Ravensburg

2025-10-02T07:49:11Z

2003:F9:EF13:B20C:FDAD:2E66:E5A2:F3FB:

{{other uses}}
{{Expand Alemannic|fa=yes|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox German place
|type=Stadt
|image_coa=Wappen Ravensburg.svg
|image_flag=Flag of Ravensburg.svg
|coordinates = {{coord|47|46|59|N|9|36|41|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan=Ravensburg in RV.svg
|state=Baden-Württemberg
|region=Tübingen
|district=Ravensburg
|Gemeindeverwaltungsverband=Mittleres Schussental
|elevation=450
|area=92.05
|Gemeindeschlüssel=08436064
|postal_code=88212–88214
|area_code=0751
|image_photo=Ravensburg vom Sennerbad 2005.jpg
|image_caption=Ravensburg, seen from the west
|licence=RV
|website=[https://www.ravensburg.de/ www.ravensburg.de]
|mayor=Daniel Rapp<ref>[https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/staatsanzeiger/wahlen/buergermeisterwahlen/ Aktuelle Wahlergebnisse], Staatsanzeiger, accessed 14 September 2021.</ref>
|leader_term = 2018–26
|Bürgermeistertitel=Oberbürgermeister
|party=CDU
}}
'''Ravensburg''' ({{IPA|de|ˈʁaːvn̩sˌbʊʁk|-|De-Ravensburg.ogg}} or {{IPA|de|ˈʁaːfn̩sˌbʊʁk|}}; [[Swabian German|Swabian]]: ''Raveschburg'') is a city in [[Upper Swabia]] in Southern [[Germany]], capital of the [[Ravensburg (district)|district of Ravensburg]], [[Baden-Württemberg]].

Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was a [[Free imperial city|Free Imperial City]] and an important trading centre. The "Great Ravensburg Trading Society" (''Große Ravensburger Handelsgesellschaft'') owned shops and trading companies all over Europe.

The historic city centre is still very much intact, including three city gates and over 10 towers of the medieval fortification.

==History==
Ravensburg was first mentioned in writing in 1088. It was founded by the [[House of Welf|Welf]]s, a [[Franks|Frankish]] dynasty in [[Swabia]] who became later [[Duke]]s of [[Duchy of Bavaria|Bavaria]] and [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxony]] and who made the castle of Ravensburg their ancestral seat.

By a contract of inheritance, in 1191 the [[Hohenstaufen]] [[Frederick Barbarossa]] acquired the ownership of Ravensburg from [[Welf VI]], [[Duke of Spoleto]] and uncle of both [[Frederick Barbarossa]] and [[Henry the Lion]].

With the death of [[Conradin]] 1268 in [[Naples]] the [[Hohenstaufen]] line became extinct. Their former estates became imperial property of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Like many other cities in [[Swabia]], at the end of the 13th century Ravensburg became an [[Imperial Free City]] in 1276.
[[Image:Johann Mathias Steidlin Kloster Weißenau 1734 Detail 04.jpg|left|thumb|275 px|Ravensburg landscape showing local landmarks: 23. Weinberge with Torkeln; 24. St. Christina; 25. Veitsburg; 26. Ravensburg with Mehlsack. Most of the hillsides are shown covered with vineyards. From Kloster Weißenau (stylized print by Johann Mathias Steidlin, 1734).]]
The "Great Ravensburg Trading Society" (''Große Ravensburger Handelsgesellschaft'') was founded at Ravensburg and [[Konstanz]] around 1380 by the merchant families of Humpis (from Ravensburg), Mötteli (from Buchhorn, modern-day [[Friedrichshafen]]) and Muntprat (from Constance). At first, the society mostly dealt in the production of [[linen]] and [[fustian]]. With the opening of one of the first [[paper mill]]s north of the [[Alps]] in 1402 in Ravensburg, [[paper]] became another commodity. The Ravensburg stores also sold oriental spices, Mediterranean wines and Bohemian ores. After the liquidation of the Great Ravensburg Trading Society in 1530, Ravensburg stagnated economically. The [[Thirty Years' War]] caused a grave decline of the population. [[Sweden|Swedish]] troops destroyed the old castle, now named "Veitsburg" after the St. Veit chapel at the castle grounds.

Following the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] a "paritetic" government emerged, meaning an equal distribution of public offices between the Catholic and Protestant confession. The city council was one half each Protestant and Catholic. For some time there was even a Catholic and a Protestant mayor at the same time, and both confessions celebrated the village fair, the "Rutenfest", apart from each other. This system was approved at the end of the [[Thirty Years' War]] in the [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648) which named four "Paritetic Imperial Cities" ({{langx|de|[[:de:Paritätische Reichsstadt|Paritätische Reichsstädte]]}}): [[Augsburg]], [[Biberach an der Riß|Biberach]], [[Dinkelsbühl]] and Ravensburg.

