View source for Bad Mergentheim

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox German place
| type               = Stadt
| image_coa          = Wappen Bad Mergentheim.svg
| image_photo        = File:Bad Mergentheim Historischer Stadtkern Deutschordensschloss Luftbild.jpg
| image_caption      = Aerial Photo of Bad Mergentheim
| coordinates        = {{Wikidatacoord|Q61942|display=inline,title}}
| image_plan         = Bad Mergentheim im Main-Tauber-Kreis.png
| state              = Baden-Württemberg
| region             = Stuttgart
| district           = Main-Tauber-Kreis
| elevation          = 206
| area               = 129.96
| postal_code        = 97980
| area_code          = 07931 (primarily), 07930, 07932, 07937, 07938 (boroughs) 
| licence            = TBB, MGH
| Gemeindeschlüssel  = 08 1 28 007
| divisions          = ''[[Central business district|Kernstadt]]'' and 13 ''[[Stadtteil]]e''
| mayor              = Udo Glatthaar<ref>[https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/staatsanzeiger/wahlen/buergermeisterwahlen/ Aktuelle Wahlergebnisse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007172625/https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/staatsanzeiger/wahlen/buergermeisterwahlen/ |date=7 October 2021 }}, Staatsanzeiger, accessed 13 September 2021.</ref>
| leader_term        = 2019&ndash;27
| Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
| party              = CDU
| website            = [https://www.bad-mergentheim.de/ www.bad-mergentheim.de]
}}
'''Bad Mergentheim''' ({{IPA|de|baːt ˈmɛʁɡn̩thaɪm|lang|De-Bad Mergentheim.ogg}}; '''Mergentheim''' until 1926; {{langx|vmf|label=[[East Franconian German|East Franconian]]|Märchedol}}) is a town in the [[Main-Tauber-Kreis]] district in the German state of [[Baden-Württemberg]]. It has a population of around 23,000. An officially recognized [[spa town]] since 1926, Bad Mergentheim is also known as the headquarters of the [[Teutonic Order]] from 1526 until 1809.

==Geography==
===Subdivisions===
Since administrative reform in the 1970s the following villages have been part of the municipality: Althausen ''(pop. 600)'', Apfelbach ''(350)'', Dainbach ''(370)'', Edelfingen ''(1,400''; birthplace of the American biochemist [[Julius Adler (biochemist)|Julius Adler]]), Hachtel ''(360)'', Herbsthausen ''(200)'', Löffelstelzen ''(1,000)'', Markelsheim ''(2,000)'', Neunkirchen ''(1,000)'', Rengershausen ''(480)'', Rot ''(260)'', Stuppach ''(680)'', Wachbach ''(1,300)''

==History==

Mergentheim is mentioned in chronicles as early as 1058, as the residence of the family of the counts of [[Hohenlohe]]. The brothers Andreas, Heinrich and Friedrich von Hohenlohe joined the ''Deutscher Orden'' ([[Teutonic Order]]) in 1219 and gave their two castles near Mergentheim to the order. One was abandoned, the other became the seat of the local ''[[Commander (order)|Komtur]]'' (commander) of the order.

Following the Order's conquest of [[East Prussia]] and part of [[Livland]] in the 1230s, in 1309 the Grand Master of the order moved to the ''[[Malbork Castle|Marienburg]]''. In 1340 Mergentheim was awarded [[town privileges]]. It rapidly became the most important of the eleven commanderies of the Teutonic Order. The ''Deutschmeister'', highest ranking member inside the [[Holy Roman Empire]] (to which Prussia did not belong), moved his seat to Mergentheim in 1525 after his castle at [[Horneck Castle, Germany|Hornberg/Neckar]] had been [[German Peasants' War|destroyed by peasants]]. That same year, Grand Master [[Albert, Duke of Prussia|Albrecht von Zollern-Brandenburg]] resigned his position, left the order, introduced [[Reformation]], married and – supported by his liege lord the [[Sigismund I the Old|King of Poland]] – turned the order's eastern territories into a temporal duchy. The rulers of the order in Germany, now styling themselves ''Hoch- und Deutschmeister'', then made Mergentheim the order's new headquarters and expanded the castle into a palatial residence.

