Stralsund

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Stralsund
Panorama image of Stralsund
Panorama image of Stralsund
Coat of arms Location
Coat of arms of Stralsund
Stralsund (Germany)
Stralsund
Administration
Country Flag of Germany Germany
State Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
District Urban district
Lord Mayor Harald Lastovka (CDU)
Basic statistics
Area 38.97 km² (15 sq mi)
Elevation 13 m  (43 ft)
Population  57,613  (31/12/2006)[1]
 - Density 1,478 /km² (3,829 /sq mi)
Founded 1234
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate HST
Postal codes 18435, 18437, 18439
Area code 03831
Website www.stralsund.de

Coordinates: 54°18′0″N 13°5′0″E / 54.3, 13.08333

Stralsund (IPA: [ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt]) is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern coast of the Strelasund (a sound of the Baltic Sea separating the island of Rügen from the mainland).[2] Two bridges (the Rügendamm and since October 2007 the new Rügen bridge) and several ferry services connect Stralsund with the ports of Rügen.[2]

The main industries of Stralsund are shipyards, fishing, and, to an increasing degree, tourism.

Contents

[edit] History

In medieval ages, the Stralsund area was part of the West Slavic duchy of Rügen, which was part of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1168. At that time, the Dänholm isle and a small fishing village, both at the site of the latter city, were named Strale / Stralow, meaning "arrow". In the course of German Ostsiedlung, many German settlers, gentry and merchants were called into the duchy, and eventually populated the Strale site. Merchants from other countries as well as locals were attracted to the settlement and made up for one third of the city's population. The Danish navy using the isle as well. When the settlement had grown to town size, Duke Wizlaw I of Rügen granted Lübeck law to "our town Stralow" in 1234. In 1240, when the duke gave additional land to the city, he called it Stralesund.

The success of the settlement challenged the powerful Free City of Lübeck, which burnt Stralsund down in 1249. Afterwards the town was rebuilt with a massive city wall having 11 town gates and 30 watchtowers. The Neustadt, a town-like suburb, was merged to Stralsund by 1361. Schadegard, a twin town to Stralsund also founded by Wizlaw I nearby, but was not granted German law, served as the dukes stronghold and enclosed a fort. It was given up and teared down by 1269 under the pressure of the Stralsund Bürger.

In 1293 Stralsund became a member of the Hanseatic League.[2] A total of 300 ships flying the flag of Stralsund cruised the Baltic Sea in the 14th century.

In the 17th century, Stralsund became a theatre in the Thirty Years' War. In 1628 Stralsund was besieged by Albrecht von Wallenstein until Swedish troops came to Stralsund's aid and forced the general to retreat. After the war, the 1648 Peace of Westphalia made Stralsund part of Swedish Pomerania. In the Great Northern War in 1715 Charles XII led the defence of Stralsund for a year against the united European armies. Stralsund remained under Swedish control until 1815, when it became a part of the Prussian Province of Pomerania.

From 1949 until German Reunification in 1990, Stralsund was part of the German Democratic Republic.

Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Stralsund: Old Market Square with the Town Hall and the Nikolaikirche
State Party Flag of Germany Germany
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv
Reference 1067
Region† Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 2002  (26th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

[edit] Main sights

  • The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square (Alter Markt), with the Gothic Town Hall (13th century). Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas' Church), built in 1270-1360. The square is surrounded by houses from different periods, including the Gothic Wulflamhaus (a 14th-century patrician house, today a restaurant), and the Baroque Commandantenhaus, seat of the old Swedish command headquarters.
  • The Jakobikirche (Saint James's Church), built in mid-14th century. It was destroyed several times, e.g. by Wallenstein and in World War II.
  • The Marienkirche (Saint Mary's Church), built in 1383-1473 in Gothic style, is the largest church in Stralsund. Its octagonal tower (104 meters high) offers a magnificent view of Stralsund and the neighboring islands of Rügen and Hiddensee.
  • The Katharinenkloster (Monastery of Saint Catherine), built in the 15th century, houses two museums: a museum of history, and an oceanography museum. The ancient refectory of the monastery is one of the most spectacular Gothic interiors in Germany.[1],[2],[3]
  • The Johanniskloster (Franciscan monastery, 1254), is one of the oldest buildings in the town.[4]

[edit] Transport

Stralsund is linked to the A20 motorway (towards Berlin and Hamburg), via the B96n dual-carriageway. Other major roads include the B105 (beginning in the town centre and continuing to Rostock) and the B96 (major road to Rügen) and the B194 to Grimmen.

