- Bad Hersfeld
Infobox German Location
Art = Stadt
Name = Bad Hersfeld
image_photo = Hersfeld altstadt tageberg.jpg
imagesize = 300px
image_caption = Old Town of Bad Hersfeld, taken from the Tageberg
Wappen = Wappen Bad Hersfeld.png
lat_deg = 50 |lat_min = 52 |lat_sec = 6
lon_deg = 9 |lon_min = 42 |lon_sec = 27
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Hessen
Regierungsbezirk = Kassel
Landkreis = Hersfeld-Rotenburg
Höhe = 212
Fläche = 73.82
Einwohner = 30415
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 36251
Vorwahl = 06621
Kfz = HEF
Gemeindeschlüssel = 06 6 32 002
Straße = Weinstraße 16
Website = [http://www.bad-hersfeld.de/ www.bad-hersfeld.de]
Bürgermeister = Hartmut H. Boehmer
Partei = IndependentBad Hersfeld is a
spa town and the capital of theHersfeld-Rotenburg district, in the north-eastern region ofHesse ,Germany .Geography
Bad Hersfeld is located on the
Fulda River , approx 50 kilometers southeast ofKassel . Neighbouring towns areKassel in the north,Fulda in the south andEisenach in the east. SinceGerman reunification in1990 the town has been situated in the center of Germany. For this reason the town and the district have become a focal point for logistic and distribution companies.Division of the town
The town consists of the following districts:
History
:"see main article
Hersfeld Abbey "Saint Sturm established a small monastic community here in736 , but this moved to Fulda. It was re-settled here in769 by SaintLullus . Thus both Sturm and Lullus are regarded as the founders of Hersfeld Abbey, and consequently of the town which grew up round it, the present Bad Hersfeld. Lullus was born inWessex and became monk atMalmesbury Abbey . He was a disciple ofSaint Boniface and his successor as the archbishop ofMainz . He died in786 in Bad Hersfeld and was buried in the abbey church, which he himself had built.The monastery was enlarged between
831 and850 and Lullus' remains were moved in852 to another grave in the new basilica. During this ceremony hiscanonisation was announced byRabanus Maurus . Since 852, the "Lullusfest", the oldest folk festival in Germany, has been celebrated in the week of Saint Lullus' day,16 October (his day of death).Martin Luther visited the monastery, on his way back from theDiet of Worms in1521 and held a sermon in the abbey church on1 May . About two years later, the town and the territory of the abbey was generally protestant.During the
Seven Years' War the French army used the former abbey church as a supply and food depot. During their retreat in1761 they destroyed their supplies by setting fire to the building, thus also destroying one of the largest churches in Germany. During theAmerican Revolution KingGeorge III ofEngland hired theMusketeer Regiment Prinz Carl along with other regiments fromFrederick II, Landgrave of Hesse . The Musketeer Regiment Prinz Carl was stationed both before and after their return from America at Hersfeld.In
1949 the town was officially acknowledged as a spa, and to indicate this its name was changed to "Bad" Hersfeld. The waters of the Lullus and Vitalis wells are recommended as helpful for people suffering from liver, bilious and stomach complaints or from enteritis.Since
1951 , the Bad Hersfeld Festival has taken place in the ruins of the Romanesque church.Transportation
Roads
The
Autobahn A 4, A5 and A 7 cross the town area.Culture
The town is well known for the Bad Hersfeld Festival which takes place every summer in the ruined church of the Benedictine abbey. Further on there are famous mineral springs.
There is also an annual party called Lullusfest which is usually in the first week of October.
Twin towns
*
L'Haÿ-les-Roses (France , since1979 )
*Bad Salzungen (Germany , since1990 )
*Šumperk (Czech Republic , since1994 )
*Działdowo (Poland )External links
* [http://www.bad-hersfeld.de/ Official website of Bad Hersfeld] de icon
* [http://www.bad-hersfelder-festspiele.de/ Bad Hersfeld Festival] de icon
* [http://www.oper-hersfeld.de/ Bad Hersfeld Opera Festival] de icon
* [http://www.kurverwaltung-badhersfeld.de/ Administration of medicinal treatment] de icon
* [http://www.lullusfest.de/ Lullusfest in Bad Hersfeld] de icon
* [http://thedeitz.com/ A personal 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment web page]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.