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.pnglat_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 = Independent

Bad Hersfeld is a spa town and the capital of the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district, in the north-eastern region of Hesse, Germany.

Geography

Bad Hersfeld is located on the Fulda River, approx 50 kilometers southeast of Kassel. Neighbouring towns are Kassel in the north, Fulda in the south and Eisenach in the east. Since German reunification in 1990 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 in 736, but this moved to Fulda. It was re-settled here in 769 by Saint Lullus. 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 in Wessex and became monk at Malmesbury Abbey. He was a disciple of Saint Boniface and his successor as the archbishop of Mainz. He died in 786 in Bad Hersfeld and was buried in the abbey church, which he himself had built.

The monastery was enlarged between 831 and 850 and Lullus' remains were moved in 852 to another grave in the new basilica. During this ceremony his canonisation was announced by Rabanus 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 the Diet of Worms in 1521 and held a sermon in the abbey church on 1 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 in 1761 they destroyed their supplies by setting fire to the building, thus also destroying one of the largest churches in Germany. During the American Revolution King George III of England hired the Musketeer Regiment Prinz Carl along with other regiments from Frederick 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, since 1979)
* Bad Salzungen (Germany, since 1990)
* Šumperk (Czech Republic, since 1994)
* 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]