In 1803 the ''[[Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)|Immerwährende Reichstag]]'' passed the ''[[Reichsdeputationshauptschluss]]'', a bill which included the secularisation and [[German mediatisation|mediatisation]] of many German states — the first meaning the confiscation of the estates belonging to the church, the second the incorporation of the imperial estates and Imperial Free Cities into larger regional states. As a result, Ravensburg first became a [[Bavaria]]n [[exclave]] within [[Württemberg]]. After a swap of estates between Bavaria and Württemberg it was incorporated in the [[Kingdom of Württemberg]] in 1810.

Since Ravensburg was impoverished and depopulated after the [[Thirty Years' War]], only a few new buildings were raised during the 18th and the early 19th century. The benefit of this economic stagnation was the conservation of a widely intact medieval city with nearly all towers and gates of the historic fortification.

===20th century===
During [[World War II]] Ravensburg was strategically of no relevance. Ravensburg did not harbor any noteworthy arms industry (unlike nearby [[Friedrichshafen]] with its large aircraft industry), but was home to a major aid supplies center belonging to the [[Swiss Red Cross]]. The historic city centre was not damaged by air raids.

By 1945, the city came into the French occupation zone and thus came in 1947 to the newly founded state of [[Württemberg-Hohenzollern]], which in 1952 merged to the state of Baden-Württemberg.

In the 1970s, Ravensburg increased in population and territory by the incorporation of smaller communities like Eschach, Schmalegg and Taldorf. [[Ravensburg University of Cooperative Education]] was established in the city in 1978.

In the 1980s, the Old Town was renovated and all transit traffic was banned from the city centre.
[[Image:Ravensburg Blaserturm Waaghaus Rathaus.jpg|thumb|250px|Ravensburg, Blaserturm (trumpeter's tower), Waaghaus ([[weighing house]]) and city hall]]

==Economy and infrastructure==
Ravensburg is a thriving shopping city in the wealthy region of Upper Swabia. Unemployment is relatively low. The nearest large cities are [[Munich]], [[Stuttgart]] and [[Zürich]], approximately a two-hour drive away each. [[Ulm]], [[Konstanz]] and [[Bregenz]] are each less than a one-hour train ride or drive away.

Ravensburg is part of an urban agglomeration that also comprises [[Weingarten (Württemberg)]] and several suburbs. Ravensburg, Weingarten, and [[Friedrichshafen]] (on the shores of [[Lake Constance]]) share the functionality of a ''Oberzentrum'' (that is, the highest-ranked centre in the system of spatial planning and development in Baden-Württemberg).

===Transport===
Ravensburg is located at a crossing of the federal roads (national highways) [[Bundesstraße 30|B30]], [[Bundesstraße 31|B31]] and [[Bundesstraße 32|B32]]. A by-pass highway around Ravensburg and Weingarten was completed recently. The regional airport is situated at Friedrichshafen, about 15 km south of Ravensburg. The nearest national motor-ways are the [[Bundesautobahn 7|A7]] and [[Bundesautobahn 8|A8]] (approach at [[Ulm]]) and the [[Bundesautobahn 96|A96]] (approach at [[Lindau]] or [[Wangen im Allgäu]]).

In 1847, the railway station of Ravensbug was put in operation, part of the so-called "Swabian Railroad" from [[Stuttgart]] to [[Friedrichshafen]], the oldest railroad of Württemberg and well known in all of Germany by the folk-style song ''{{Interlanguage link|Auf de Schwäb'sche Eisenbahne|de|Auf de Schwäb’sche Eisenbahne}}''.

In 1888, the [[Ravensburg–Weingarten–Baienfurt tram line]] was open.

===Local businesses===
Mechanical engineering has traditionally been the main type of industry in the region. Based on the demand of the paper and textile industries (now widely reduced) and a long tradition of flour, paper and other mills, many engineering factories arose at the end of the 19th century. Today the primary engineering firms in Ravensburg are the left-overs of the former [[Escher-Wyss AG]] (a subsidiary of the Swiss ''Sulzer AG'') which are now subsidiaries of the Austrian "Andritz Hydro".

''[[Ravensburger|Ravensburger AG]]'', whose headquarters are located in the city, is a company internationally known for board games, jigsaw puzzles and children's books.

The pastry factory ''[[:de:Tekrum]]'' (Theodor Krumm GmbH & Co. KG) is another company with an internationally known brand name. Since January 2005 it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Griesson–de Beukelaer]].

Other large industrial companies include:
*''Vetter Pharma'', a manufacturer of pre-filled injection systems
*''Omira'', one of the largest dairies in southern Germany
*the tool factory ''Hawera Probst'' (a subsidiary of Robert Bosch), the worldwide market leader in hammer drill bits
*the component supplier ''EBZ Engineering Bausch & Ziege'' (formerly ''Nothelfer'', a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Automotive)
*the packaging manufacturer "Coveris Rigid" (formerly Autobar Packaging)
*two suppliers of solar power systems, ''Pro Solar Solarstrom'' and ''pro solar Energietechnik''

===Media===
The local newspaper is the ''[[Schwäbische Zeitung]]''.