Over the next centuries, the town served as the centre of the order's southern German territories much like the residence town of any ruling prince. Some grand masters, like [[Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria]] (1614–62), who in his 21 years in that role never once set foot in the town, were hardly ever present. Others, like [[Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria|Maximilian Franz]] (1756-1801), a son of [[Maria Theresa]], loved the place. For the order's general chapter in 1791 he brought the orchestra of the [[Electorate of Cologne|Archbishopric of Cologne]], including one [[Ludwig van Beethoven]] on viola. Mergentheim retained this role until the dissolution of the order in the countries of the ''[[Rheinbund]]'' in 1809 by [[Napoleon]].<ref>{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Mergentheim|volume=18|page=164}}. Additional citations: Höring, ''Das Karlsbad bei Mergentheim'' (Mergentheim 1887); and Schmitt, ''Garnisongeschichte der Stadt Mergentheim'' (Stuttgart, 1895).</ref><ref name="Dumont">{{cite book |last=Dettelbacher |first=Werner |title=Franken - Kunst, Geschichte und Landschaft (German) |publisher=Dumont Verlag |year=1974 |isbn=3-7701-0746-2 }}</ref>{{rp|114}}

Mergentheim's fortunes declined after that but were reversed in 1826, when a shepherd by the name of Franz Gehring discovered rich mineral springs in the surrounding area, during the time when spas were expanding in Germany at a rapid pace. The water turned out to be the strongest [[sodium sulfate|sodium-sulfate]] water in Europe, reportedly effective for the treatment of digestive disorders.

In the 1970s during the ''Gemeindereform'' (administrative reform) several neighbouring villages were incorporated into the municipality.

==Arts and culture==
===Attractions===
====Mergentheim Palace====
{{Main|Mergentheim Palace}}
[[File:Die Türme von Bad Mergentheim am Morgen.jpg|thumb|The towers of Bad Mergentheim.]] 
[[File:Das Alte Rathaus in Bad Mergentheim. Mit Milchlingsbrunnen.jpg|thumb|The old town hall and market place in Bad Mergentheim]]
[[File:Die Wolfgangs Kapelle über der Tauber. 01.jpg|thumb|The Wolfgang chapel and stone bridge over the [[Tauber]]]]

The best-known sight of Bad Mergentheim is the ''Deutschordensschloss'', the castle where the Teutonic Knights once had their home base. It is a complex of buildings built over a period of eight hundred years. The first buildings of the castle were probably erected as early as the 12th century. The castle was expanded in the late 16th century under Grand Master [[Walter von Cronberg|Walther von Cronberg]]. Over the course of time a representative [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]] complex was built by connecting the individual buildings in the inner palace courtyard to a closed ring of buildings. In 1574, the main architect, {{Interlanguage link|Blasius Berwart|de}}, also constructed the spiral staircase between the west and north wing. Today the castle houses the ''Deutschordensmuseum'' (museum of the Teutonic Order).

The [[English landscape garden]] between palace and spa building is mainly due to Archduke Maximilian Franz. In 1797, he had a "mosque" built there to recall the past Turkish threat and in 1802 the ''Schellenhäusle'', a late [[Chinoiserie]]. The obelisk was built under [[Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg|Duke Paul von Württemberg]], a memorial for a dog that saved his life on one of his expeditions.<ref name="Dumont"/>{{rp|115}}