When travelling by air, passengers usually do so via Rostock Laage Airport with connecting flights from Munich.

[edit] Gallery

Stralsund as seen from the seaside.

Founding document from 1234.

Marienkirche (St. Mary's church).

Nikolaikirche (St. Nicolas's church).

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Population data
  2. ^ a b c Britannica Online Encyclopedia, "Stralsund" (city), 2007, webpage: EB-Stralsund.

[edit] References


[edit] Notable residents

[edit] External links

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v • d • e
Members of the Hanseatic League
Wendish and
Pomeranian circle		 Lübeck*† · Hamburg† · Kiel · Lüneburg · Rostock · Stade · Stettin · Stralsund · Wismar Extent of the Hanseatic League, showing the Circles

Principle trading routes of the Hanseatic League
Saxony, Thuringia,
Brandenburg circle		 Brunswick* · Berlin · Brandenburg · Bremen† · Erfurt · Frankfurt · Goslar · Halle · Magdeburg
Poland, Prussia,
Livonia, Sweden circle		 Danzig (Gdańsk) · Breslau (Wrocław)  · Dorpat (Tartu) · Fellin (Viljandi) · Elbing (Elbląg)  · Königsberg (Kaliningrad)  · Kraków  · Reval (Tallinn) · Riga · Stockholm · Toruń (Thorn)* · Visby
Rhine, Westphalia,
Netherlands circle		 Dortmund*† · Bochum · Breckerfeld · Cologne† · Deventer · Duisburg · Groningen · Haltern · Hamm · Hattem · Hasselt · Kampen · Münster · Oldenzaal · Osnabrück · Recklinghausen · Roermond · Soest† · Unna · Werl · Zutphen · Zwolle
Principal Kontore
(counting houses)		 Bryggen (in Bergen) · Hanzekantoor (in Brugge (Bruges)) · Steelyard (in London) · Peterhof (in Novgorod)
Subsidiary Kontore Antwerp · Berwick · Boston · Damme · Edinburgh · Hull · Ipswich · King's Lynn · Kaunas · Newcastle · Polotsk · Pskov · Yarmouth · York
* Chief city of its circle     † Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire
v • d • e
World Heritage Sites in Germany

Aachen Cathedral · Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch · Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl · Town of Bamberg · Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau · Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin · Classical Weimar · Cologne Cathedral · Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz · Dresden Elbe Valley · Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar · Lübeck · Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg · Maulbronn Monastery Complex · Messel Pit Fossil Site · Monastic Island of Reichenau · Muskauer Park (with Poland) · Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of Quedlinburg · Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin · Pilgrimage Church of Wies · Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof · Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier · St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Michael's Church at Hildesheim · Speyer Cathedral · Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar · Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen · Upper German Raetian Limes (with UK) · Upper Middle Rhine Valley · Völklingen Ironworks · Wartburg Castle · Würzburg Residence with the Count Gardens and Residence Square · Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen
Flag of Germany
v • d • e
Flag of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania    Urban and rural districts in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany    Flag of Germany
Urban districts Greifswald · Neubrandenburg · Rostock · Schwerin · Stralsund · Wismar
Rural districts Bad Doberan · Demmin · Güstrow · Ludwigslust · Mecklenburg-Strelitz · Müritz · Nordvorpommern · Nordwestmecklenburg · Ostvorpommern · Parchim · Rügen · Uecker-Randow
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