imported>BigBullfrog at 15:44, 1 May 2025

2025-05-01T15:44:05Z

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{{short description|Town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany}}
{{about|the town|the district|Rottweil (district)}}
{{Infobox German place
|type = Stadt
|image_photo = Blick auf Rottweil.jpg
|image_caption= A bird's-eye view of the whole city
|image_flag =
|image_coa = Wappen Rottweil.svg
|coordinates = {{coord|48|10|5|N|8|37|29|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Rottweil in RW.svg
|state = Baden-Württemberg
|region = Freiburg
|district = Rottweil
|elevation = 557-609
|area = 71.76
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 08325049
|postal_code = 78628, 78652 (Unterrotenstein)
|area_code = 0741, 07427 (Neukirch)
|licence = RW
|website = [https://www.rottweil.de/ www.rottweil.de]
|mayor = Christian Ruf<ref name="Oberbürgermeisterwahl Rottweil 2022">[https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/wahl/oberbuergermeisterwahl-rottweil-2022/ Oberbürgermeisterwahl Rottweil 2022], Staatsanzeiger.</ref>
|leader_term = 2022–30
|Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
|party = CDU
}}
[[File:Rottweil - panoramio (1).jpg|thumb|Aerial view]]
'''Rottweil''' ({{IPA|de|ˈʁɔtvaɪl|lang|De-Rottweil.ogg}}; [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]]: ''Rautweil'') is a [[Town#Germany|town]] in [[southwest Germany]] in the [[States of Germany|state]] of [[Baden-Württemberg]]. Rottweil was a [[free imperial city]] for nearly 600 years.

Located between the [[Black Forest]] and the [[Swabian Jura|Swabian Alps]], Rottweil has over 25,000 inhabitants as of 2022. The town is famous for its [[medieval]] center and for its traditional [[carnival]] (called "[[Fastnacht|Fasnet]]" in the local [[Swabian German|Swabian]] dialect). It is the oldest town in Baden-Württemberg,<ref>Website of Dominikaner Museum Rottweil (retrieved May 22, 2014), on permanent display is a wooden table from August 4, AD 186 naming arae flaviae as [[municipium]] thus making Rottweil the oldest town in Baden-Württemberg [http://www.dominikanermuseum.de/cms/?q=node/3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521235015/http://www.dominikanermuseum.de/cms/?q=node%2F3|date=2014-05-21}}</ref> and its appearance has changed very little since the 16th century.

The town gives its name to the [[Rottweiler]] dog breed.

== History ==
[[File:Schild Rottweil.JPG|thumb|[[Tourist sign]] reading „Älteste Stadt Baden-Württembergs“ ("Oldest town of Baden-Württemberg")]]
Rottweil was founded by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] in AD 73 as [[Flavian dynasty|Arae Flaviae]] and became a ''[[municipium]]'', but there are traces of human settlement going back to 2000 BC. [[Thermae|Roman baths]] and an [[Orpheus mosaic]] of c. AD 180 date from the time of Roman settlement. The present town became a ducal and a royal court before 771 and in 1268 it became a [[free imperial city]].

In 1463 Rottweil joined the [[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss Confederacy]] under the pretence of a temporary alliance. In 1476 the Rottweilers fought on the Swiss side against [[Charles the Bold]] in the [[Battle of Morat]]. In 1512, Pope Julius II gave the city a valuable [[Juliusbanner|"Julius banner"]] for its services in the 1508–1510 "Great Pavier Campaign" to expel the French.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hecht |first1=Winfried |title=The Julius Banner of the Village of Rottweil |url=https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=gfr-001:1973:126::424#149 |journal=Der Geschichtsfreund: Mitteilungen des Historischen Vereins der Fünf Orte Luzern, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden und Zug |date=1973 |volume=126-127 |page=141 |doi=10.5169/seals-118647 |access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref> In 1519, the Rottweilers left the old Swiss alliance. They joined a new one in which their membership was extended indefinitely – the so-called "Eternal Covenant".

