Fürstenwalde/Spree | |
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_-_Altes_Rathaus_%255E_Dom_-_panoramio.jpg) Town hall and Cathedral  Bullenturm, part of Fürstenwalde fortress  Narrowest House in Fürstenwalde  Panoramic view city centre | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Fürstenwalde/Spree within Oder-Spree district  | |
  Fürstenwalde/Spree  Fürstenwalde/Spree | |
| Coordinates:52°22′N14°04′E / 52.367°N 14.067°E /52.367; 14.067 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Brandenburg |
| District | Oder-Spree |
| Subdivisions | City center and 4 districts |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2018–26) | Matthias Rudolph[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 70.68 km2 (27.29 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 43 m (141 ft) |
| Population (2023-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 32,135 |
| • Density | 454.7/km2 (1,178/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 15517 |
| Dialling codes | 03361 |
| Vehicle registration | LOS |
| Website | https://www.fuerstenwalde-spree.de/ |
Fürstenwalde/Spree (German pronunciation:[ˈfʏʁstn̩ˌvaldə]ⓘ;Lower Sorbian:Pśibor pśi Sprjewje[ˈpɕibɔrˈpɕisprʲɛwʲɛ])[3] is the most populous town in theOder-Spree District ofBrandenburg, in easternGermany.
The town is situated in the glacial valley (Urstromtal) of theSpree river north of theRauen Hills, about 60 km (37 mi) east ofBerlin and 30 km (19 mi) west ofFrankfurt (Oder). The district capitalBeeskow is about 25 km (16 mi) to the southeast. In the north, the municipal area comprises the village of Trebus. The town is located on the western part of historicLubusz Land (Land Lebus).
TheFürstenwalde station is a stop on the railway line from Berlin to Frankfurt (Oder), the formerLower Silesian-Marcher Railway. It also has access to the parallelBundesautobahn 12. The 39 MWFürstenwalde Solar Park supplies electricity to the local grid.
The settlement ofFürstenwalde was first mentioned in a 1272 deed, founded in the course of the GermanOstsiedlung migration at a ford across the Spree river, probably near the site of a formerSlavic settlement. The Lebus Land had been acquired fromPoland by theAscanian margraves ofBrandenburg in 1248/1249. The town's importance rose as astaple port and terminal of the transportation of goods on the river.
In 1373 EmperorCharles IV, since 1367 also Margrave of adjacentLower Lusatia campaigned the Brandenburg lands and enforced the renunciation of theWittelsbach margraveOtto VII of Brandenburg by the Treaty of Fürstenwalde. From 1373 to 1415, the town was part of theBohemian Crown. As also the collegiate church inLebus was destroyed, BishopWenceslaus moved the official seat of theBishopric of Lebus to Fürstenwalde, where theSt Mary's Church was raised to acathedral.
The lastCatholic bishop wasGeorg von Blumenthal (1490–1550), who was besieged in his palace by Lutheran robbers led by Nickel von Minckwitz. The Bishop had to escape through a window in disguise. The bishopric was secularized during theReformation in 1555, and was completely disbanded at the ascension ofJoachim Frederick asMargrave of Brandenburg in 1598.
From the 18th century, Fürstenwalde was part of theKingdom of Prussia, and from 1815 to 1947, it was administratively located in theProvince of Brandenburg. In the early 18th century, a commune ofFrenchHuguenots was established in the town.[4] DuringWorld War II, it was the location of a subcamp of theSachsenhausen concentration camp.[5] From 1947 to 1952 it was part of the State ofBrandenburg, from 1952 to 1990 of theBezirk Frankfurt ofEast Germany and since 1990 again of Brandenburg.
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Seats in the town's assembly (Stadtverordnetenversammlung) as of 2014 local elections:
Fürstenwalde istwinned with:[7]
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Media related toFürstenwalde/Spree at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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