The castle complex is dominated by the ''Schlosskirche'' (palace church), begun in 1730 under [[Count Palatine Francis Louis of Neuburg|Franz Ludwig Herzog von Pfalz-Neuburg]] in [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] style. It was finished in 1735 under [[Clemens August of Bavaria|Clemens August von Wittelsbach]]. The plans for the interior were drawn up by [[François de Cuvilliés]], the Electoral court architect of Cologne. Architects working on site were Joseph Roth and Friedrich Kirchenmayer. Its [[Rococo]] interior features elaborate ceiling [[fresco]]s by the court painter {{Interlanguage link|Nikolaus Gottfried Stuber|de}}, depicting ''The Defense of Faith'', the ''Glorification of the Cross in [[Heaven]] and on Earth'' and the ''Emperor [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine]]'s Vision of the Cross''. The main altar painting is ''Die Salbung Jesu durch Maria in Bethanien'' by local painter {{Interlanguage link|Matthäus Zehender|de}}. Side altar paintings were by [[Giambattista Pittoni]] (''Kreuzaufnahme'', ''Armenspeisung durch die heilige Elisabeth''). The crypt below the church is the burial site of the order's grand masters.<ref name="Dumont"/>{{rp|115}} For around 200 years the ''Schlosskirche'' has been a [[Protestant]] church.

====Other sights====
The sacristy of the ''Marienkirche'' (finished in 1388) features frescos made in 1300-10 by the monk Rudolfus. This was formerly the church of a [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] monastery. The cloister has a fresco from 1486 showing a [[Visitation (Christianity)|Visitation]] that depicts an embryo inside the body of Mary. The church also contains the epitaph of Walther von Cronberg, the first Mergentheim Grand Master. Modelled in 1539, probably by [[Vischer family of Nuremberg|Hans Vischer]], it was taken to [[Monrepos Palace|Monrepos]] at [[Ludwigsburg]] in 1809, when Mergentheim became part of the [[Kingdom of Württemberg]]. In 1853, the statue was restored to this church.<ref name="Dumont"/>{{rp|115}}

'''Ottmar Mergenthaler Museum'''
[[File:Hachtel-Ottmar Mergenthaler-Sign-DW.jpg|thumb|Signage on the edge of Hachtel advertising the Ottmar Mergenthaler Inventor Museum]]
In Hachtel, the [https://visit.bad-mergentheim.de/de/kultur-schloss-genuss/ottmar-mergenthaler-museum/ Ottmar Mergenthaler Museum] is located in the old town hall building on Ottmar-Mergenthaler-Straße, which was the birthplace of [[Ottmar Mergenthaler]]. The building was re-built in 1954 to celebrate the 100th birth date of the inventor by the Mergenthaler Setzmaschinen-Fabrik company of Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Box at the Museum {{!}} From the Desk of Doug Wilson |url=https://realdougwilson.com/writing/the-box-at-the-museum |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=The Website of Doug Wilson |language=en}}</ref> Today, the museum hosts guest to view their working Linotype machine on the ground level with artifacts of Ottmar Mergenthaler’s life and invention and another Linotype machine on the second level. It is only open the first Sunday of every month, so planning your visit in advance is advised.

==Demographics==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Year
! Population
|-----
! 1660
| align="right" | 1,064
|-----
! 1855
| align="right" | 2,917
|-----
! 1900
| align="right" | 4,372
|-----
! 1933
| align="right" | 6,191
|-----
! 1945
| align="right" | 9,300
|-----
! 1950
| align="right" | 10,184
|-----
! 1961
| align="right" | 11,608
|-----
! 1975
| align="right" | 19,895
|-----
! 1990
| align="right" | 21,567
|-----
! 2005
| align="right" | 22,486
|-----
! 2013
| align="right" | 22,470
|}

==Governance==
===Town twinning===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}

Bad Mergentheim is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Digne-les-Bains]], France
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Manche]], France
* {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Fuefuki, Yamanashi]], Japan<ref name=International>{{cite web |url=http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=19&n=Yamanashi%20Prefecture |title=International Exchange |work=List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures |publisher=Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) |access-date=21 November 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205180944/http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=19&n=Yamanashi%20Prefecture |archive-date=5 February 2016 }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Borgomanero]], Italy