Rottweil thus became a centre of the Swiss Confederation. The relations between the Swiss Confederation and Rottweil cooled rapidly during the Protestant Reformation. When Rottweil was troubled by wars, however, it still asked the Confederates for help.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hecht |first1=Winfried |title=Rottweil |url=http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D7104.php |website=Historical Dictionary of Switzerland |access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref>

In the [[Rottweil Witch Hunts]] from 1546 to 1661, 266 so-called witches, wizards and magicians were executed in the imperial city of Rottweil. On April 15, 2015, they were given a posthumous pardon. An official apology was given by the City Council about 400 years after their violent deaths.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Zeck |first1=Mario |title="Im Rauch gehen Himmel geschüggt", Hexenverfolgung in der Reichsstadt Rottweil |date=2000 |publisher=Stuttgart |page=43}}</ref>

Rottweil lost both its status as free city and its alliance with the Swiss Confederacy with the conquest of the region by [[Napoleon]] in 1803.

== Lord mayors since the 19th century ==
* 1820–1833: Max Joseph von Khuon, Schultheiß
* 1833–1845: Max Teufel
* 1845–1848: Karl Dinkelmann
* 1848–1851: Kaspar Rapp
* 1852–1887: Johann Baptist Marx
* 1887–1923: Edwin Glückher
* 1924–1943: Josef Abrell
* 1943–1944: Otto Mann
* 1944–1945: Paul Fritz
* 1945–1946: Franz Mederle
* 1946–1965: Arnulf Gutknecht
* 1965–1985: Ulrich Regelmann, mayor; from 1970 Lord Mayor
* 1985–2001: Michael Arnold
* 2001–2009: Thomas Engeser
* 2009–2022: [[:de:Ralf Broß|Ralf Broß]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oberbürgermeisterwahl 2009 - vorläufiges amtliches Endergebnis |url=http://wahlen09.rz-kiru.de/08325049/index.html |publisher=Kommunale Informationsverarbeitung Reutlingen-Ulm |language=de |access-date=2 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ralf Broß - Oberbürgermeister - Stadt Rottweil |url=https://www.xing.com/profile/Ralf_Bross |publisher=[[XING]] |language=de |access-date=2 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mitarbeiter: Broß, Ralf |url=https://www.rottweil.de/de/Stadt%2BB%C3%BCrger/Rathaus/Stadtverwaltung/Mitarbeiter-A-Z/Mitarbeiter?view=publish&item=staff&id=74 |language=de |publisher=Rottweil (official site) |access-date=2 February 2017}}</ref>
*2022–present: Christian Ruf<ref name="Oberbürgermeisterwahl Rottweil 2022">[https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/wahl/oberbuergermeisterwahl-rottweil-2022/ Oberbürgermeisterwahl Rottweil 2022], Staatsanzeiger.</ref>

==Climate==
{{Weather box
|location = Rottweil (1991-2020)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan mean C =-0.1
| Feb mean C =0.4
| Mar mean C =3.9
| Apr mean C =7.8
| May mean C =12.1
| Jun mean C =15.7
| Jul mean C =17.6
| Aug mean C =17.2
| Sep mean C =12.9
| Oct mean C =8.8
| Nov mean C =3.8
| Dec mean C =0.7
| year mean C =

| Jan precipitation mm =55.9
| Feb precipitation mm =50.2
| Mar precipitation mm =56.2
| Apr precipitation mm =52.6
| May precipitation mm =92.2
| Jun precipitation mm =79.8
| Jul precipitation mm =89.8
| Aug precipitation mm =82.7
| Sep precipitation mm =57.7
| Oct precipitation mm =63.1
| Nov precipitation mm =61.4
| Dec precipitation mm =66.9
| year precipitation mm =

|Jan sun = 66.9
|Feb sun = 89.4
|Mar sun = 135.2
|Apr sun = 172.9
|May sun = 199.1
|Jun sun = 217.8
|Jul sun = 234.8
|Aug sun = 220.8
|Sep sun = 164.1
|Oct sun = 117.5
|Nov sun = 70
|Dec sun = 58.4
|year sun = 1748.9
|source 1 = ''[[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lufttemperatur: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1991 - 2020 |url=https://www.dwd.de/DE/leistungen/klimadatendeutschland/mittelwerte/temp_9120_SV_html.html?view=nasPublication&nn=771428 |website=dwd.de |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |access-date=23 February 2024|no-pp=y |language=German |trans-title=Air Temperature: Long-term averages for 1991-2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dwd.de/DE/leistungen/klimadatendeutschland/mittelwerte/nieder_9120_SV_html.html?view=nasPublication&nn=771428 |title=Niederschlag: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1991 - 2020 |access-date=23 February 2024|website=dwd.de |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |no-pp=y |language=German |trans-title=Precipitation: Long-term averages for 1991-2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dwd.de/DE/leistungen/klimadatendeutschland/mittelwerte/sonne_9120_SV_html.html?view=nasPublication&nn=771428 |title=Sonnenscheindauer: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1991 - 2020 |website=dwd.de |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |access-date=23 February 2024 |no-pp=y |language=German |trans-title=Sunshine: Long-term averages for 1991-2020 }}</ref>
}}

