III andSaint Otto, bishop of Bamberg.[9]
There are also tunnels beneath the town. These were originally constructed as mines which supplied sandstone which could be used for construction or as an abrasive cleaner. Mining came to an end in 1920 but a 7.5 mi (12.1 km) tunnel network remained. The tunnels were used as anair raid shelter during World War II. A part of the network can be visited on a guided tour.[45]
Bamberg is known for its smokedRauchbier and is home to 11 breweries,[46] includingBrauerei Fässla,Brauerei Greifenklau, Brauerei Heller-Trum (Schlenkerla),Brauerei Kaiserdom,Keesmann Bräu,Klosterbräu,Mahrs Bräu,Brauerei Spezial, Gasthausbrauerei Ambräusianum, Kron Prinz, and Weyermann Röstmalzbierbrauerei. Weyermann Specialty Malting, founded in Bamberg in 1879, supplies breweries around the world. Every August there is a five-daySandkerwa, akirmess celebrated with beers.[47] The Franconia region surrounding Bamberg is home to more than 200 breweries. In October and early November many of the 70 breweries in and around Bamberg celebrate Bockbieranstiche with special releases of Bock beer.[48]
TheUniversity of Bamberg, named Otto-Friedrich University, offers higher education in the areas ofsocial science,business studies and thehumanities, and is attended by more than 12,000 students.[49] The University of Applied Sciences Bamberg offers higher education in the areas ofpublic health. Bamberg is also home to eight secondary schools (gymnasiums):
East-west connections are poorer. Bamberg is connected to other towns in eastern Upper Franconia such asBayreuth,Coburg, andKronach via the Bamberg–Hof line with trains usually running at least every hour. Connections on theWürzburg–Bamberg line to the west are hourly regional trains to Würzburg, which is fully connected to the ICE network. Tourists arriving atFrankfurt International Airport can take advantage of the new direct connection from Frankfurt's main station.[citation needed]
Bamberg is not near any of the major (i.e. single-digit)autobahns. But it is nevertheless well connected to the network in all directions: theA70 fromSchweinfurt (connecting to theA7 there) to Bayreuth (connecting to theA9) runs along the northern edge of the town. TheA73 on the eastern side of town connects Bamberg to Nuremberg (connecting to theA9) andThuringia, ending atSuhl.[citation needed]
Bamberg is served byBamberg-Breitenau Airfield. Mostly public aircraft operate there. It used to be a military airport. (IATA-Code: ZCD, ICAO-Code: EDQA) It is also possible to charter public flights to and from this airport.[citation needed]
Both theRhine-Main-Danube Canal and its predecessor, theLudwig Canal, begin near Bamberg.[50] The Ludwig Canal was opened in 1846 but closed in 1950 after damage during thesecond world war. With the completion of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in 1992, uninterrupted water transport was again made possible between theNorth Sea and theBlack Sea.[citation needed]
Local public transport within Bamberg relies exclusively on buses. More than 20 routes connect the outlying quarters and some villages in the vicinity to the central bus station. In addition, there are several "Night Lines" (the last of these, though, tend to run around midnight) and somepark-and-ride lines from parking lots on the periphery to the town centre.[citation needed]
A short-lived tram system existed in the 1920s.[citation needed]
Bamberg was an important base for the Bavarian, German, and then American military stationed atWarner Barracks.[51] Warner Barracks was closed in the fall of 2014, with the last battalion leaving being the 54th Engineer Battalion, and the grounds returned to the German government. In 2016, a large part of the facility was taken over by theGerman Federal Police for training purposes. Muna Kasserne was a small base occupied by the 504th Maintenance Company, 71st Maintenance Bn. It was part of Warner Barracks although located separately.[citation needed]
Bamberg is an urban district, orkreisfreie Stadt. Its town council (Stadtrat) and its mayor (Oberbürgermeister) are elected every six years, though not in the same year. Thus, the last municipal election for the town council was in 2014, for the mayor in 2012. As an exception to the six-year term, the term starting in 2012 will take eight years to synchronize the elections with those in the rest of Bavaria.[citation needed]
As of the elections of 16 March 2014, the 44 member strong town council comprises 12CSU councillors, 10SPD councillors, 8Green councillors, 4 councillors of theBamberger Bürger-Block and 4 of theFreie Wähler (Free Voters), both local political movements. These five parties achieved the number of councillors necessary to form aparliamentary group. In addition, there are 3 councillors of theBamberger Unabhängige Bürger and the 1 councillor each of theBamberger Realisten, theFDP and theBamberger Linke Liste.[citation needed]
The previous council, elected on 2 March 2008, was composed of 15CSU councillors, 10SPD councillors, 7Green councillors, 5 councillors of the Bamberger Bürger-Block and 3 of the Freie Wähler (Free Voters), both local political movements. These five parties achieved the number of councillors necessary to form aparliamentary group. In addition, there were 2 councillors of theBamberger Realisten and one of theFDP and theRepublikaner, making them ineligible for caucus status.[citation needed]
^Dengler-Schreibe, Karin (2002).Bamberg – For Newcomers and old friends. Heinrichs-Verlag GmbH, Bamberg. p. 7.ISBN9783898891066.{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)
^"Im Bund mit dem Teufel". October 2012.Anfang des 17. Jahrhunderts wurden in Bamberg binnen 20 Jahren tausend Menschen verbrannt, weil sie angeblich einen Bund mit dem Teufel geschlossen hatten.
