Freising
Encyclopedia
Freising is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the district Freising
. Total population 48,500.
The city is located north of Munich
at the Isar
river, near the Munich International Airport
. Anyone taking off or landing at
Munich airport can see the city to the north with its two famous hills, the cathedral hill with the bishop's castle and the Freising cathedral
and Weihenstephan
Hill with the oldest working brewery in the world.
.
Some important historical documents were created between 900 to 1200 in its monastery:
The above and other scripts from that time can be found in the Bayrische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) in Munich today.
, no proof has been found yet to suggest a continuous settlement until the 8th century Frigisinga. Saint Corbinian
settled at a shrine that already existed at Freising in 724. He was the forerunner of the diocese of Freising, established after his death by Saint Boniface
. According to his Vita by Bishop Arbeo
he ordered a bear to carry his luggage over the Alps
after it had killed his packhorse
. The saddled bear is still the symbol of the city, displayed in the coat of arms. Though the seat of the diocese was moved to Munich in 1821, Freising has remained the seat of diocese administration until today.
764-783 Bishop Arbeo founded a library and scriptorium
at the abbey. The settlement started to become a religious center.
The mortal remains
of Pope Alexander I
are said to have been transferred to Freising in 834.
In 996 Freising received city rights from Emperor Otto III. However, after the "(...) destruction of the episcopal bridge, custom houses, mint, and salt works near Oberföhring by Duke Henry the Lion
, who transferred the custom houses and bridge site to the upper part of Oberföhring, placing them in the village of Munich on the Isar" (Lins, Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913) in 1158, Freising started to lose its economic significance. In 1159 the romanesque cathedral
was constructed (with a notable animal column in the crypt).
In the secularization
of 1803, the Roman Catholic Church
lost most of its properties and authority over the city.
Freising (district)
Freising is a district in Bavaria, Germany. Following a recent ranking of the German magazine FOCUS MONEY comparing all German districts it is number one concerning economic growth abilities. It is bounded by the districts of Kelheim, Landshut, Erding, Munich, Dachau and Pfaffenhofen.The district...
. Total population 48,500.
The city is located north of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
at the Isar
Isar
The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald, and flows through Bad Tölz, Munich, and Landshut before reaching the Danube near Deggendorf. At 295 km in length, it is the fourth largest river...
river, near the Munich International Airport
Munich International Airport
Munich Airport , is located northeast of Munich, Germany, and is a hub for Lufthansa and Star Alliance partner airlines. It lies nearby the old city of Freising and is named in memory of politician Franz Josef Strauss...
. Anyone taking off or landing at
Munich airport can see the city to the north with its two famous hills, the cathedral hill with the bishop's castle and the Freising cathedral
Freising cathedral
Freising Cathedral, also called Saint Mary and Corbinian Cathedral , is a romanesque basilica in Freising, Bavaria. It is the co-cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising...
and Weihenstephan
Weihenstephan
Weihenstephan is a part of Freising north of Munich, Germany.Weihenstephan is known for:* the site of one of the three campuses of the Technische Universität München , namely the one for life sciences* the Fachhochschule Weihenstephan...
Hill with the oldest working brewery in the world.
Cultural significance
Freising is one of the oldest settlements in Bavaria, gaining importance by becoming a major religious center in the early Middle Ages. It was and still is the center of an important dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
Some important historical documents were created between 900 to 1200 in its monastery:
- Freising manuscriptsFreising manuscriptsThe Freising Manuscripts are the first Latin-script continuous text in a Slavic language and the oldest document in Slovene.The monuments consisting of three texts in the oldest Slovene dialect were discovered bound into a Latin codex...
written in SlovenianSlovenian languageSlovene or Slovenian is a South Slavic language spoken by approximately 2.5 million speakers worldwide, the majority of whom live in Slovenia. It is the first language of about 1.85 million people and is one of the 23 official and working languages of the European Union...
, being the first Roman-scriptLatin alphabetThe Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
continuous text in a Slavic languageSlavic languagesThe Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic... - Chronicle or history of the two cities by Otto of FreisingOtto of FreisingOtto von Freising was a German bishop and chronicler.-Life:He was the fifth son of Leopold III, margrave of Austria, by his wife Agnes, daughter of the emperor Henry IV...
