Rothenfels
Encyclopedia
Rothenfels is a town in the Main-Spessart district
in the Regierungsbezirk
of Lower Franconia
(Unterfranken) in Bavaria
, Germany
and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft (Administrative Community) of Marktheidenfeld. It is said to be Bavaria’s smallest town.
and Marktheidenfeld
, 5 km north of Marktheidenfeld
, and 33 km east of Aschaffenburg
. Squeezed as it is between the river and a bluff, the town consists of little more than a main street. Since 2006, the Maindamm has been used as a town bypass.
Above the town is found Rothenfels Castle (Burg Rothenfels), abutting which is the outlying centre (Stadtteil) of Bergrothenfels
in 1803, the now Würzburg
-ruled Rothenfels passed to the princely house of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, and then in 1806 to the Principality of Aschaffenburg
; in 1813, Rothenfels became Bavarian.
The outlying centre of Bergrothenfels was separated from Rothenfels in the 19th century, only to be reamalgamated in 1971.
might be described thus: Or in base water argent, issuant therefrom three crags gules, in chief the letter R of the same.
The town’s oldest known seal, carved in the late 16th century and known from a 1619 imprint, only showed the uppercase R. The same image is shown in a roll of arms from 1544, wherein the R is shown in red on a silver field. Shown on town and council seals from 1710 is a castle on crags, which are surmounted by the uppercase R (that is, the R is on the crags, not over them), possibly canting
for the town’s name, which means “Stronghold in Red Bunter
”. Since the early 19th century, all examples of the town’s seal show the current composition. The arms were affirmed in 1836.
houses, with statues, that are worth seeing.
On the crags above the town looms Rothenfels Castle (Burg Rothenfels). Well known as a popular outing destination between Würzburg
and Aschaffenburg
, Rothenfels Castle has made a name for itself above all, from the tradition of the Catholic youth movement “Quickborn” (a Low Saxon
placename
in Schleswig-Holstein
, not the English
words “quick born”), as a Christian education and conference centre in free sponsorship. The castle is also a Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (DJH) youth hostel.
Main-Spessart
Main-Spessart is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Bad Kissingen, Schweinfurt and Würzburg, the state of Baden-Württemberg , the districts of Miltenberg and Aschaffenburg, and the state of Hesse .-History:The district was established in 1972 by merging the former...
in the Regierungsbezirk
Regierungsbezirk
In Germany, a Government District, in German: Regierungsbezirk – is a subdivision of certain federal states .They are above the Kreise, Landkreise, and kreisfreie Städte...
of Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria , Germany ....
(Unterfranken) in 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...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft (Administrative Community) of Marktheidenfeld. It is said to be Bavaria’s smallest town.
Location
Rothenfels lies on the Main’s right bank between LohrLohr
Lohr am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Lohr am Main.- Location :The town lies on the Main in the Spessart about halfway between Würzburg and...
and Marktheidenfeld
Marktheidenfeld
Marktheidenfeld is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Marktheidenfeld....
, 5 km north of Marktheidenfeld
Marktheidenfeld
Marktheidenfeld is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Marktheidenfeld....
, and 33 km east of Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
. Squeezed as it is between the river and a bluff, the town consists of little more than a main street. Since 2006, the Maindamm has been used as a town bypass.
Above the town is found Rothenfels Castle (Burg Rothenfels), abutting which is the outlying centre (Stadtteil) of Bergrothenfels
History
The settlement, which arose under Rothenfels Castle’s protection about 1148, had its first documentary mention as a town in a document from Prince-Bishop of Mainz von Wolfskehl. During German MediatisationGerman Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
in 1803, the now Würzburg
Grand Duchy of Würzburg
The Grand Duchy of Würzburg was a German grand duchy centered on Würzburg existing in the early 19th century.As a consequence of the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville, the Bishopric of Würzburg was secularized in 1803 and granted to Bavaria. In the same year Ferdinand III, former Grand Duke of Tuscany, was...
-ruled Rothenfels passed to the princely house of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, and then in 1806 to the Principality of Aschaffenburg
Principality of Aschaffenburg
The Principality of Aschaffenburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the Confederation of the Rhine from 1803–10. Its capital was Aschaffenburg....
; in 1813, Rothenfels became Bavarian.
The outlying centre of Bergrothenfels was separated from Rothenfels in the 19th century, only to be reamalgamated in 1971.
Coat of arms
The town’s armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
might be described thus: Or in base water argent, issuant therefrom three crags gules, in chief the letter R of the same.
The town’s oldest known seal, carved in the late 16th century and known from a 1619 imprint, only showed the uppercase R. The same image is shown in a roll of arms from 1544, wherein the R is shown in red on a silver field. Shown on town and council seals from 1710 is a castle on crags, which are surmounted by the uppercase R (that is, the R is on the crags, not over them), possibly canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
for the town’s name, which means “Stronghold in Red Bunter
Bunter (geology)
Bunter beds are sandstone deposits containing rounded pebbles, such as can notably be found in Warwickshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Devon and Dorset in England...
”. Since the early 19th century, all examples of the town’s seal show the current composition. The arms were affirmed in 1836.
Sightseeing
In the town stand a few timber-frameTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
houses, with statues, that are worth seeing.
On the crags above the town looms Rothenfels Castle (Burg Rothenfels). Well known as a popular outing destination between Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
and Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
, Rothenfels Castle has made a name for itself above all, from the tradition of the Catholic youth movement “Quickborn” (a Low Saxon
Low Saxon
Low Saxon may refer to:In political or territorial respect:*Of or relating to Lower Saxony*Of or relating to Saxe-Lauenburg*Of or relating to Lower Saxon CircleIn linguistic respect:*Any West Low German speech variety*The Northern Low Saxon dialect...
placename
Quickborn, Dithmarschen
Quickborn is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
in Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, not the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
words “quick born”), as a Christian education and conference centre in free sponsorship. The castle is also a Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (DJH) youth hostel.