Merseburg

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Merseburg is a city in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg.

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History

Merseburg is one of the oldest towns in Germany.

Merseburg was founded in the early Middle Ages. Henry the Fowler in 934 gained his great victory over the Hungarians near here.

Thietmar of Merseburg became the first archbishop of the newly created bishopric of Prague in Bohemia, appointed in 973. Prague had been part of the archbishopric of Mainz for a hundred years before that. From 968 until the Reformation, it was the seat of a bishop, and in addition to being for a time the residence of the margraves of Meissen, it was a favorite residence of the German kings during the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. Fifteen diocese were held here during the middle ages, when its fairs enjoyed the importance which was afterwards transferred to those of Leipzig. The town suffered severely during the Peasants' War and also during the Thirty Years' War. From 1657 to 1738 it was the residence of the dukes of Saxe-Merseburg.

Merseburg was badly damaged in World War II with nearly 65 percent of its population dying. Among its noted buildings are the cathedral (founded 1015, rebuilt in the 13th and 16th cent.) and the episcopal palace (15th cent.).

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Merseburg was transformed into an industrial site, which is largely due to the pioneering work done by people like Bosch and Bergius who laid down the scientific fundamentals of the catalytic high-pressure ammonia synthesis from 1909 to 1913. Enterprises, too, blazed a trail in the course of the transformational process. Finally, a chemical park emerged which is one of the most modern sites of its kind in Europe with high ecological standards.


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Places to visit:

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Schlossgarten (palace garden)

Photograph

The Cathedral-and-Palace Ensemble with its fascinating palace garden, Merseburg House of Trades with a cultural stage and the German Museum of Chemistry, Merseburg, all bear witness to Merseburg’s history. The Merseburg Palace Festival with the Historical Pageant, the International Palace-Moat Concerts, Merseburg Organ Days and the Puppet Show Festival Week are highlights celebrated every year.

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Thilo von Trotha and the raven

Merseburg is the 'town of spells'. Written down in Old High German, they are hitherto the only preserved documents with a heathen theme. They tell of a prisoner who was freed and a horse whose injured leg was healed. Another magical story is the Legend of the Raven.

It is also the birthplace of classical scholar Lucian Müller, as well as the site where the Merseburg Incantations were rediscovered.


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Twin towns

Merseburg is twinned with:

Chatillon/France, Genzano di Roma/Italy, Bottrop (Nordrhein Westphalen)

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References

fr:Mersebourg nl:Merseburg nds:Merseburg pl:Merseburg sv:Merseburg

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