The radio companies ''Radio 7'' and ''Südwestrundfunk'' run broadcasting studios at Ravensburg.
In Horgenzell near Ravensburg, the ''[[Ravensburg-Horgenzell transmitter]]'' transmitted [[Deutschlandfunk]] on the [[medium wave]] frequency 756 kHz.

==Culture==
The city's most popular festival is the annual "[[Rutenfest Ravensburg|Rutenfest]]", which takes place mid year.

==Sport==
The city's association football club [[FV Ravensburg]], formed in 1893, has played in the [[Oberliga Baden-Württemberg]] on three occasions from 1978 to 1983, from 1998 to 2000 and again since 2003.

From 2006 to 2010, Ravensburg hosted the [[Meco Cup|Air Canada Cup or MLP Nations Cup]], an international [[women's ice hockey]] tournament.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Ravensburg is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Ravensburgs Partnerstädte|url=https://www.ravensburg.de/rv/buergerservice-verwaltung/partnerstaedte/partnerstaedte-ravensburg.php|website=ravensburg.de|publisher=Ravensburg|language=de|access-date=2021-03-14}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|BLR}} [[Brest, Belarus|Brest]], Belarus
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Coswig, Saxony|Coswig]], Germany
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Mollet del Vallès]], Spain
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Montélimar]], France
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Rivoli, Piedmont|Rivoli]], Italy
*{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Aberdare]], Wales, United Kingdom
*{{flagicon|CRO}} [[Varaždin]], Croatia
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
[[File:Henry the Lion (cropped).jpg|thumb|150px|[[Henry the Lion]], 12th C.]]
[[File:Franz Joachim Beich.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Franz Joachim Beich]], 1744]]
* [[Henry the Lion]] (1129/1131–1195), Duke of Saxony and Bavaria.<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Henry "The Lion" |volume= 13 | last= |first= |author-link= | pages= 294-295 |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Ladislaus Sunthaym]] (c. 1440 – c. 1512), historian and geographer
* [[Hans Buchner]] (1483–1538), organist and composer
* [[Joannes Susenbrotus]] (c. 1484 – c. 1542), humanist, taught in Ravensburg from 1522
* [[Franz Joachim Beich]] (1666–1748), painter
*[[Gustav Rümelin]] (1815–1889), statistician, pedagogue and author.<ref>{{Cite NIE |wstitle= Rümelin, Gustav |volume= XVII | page= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[August Natterer]] (1868–1933), art brut artist
* [[Karl Erb]] (1877–1958), tenor
* [[Elisabeth Gerdts-Rupp]] (1888–1972), jurist, lyric poet and ethnologist
* [[Klaus Schwab]] (born 1938), economist, founder of the [[World Economic Forum]]
* [[Theo Seiler]] (born 1949), ophthalmologist and physicist, pioneer of [[refractive surgery]]
* [[Andreas Gestrich]] (born 1952), historian and director of the [[German Historical Institute London]]
* [[Gregor Amann]] (born 1962), politician (SPD), Member of Bundestag 2005–2009
* [[Kai Diekmann]] (born 1964), journalist and former chief editor of the [[Bild-Zeitung]]
* [[Stefanie Dimmeler]] (born 1967), biologist and biochemist, [[Leibniz Prize]] winner
* [[Kofi Ansuhenne]] (born 1973), boy group singer ("Bed & Breakfast")
* [[Linus Roth]] (born 1977), classical violinist and academic teacher
* [[Wilhelm, Duke of Württemberg]] (born 1994), head of the [[House of Württemberg]]
* [[Jonathan Mack]] (born 1984), human rights activist

=== Sport ===
* siblings [[Erich Buck]], (born 1949) & [[Angelika Buck]] (born 1950), figure skaters
* [[Simon Henzler]] (born 1976), football player and coach, played 146 games
* [[Daniel Unger]] (born 1978), triathlete,
* [[Susanne Fellner]] (born 1985), ice hockey player
* [[Rahman Soyudogru]] (born 1989), footballer, played 198 games, mainly for [[FV Ravensburg]]
* [[Ömer Toprak]] (born 1989), Turkish footballer, played over 300 games and 27 for [[Turkey national football team|Turkey]]
* [[Emanuel Buchmann]] (born 1992), cyclist, comes from [[Vogt, Baden-Württemberg|Vogt]]
* [[Anna-Maria Wagner]] (born 1996), [[judoka]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Ravensburg}}
{{wikivoyage|Ravensburg}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050210034654/http://www.rutenfest-ravensburg.de/ Rutenfest]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050319094735/http://www.weberberg.de/blaserturm/ Blaserturm.de]

{{Swabian League}}
{{Swabian Circle}}
{{Free Imperial Cities}}
{{Cities and towns in Ravensburg (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ravensburg| ]]
[[Category:1803 disestablishments]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1276]]
[[Category:Towns in Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Upper Swabia]]
[[Category:Free imperial cities]]

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Ravensburg