== Economy ==
During the [[Middle Ages]], Rottweil used to be a flourishing [[imperial city]] with great economic and cultural influence.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Wirtschaft {{!}} Landkreis Rottweil|url=https://www.landkreis-rottweil.de/de/Land-Leute/Wirtschaft|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.landkreis-rottweil.de}}</ref> In 1868, Rottweil was connected to [[Stuttgart]] by rail, which boosted the economy of the region.<ref name=":1" />

Today, most companies in Rottweil are either [[Mittelstand|small or medium-sized]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Wirtschaftsstruktur {{!}} Stadt Rottweil - Die älteste Stadt Baden Württembergs|url=https://www.rottweil.de/de/Wirtschaft-Bauen/Wirtschaftsstandort/Wirtschaftsstruktur|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.rottweil.de}}</ref> A trading and shopping town with a high level of [[innovation]] that benefits from its well developed educational and transport infrastructure, Rottweil has many industrial companies and a steadily growing proportion of knowledge-intensive [[Service (economics)|service]] jobs.<ref name=":0" />

At 7.9%, Rottweil has one of the highest [[Academy|academic]] rates in the region.<ref name=":0" />

=== Media ===
Local events in Rottweil are reported in the daily newspaper ''[[Schwarzwälder Bote]]'', the ''Stadtanzeiger'', online and once a week in the print edition ''{{ill|Neue Rottweiler Zeitung|de}}'', the TV station ''{{ill|Regio TV Bodensee|de}}'' and the local radio station ''{{ill|antenne 1 Neckarburg Rock & Pop|de}}'', which is based in the district.

=== Notable former companies ===
* Moker
* {{ill|KB Uhren Rottweil|de}}
* Peter-Uhren<ref>{{Cite web|title=Peter-Uhren GmbH – Rottweiler Bilder|url=https://www.rottweil.net/wiki/Themen/2001/Februar2001/Branchenverzeichnis_1972/Industrie/Werbung/Peter-Uhren|access-date=2021-12-22|website=www.rottweil.net}}</ref>
* Rhodia
* {{ill|Pulverfabrik Rottweil|de}}
* Brauerei Pflug<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ehemalige Pflug-Brauerei – Rottweiler Bilder|url=https://www.rottweil.net/wiki/Ansichten/Altstadt/TuttlingerStrasse/Pflug-Brauerei|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.rottweil.net}}</ref>

== Infrastructure ==

=== Rail traffic ===
[[Rottweil station]] has regular (at least hourly) regional services to [[Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof|Stuttgart]], [[Villingen (Schwarzwald) station|Villingen]], [[Singen (Hohentwiel) station|Singen]], as well as many nearby towns. The hourly Stuttgart-[[Zürich Hauptbahnhof|Zurich]] intercity train also stops at Rottweil. In 2003, the [[Ringzug]] concept was established, providing rail service to many previously abandoned stations in the region between Villingen, Rottweil, [[Tuttlingen station|Tuttlingen]] and [[Donaueschingen station|Donaueschingen]], which became a major success.

=== Road traffic ===
By car, Rottweil can be reached via the [[Bundesautobahn 81]] Stuttgart-Singen, exit Rottweil. The city lies on the [[Bundesstraße 27]] between [[Schaffhausen]] and Stuttgart, on the [[Bundesstraße 14]], which runs from [[Stockach]] on [[Lake Constance]] via Tuttlingen to Rottweil and on via [[Horb am Neckar]] to Stuttgart, and on the [[Bundesstraße 462]] from Rottweil through the [[Black Forest]] to [[Freudenstadt]] and [[Rastatt]].