The above and other scripts from that time can be found in the Bayrische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) in Munich today.
History
Even though archaeological finds show that the area was settled in the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, no proof has been found yet to suggest a continuous settlement until the 8th century Frigisinga. Saint Corbinian
Corbinian
Saint Corbinian was a Frankish bishop. His feast day is September 8. The commemoration of the translation of his relics is November 20.-Life:...
settled at a shrine that already existed at Freising in 724. He was the forerunner of the diocese of Freising, established after his death by Saint Boniface
Saint Boniface
Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...
. According to his Vita by Bishop Arbeo
Arbeo of Freising
Arbeo of Freising was Bishop of Freising.He was a member of the Benedictine Order. At first a priest and notary under Bishop Joseph of Freising, he became in 763 abbot of the newly-founded monastery of Scharnitz...
he ordered a bear to carry his luggage over the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
after it had killed his packhorse
Packhorse
.A packhorse or pack horse refers generally to an equid such as a horse, mule, donkey or pony used for carrying goods on their backs, usually carried in sidebags or panniers. Typically packhorses are used to cross difficult terrain, where the absence of roads prevents the use of wheeled vehicles. ...
. The saddled bear is still the symbol of the city, displayed in the coat of arms. Though the seat of the diocese was moved to Munich in 1821, Freising has remained the seat of diocese administration until today.
764-783 Bishop Arbeo founded a library and scriptorium
Scriptorium
Scriptorium, literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by monastic scribes...
at the abbey. The settlement started to become a religious center.
The mortal remains
Remains
Remains may refer to:* "Remains" , a 2009 song by Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon* Remains , a 2007 compilation album by punk band Alkaline Trio...
of Pope Alexander I
Pope Alexander I
Pope Saint Alexander I was Bishop of Rome from about 106 to 115. The Holy See's Annuario Pontificio identifies him as a Roman who reigned from 108 or 109 to 116 or 119...
are said to have been transferred to Freising in 834.
In 996 Freising received city rights from Emperor Otto III. However, after the "(...) destruction of the episcopal bridge, custom houses, mint, and salt works near Oberföhring by Duke Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion was a member of the Welf dynasty and Duke of Saxony, as Henry III, from 1142, and Duke of Bavaria, as Henry XII, from 1156, which duchies he held until 1180....
, who transferred the custom houses and bridge site to the upper part of Oberföhring, placing them in the village of Munich on the Isar" (Lins, Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913) in 1158, Freising started to lose its economic significance. In 1159 the romanesque cathedral
Freising cathedral
Freising Cathedral, also called Saint Mary and Corbinian Cathedral , is a romanesque basilica in Freising, Bavaria. It is the co-cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising...
was constructed (with a notable animal column in the crypt).
In the secularization
Secularization
Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...
of 1803, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
lost most of its properties and authority over the city.
Famous citizens
- Otto of FreisingOtto of FreisingOtto von Freising was a German bishop and chronicler.-Life:He was the fifth son of Leopold III, margrave of Austria, by his wife Agnes, daughter of the emperor Henry IV...
(1112–1158), bishop. - Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
- Ludwig Prandtl
- The Bavarian General and War Minister Benignus Ritter von SafferlingBenignus von SafferlingBenignus Ritter von Safferling was a Bavarian General der Infanterie and War Minister under Otto of Bavaria.- Biography :...
(1825–1895) was born in Freising. - Maximilian HaasMaximilian HaasMaximilian Haas is a German footballer who is currently a Free Agent.Haas played for four years in the Landesliga for SE Freising, before joining Bayern Munich II in July 2007...
- footballer, former clubs: Middlesbrough F.C.Middlesbrough F.C.Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and Bayern Munich.
Points of interest
- Freising cathedralFreising cathedralFreising Cathedral, also called Saint Mary and Corbinian Cathedral , is a romanesque basilica in Freising, Bavaria. It is the co-cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising...
- Sichtungsgarten WeihenstephanSichtungsgarten WeihenstephanThe Sichtungsgarten Weihenstephan is a horticultural garden maintained by the Research Institute for Horticulture of the Fachhochschule Weihenstephan...
, a notable horticulturalHorticultureHorticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
garden
External links
- Official Site
- http://www.dioezesanmuseum-freising.de
- Bavarian state library
- Pictures of Freising