Ansbach
Ansbach is a town in Bavaria, Germany.
It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia.
Ansbach is situated south west of Nuremberg at the Frankish-Rezat, an arm of the Main river.
Population: 39,800 (1999).
A Benedictine monastery at the place was founded ca 748 A.D. by a Franconian noble, Gumbertus, who was later canonized. In the following centuries the monastery and the adjoining village grew to become the city of Ansbach (called a city in 1221 for the first time).
In 1331 the Hohenzollern Burggraves from Nürnberg took possession of Ansbach, which they ruled until 1806, with Ansbach as their seat. When the Hohenzollerns were elevated to become electors of Brandenburg, the Ansbach state was not united with Brandenburg and remained independent, as '"Brandenburg-Ansbach" A full list of the Hohenzollern rulers of Ansbach can be found at Hohenzollern.
In 1792 Ansbach was annexed by the Hohenzollerns of Prussia, and only fourteen years later, in 1806, Napoleon awarded the territory of his Hohenzollern enemy to Bavaria.
In the late 16th century, the physician to margrave Georg Friedrich was the famous botanist, Leonhart Fuchs.
Ansbach was home of the astronomer Simon Marius, who observed Jupiter's moons from the castle's tower. Later he claimed to be the discoverer of the moons, which led to a dispute with the true discoverer, Galileo Galilei.
Anspach was the birthplace of the early chemist, Georg Ernst Stahl.
At the end of the 17th century, the margraves' palace at Ansbach was rebuilt in Baroque style.
Kaspar Hauser lived in Ansbach from 1830 to 1833. He was murdered in the palace gardens.
Anspach was a small town largely by-passed by the Industrial Revolution, an administrative and cultural center. The historical center of Ansbach was spared during World War II and it has kept its baroque character.
Since 1970, Ansbach has enlarged its municipal area by annexing adjacent communities.
Ansbach hosts several units of the U.S. armed forces, associated with German units under NATO. There are three separate U.S. installations: Shipton Kaserne, home to 6th Bn., 52nd Air Defense Artillery; Katterbach Kaserne, where the 1st Division's 4th Combat Aviation Brigade resides, associated with Bismarck Kaserne, where the post exchange, etc. are located, and Barton Barracks, home to the 235th BSB.
Sights
- Castle of the margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach
- Margrave museum
- Kaspar Hauser Monument
- St. Gumbertus and St. Johannis churches, both 15th century
External links
- Official Website (German, English, French)
- Ansbach information