=== Bicycle traffic ===
Rottweil is located on the {{ill|Neckartal-Radweg|de}} along the [[Neckar River]] via [[Horb]], [[Tübingen]], Stuttgart, [[Heilbronn]] and [[Heidelberg]] to [[Mannheim]].

=== Air traffic ===
[[File:Aerial image of the Rottweil-Zepfenhan airfield.jpg|thumb|Rottweil-Zepfenhan airfield]]
In the neighboring village of Zepfenhan, about {{Convert|12|km|mi|abbr=on}} away, is the {{ill|Flugplatz Rottweil-Zepfenhan|de}} (Rottweil-Zepfenhan airfield), which can be approached by small aircraft. The nearest commercial airports are [[Stuttgart Airport]] and [[Zurich Airport]].

== Education ==
Rottweil has three [[Gymnasium (Germany)|Gymnasien]] (''Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium'', ''Droste-Hülshoff-Gymnasium'', ''Leibniz-Gymnasium''), one [[Realschule]], one [[Förderschule]] (''Achert-Schule''), three [[Grundschule]]n (''Eichendorff-Grundschule'', ''Grundschule Neufra'' and ''Grundschule Neukirch''), and four [[Hauptschule]]n (''GHS Göllsdorf'', ''Johanniter-Grund- und Hauptschule'', ''Konrad-Witz-Grund- und Hauptschule'' and ''Römer-Grund- und Hauptschule'').

== Main sights ==
[[File:Germany Rottweil Main Street.jpg|thumb|Main Street]]
* The late-[[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] and [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]]–era ''Münster Heiliges Kreuz'' ("Minster of the Holy Cross"), built over a pre-existing church from 1270. It features a [[crucifix]] by [[Veit Stoss]] and noteworthy Gothic sculptures.
* ''Kapellenkirche'' (1330–1340), a Gothic church with a tower and with three statue-decorated portals
* ''Lorenzkapelle'' ("Church of St. Lawrence", 16th century) in late Gothic style. It houses some two hundred works by Swabian masters and Gothic altarpieces from the 14th and 15th centuries.
* The town's museum, including a notable Roman mosaic with the legend of [[Orpheus (mythology)|Orpheus]]
* The late-Gothic town hall (1521)
* St. Pelagius, a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] church from the 12th century. Excavations have brought to light Roman baths on the same site.
* [[:de:Dominikanermuseum Rottweil|Dominican Museum of Rottweil]] – local branch of the [[Landesmuseum Württemberg]]
* [[ThyssenKrupp]] constructed a $45 million, {{convert|807|ft|m|adj=on}} tower, the [[Rottweil Test Tower]]. The tower is a research facility for the company and is used to test new elevator cars and technologies. When the tower was completed in 2017, it was the tallest elevator test tower in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dillon|first=Conor|date=2015-06-26|title=World's tallest elevator tower rises in Rottweil, Germany {{!}} DW {{!}} 26.06.2015|url=https://www.dw.com/en/worlds-tallest-elevator-tower-rises-in-rottweil-germany/a-18527286|access-date=2021-12-13|website=[[Deutsche Welle]]|language=en}}</ref>{{efn|There are higher elevator test towers now, see ''[[List of elevator test towers]]''.}} The tower has 12 elevator shafts.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Eliot |last=Brown |date=September 15, 2015 |title = Elevators Elevate German City's Image |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/elevators-elevate-german-citys-image-1442324191|newspaper = [[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=2 February 2017|issn = 0099-9660}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Rottweil is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Rottweil und seine Partnerschaften|url=https://www.rottweil.de/de/Stadt-Buerger/Unsere-Stadt/Staedtepartnerschaften|website=rottweil.de|publisher=Rottweil|language=de|access-date=2021-03-16}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[L'Aquila]], Italy
*{{flagicon|SUI}} [[Brugg]], Switzerland
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Hyères]], France
*{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Imst]], Austria

