Bad Brückenau
Encyclopedia
Bad Brückenau is a spa
town in Bad Kissingen
district in northern Bavaria
. It is situated in the Rhön Mountains
, 30 kilometers south of Fulda
.
The early history of the town is sparsely documented. First buildings were probably erected close to a ford across the Sinn, which was in use by the time of Charlemagne
. By the 12th century the settlement had reached the size of a small town and was called Sinn-Au. Earliest mention of the town is made in a document dating back to 1249, when Fulda
grants Sinn-Au certain privileges. In 1260 the Bishop had four castles built around the town, which he granted to various vassals in the area. Around that time, he also fortified the town with a simple town wall.
In 1310 Sinn-Au was granted the rights of a city by King (later Emperor) Heinrich VII. With that, Brückenau gains the rights to maintain its walls, hold markets, have its own council, cut tree in the forests, raise taxes on wine and so on. In 1337, the council made use of its new rights and enlarge the walls and fortified the gates. In 1597 the town received its present name Brückenau, when a bridge was built over the Sinn. In August 1876, the town was almost completely destroyed by fire.
History of the spa.
In the 15th century mention is made of a sour-tasting well four kilometers down the valley in south westerly direction. Even then, the water was known for its curative properties, and in 1747 Bishop Amandus von Buseck of Fulda
built a fountain. Under his successor Heinrich von Bibra
, the first hotels were built and two more wells discovered. The baroque ensemble along the main axis of the Kurpark dates back to these days.
In 1816, after the Napoleonic Wars, Brückenau became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria
. Brückenau became the favorite spa of King Ludwig I of Bavaria
, who financed an encompassing renovation. The central building dating back to this era is the Große Kursaal, built in neoclassical style. After the German Revolution of 1848 and the abdication of Ludwig I., the Bavarian government leased the spa to private entrepreneurs. Today, most of the hotels are leased by Dorint.
In the first decade of the 20th century, the town, rebuilt after the fire, began to imitate the success of the spa. Three wells were discovered, the town and a group of citizens created two parks. In the administrative reform of 1970, the Staatsbad became part of the town and all of Brückenau was granted the official title "Bad".
with: - Kirkham, Lancashire
(since 1995) - Ancenis
(since 1980)
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
town in Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen (district)
Bad Kissingen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the district Main-Kinzig and Fulda in Hesse, and the districts of Rhön-Grabfeld, Schweinfurt and Main-Spessart.- History :...
district in northern Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. It is situated in the Rhön Mountains
Rhön Mountains
The Rhön Mountains are a group of low mountains in central Germany, located around the border area where the states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia come together. These mountains, which are at the extreme southeast end of the East Hesse Highlands , are partly a result of ancient volcanic activity...
, 30 kilometers south of Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
.
Geography
Bad Brückenau is located in the valley of the River Sinn, in the western part of the Rhön Mountains. It consists of five subdivisions: the central town Bad Brückenau and the four suburbs Staatsbad Brückenau, Wernarz, Volkers and Römershag.History
History of Brückenau.The early history of the town is sparsely documented. First buildings were probably erected close to a ford across the Sinn, which was in use by the time of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. By the 12th century the settlement had reached the size of a small town and was called Sinn-Au. Earliest mention of the town is made in a document dating back to 1249, when Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
grants Sinn-Au certain privileges. In 1260 the Bishop had four castles built around the town, which he granted to various vassals in the area. Around that time, he also fortified the town with a simple town wall.
History of the spa.
In the 15th century mention is made of a sour-tasting well four kilometers down the valley in south westerly direction. Even then, the water was known for its curative properties, and in 1747 Bishop Amandus von Buseck of Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
built a fountain. Under his successor Heinrich von Bibra
Heinrich von Bibra
Heinrich von Bibra , Prince-Bishop, Prince-Abbot of Fulda was Prince-Bishop from 1759 to 1788.-Biography:...
, the first hotels were built and two more wells discovered. The baroque ensemble along the main axis of the Kurpark dates back to these days.
In 1816, after the Napoleonic Wars, Brückenau became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. Brückenau became the favorite spa of King Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
, who financed an encompassing renovation. The central building dating back to this era is the Große Kursaal, built in neoclassical style. After the German Revolution of 1848 and the abdication of Ludwig I., the Bavarian government leased the spa to private entrepreneurs. Today, most of the hotels are leased by Dorint.
In the first decade of the 20th century, the town, rebuilt after the fire, began to imitate the success of the spa. Three wells were discovered, the town and a group of citizens created two parks. In the administrative reform of 1970, the Staatsbad became part of the town and all of Brückenau was granted the official title "Bad".
Museums
- Heimatmuseum. This museum is located in the town centre and gives an impression of daily life in Brückenau in the 18th and 19th centuries.
- German Bicycle-Museum
Music
- Bayerisches Kammerorchester
- Kurorchester
Architecture
- Großer Kursaal. The Große Kursaal was planned in 1827 by the Munich architect 1827 Johann Gottfried Gutensohn and built by the Brückenau Master Builder Lorenz Hergenröder. In its neoclassical style it influenced the historicist architecture of spas in all of southern Germany.
- Altstadt. The old town of Bad Brückenau is home to a number of historic pubs and inns dating back to the 16th century.
- Kloster Volkersberg. The former Franciscan monastery dating back to the 17th century is located in the suburb of Volkers and beautifully overlooks the hills of the western Rhön Mountains.
International relations
Bad Brückenau is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: - Kirkham, Lancashire
Kirkham, Lancashire
Kirkham, or as it once was known, Kirkam-in-Amounderness is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston and adjacent to the smaller town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location...
(since 1995) - Ancenis
Ancenis
Ancenis is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Now, in Région Pays de la Loire, it played a great historical role as a key location on the road to Nantes , the historical capital of Brittany...
(since 1980)