==Infrastructure==
* [[Löffelstelzen Transmitter]]
* [[German Diabetes Center Mergentheim]]

==Notable people==
[[File:Johann Friedrich Mayer - Oeconomische Encyclopädie.png|thumb|140px|[[Johann Friedrich Mayer (agriculturist)|Johann Friedrich Mayer]], 1793]]
[[File:Ottmar Mergenthaler.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Ottmar Mergenthaler]]]]
* [[Heinrich von Hohenlohe]] (died 1249), nobleman, the seventh [[Grand Master of the Teutonic Order]] from 1244 to 1249, buried in the local church
* [[Johann Friedrich Mayer (agriculturist)|Johann Friedrich Mayer]] (1719–1798), priest and agricultural reformer ("Plaster Apostle")
* [[Ludwig van Beethoven]] (1770–1827), was viola player in the court's musical establishment of the [[Grand Master of the Teutonic Order]], [[Maximilian Franz of Austria]] in 1791
* [[Carl Arnold (composer)|Carl Arnold]] (1794–1873), pianist, composer, conductor, teacher and organist
* {{Interlanguage link|Hermann Bauer (Pfarrer)|de}} (1814–1872), Protestant pastor and Württemberg local historian
* [[Eduard Mörike]] (1804–1875), German poet, lived in Mergentheim from 1844–1851
* [[Wilhelm Zimmermann]] (1807–1878), German theologian, historian and vegetarian, died in Mergentheim
* [[John Balbach]], (1820–1896), American emigrant, blacksmith and prominent citizen of [[San Jose, California]]
* [[Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf]] (1852–1925), Austro-Hungarian Field Marshall from 1871–1918, died in Mergentheim.<ref>{{Cite Collier's |wstitle=Hoetzendorf, Baron Franz Conrad von |volume=V |short=1 }}</ref>
* [[Ottmar Mergenthaler]] (1854–1899), inventor of the [[Linotype machine|Linotype]]<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896">{{cite book |title=Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 |publisher=Marquis Who's Who |location=Chicago |year=1963 }}</ref>
* [[Edvard Hjelt]] (1855–1921), Finnish chemist and politician, died in Mergentheim
* [[Felix Fechenbach]] (1894–1933), German-Jewish journalist, poet, political activist; murdered by the [[Nazis]]
* [[Hansgünther Heyme]] (born 1935), theatre director and figure in the [[Regietheater]] movement.
* {{Interlanguage link|Gudrun Mebs|de}} (born 1944), children's and youth book author ([[Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis|Jugendliteraturpreis]] 1984)
* [[Barbara Stamm]] (1944–2022), politician [[Christian Social Union in Bavaria|CSU]], President of the [[Landtag of Bavaria]]
* [[Fritz Kuhn]] (born 1955), mayor of [[Stuttgart]], former MP and former national chairman of the [[Alliance '90 / The Greens|Greens]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Jürgen Koch (Koch)|de}} (born 1963), cook, awarded one star in the ''[[Michelin Guide]]''
[[File:Carolin Golubytskyi podium 2013 Fencing WCH FFS-IN t204741.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Carolin Golubytskyi]], 2013]]

=== Sport ===
* [[Martin Lanig]] (born 1984), football player, played 259 games
* [[Carolin Golubytskyi]] (born 1985), foil fencer
* [[Christopher Bieber]] (born 1989), footballer who has played over 375 games
* [[Atilla Yildirim]] (born 1990), Dutch-Turkish football player, played over 175 games
* [[Luca Pfeiffer]] (born 1996), footballer who has played over 275 games
* [[Valentin Kluss]] (born 2007), racing driver

==See also==
* [[Wildpark Bad Mergentheim]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Bad Mergentheim}}
{{Commons category|Bad Mergentheim|position=left}}

{{Franconian Circle}}
{{Cities and towns in Main-Tauber (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:BadMergentheim}}
[[Category:Spa towns in Germany]]
[[Category:Main-Tauber-Kreis]]
[[Category:Franconian Circle]]