==Notable people==
[[File:Gemälde - Franz Xaver Wernz SJ.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Franz Xavier Wernz]], 1910]]
*[[Konrad Witz]] (1400/10–1445/46), painter, active mainly in Basel.
*[[Adam of Rottweil]], 15th-century scholar and printer
*[[Johann Georg Herbst]] (1787–1836), a German Orientalist.<ref>{{cite CE1913|wstitle= Johann Georg Herbst |volume= 7 |last= Souvay |first= Charles Léon |author-link= |short=1}}</ref>
*[[Franz Xavier Wernz]] (1842–1914), the 25th [[Superior General of the Society of Jesus]]
*[[Erwin Teufel]] (born 1939), politician ([[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]), former minister president of Baden-Württemberg
*[[Rüdiger Safranski]] (born 1945), philosopher, writer and literary scholar
*[[Matthias Hölle]] (born 1951), opera bass
*[[Anne Haigis]] (born 1955), musician, singer and songwriter.
*[[Wolfgang Stryi]] (1957–2005), jazz musician, composer, clarinetist and tenor saxophonist
*[[Andreas Schwab]] (born 1973), politician (CDU) and member of the European Parliament
*[[Johannes Erath]] (born 1975), opera director
*[[Heike Heubach]] (born 1979), politician, (SPD); she is deaf

=== Sport ===
*[[Klaus-Dieter Sieloff]] (1942–2011), footballer, brought up locally, played 338 games and 14 for [[Germany national football team|West Germany]]
*brothers [[Marcus Trick]] (born 1977) & [[Armon Trick]] (born 1978), retired international rugby union players
*[[Simone Hauswald]] (born 1979), a former biathlete and bronze medallist at the [[2010 Winter Olympics]]
*[[Markus Fuchs (footballer)|Markus Fuchs]] (born 1980), footballer who played over 300 games
*[[Christoph Burkard]] (born 1983), Paralympic swimmer, medallist at the [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004]] & [[2012 Summer Paralympics]]
*[[Maximiliane Rall]] (born 1993), footballer, played over 200 games and 9 for [[Germany women's national football team|
Germany women]]
*[[Joshua Kimmich]] (born 1995), footballer, played over 310 games and 85 for [[Germany national football team|Germany]]

==Trivia==
* The [[Rottweiler]] dog breed is named after this town; it used to be a butcher's dog in the region.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Rottweiler {{!}} Description, Temperament, Images, & Facts {{!}} Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/Rottweiler|access-date=2021-12-24|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}}</ref>
* "Das Mädchen aus Rottweil" is a song by the German band [[Die Toten Hosen]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2002-08-07|title=Menschen Das Mädchen aus Rottweil - verzweifelt gesucht!|url=https://m.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/menschen-das-maedchen-aus-rottweil-verzweifelt-gesucht-172594.html|access-date=2021-12-24|website=faz.net|language=de}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed>
Rottweil 20.jpg
Germany Rottweil Münster Heiliges Kreuz.jpg|Depiction of [[Veil of Veronica|St. Veronica's sudarium]] over the portal of the [[Minster (church)|Minster]] of the Holy Cross
Rottweiler Denkmal in Rottweil.JPG|A statue for [[Rottweiler|Rottweiler dogs]] in Rottweil
Rottweiler Fassnacht.JPG|Rottweiler "[[Fasnet]]"
TyssenKrupp Test Tower, Rottweil.jpg|[[Rottweil Test Tower]]
Rottweil station, ThyssenKrupp Test Tower (2018).jpg|[[Rottweil station]] with ThyssenKrupp Test Tower in the background
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Baden-Württemberg}}
* [[Rottweil (district)]]
* [[Synagoge Rottweil]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060926110934/http://www.german-embassy.org.uk/carnival_offenburg.html Feast of Fools: Medieval Carnival Celebrations in Rottweil]
*[http://www.reichsstadt-rottweil.de/ History and territory of the former Reichsstadt Rottweil]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050324002255/http://rwbilder.de/ Pictures of and stories about Rottweil]

{{Free Imperial Cities}}
{{Swabian College}}
{{Cities and towns in Rottweil (district)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Rottweil (district)]]
[[Category:Associates of the Old Swiss Confederacy]]
[[Category:Former states and territories of Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Germania Superior]]
[[Category:Free imperial cities]]
[[Category:Former republics]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1140]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1802]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Neckar basin]]
[[Category:Populated riverside places in Germany]]

Rottweil - Revision history

imported>BigBullfrog at 15:44, 1 May 2025