Meissen

Meissen
Meißen
Meissen
Albrechtsburg and Cathedral
Albrechtsburg and Cathedral
Coat of arms of Meissen
Meissen is located in Germany
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Meissen
Coordinates 51°9′49″N 13°28′39″E / 51.16361°N 13.4775°E / 51.16361; 13.4775Coordinates: 51°9′49″N 13°28′39″E / 51.16361°N 13.4775°E / 51.16361; 13.4775
Administration
Country Germany
State Saxony
Admin. region Dresden
District Meißen
Town subdivisions 12 Stadtteile/Stadtbezirke
Mayor Olaf Raschke
Basic statistics
Area 30.90 km2 (11.93 sq mi)
Elevation 106 m  (348 ft)
Population 27,545 (31 December 2010)[1]
 - Density 891 /km2 (2,309 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate MEI
Postal codes 01654–01662
Area code 03521
Website www.stadt-meissen.de

Meissen (in German orthography: Meißen; Sorbian: Mišno; Latin: Misena, Misnia, Misnensium) is a town of approximately 30,000 about 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche. The Große Kreisstadt is the capital of the Meissen district.

Contents

History

Meissen is sometimes known as the "cradle of Saxony". The city grew out of the early Slavic settlement of Mis(s)ni, named for the small river Mis(s)na today Meis(s)abach (see Miesbach/Musbach/Mosbach), inhabited by the Glomacze tribe (possibly slavic) and was founded as a German town by King Henry the Fowler in 929. In 968, the Diocese of Meissen was founded, and Meissen became the episcopal see of a bishop. The Catholic bishopric was suppressed in 1581 after the diocese accepted the Protestant Reformation (1559), but re-created in 1921 with its seat first at Bautzen and now at the Katholische Hofkirche in Dresden. Meissen is the literal plural form of the modern english word "moss" - translating literally as mosses or simply as marsh. Hence Meissner or Meisner - one who works the marsh - porcelain maker.

The Margraviate of Meissen was founded in 968 as well, with the city as the capital of the Margraves of Meissen. A market town by 1000, Meissen passed to the Kingdom of Poland in 1018 under Boleslaw I the Brave, afterwards into hands of Emperor Conrad II in 1032 and the House of Wettin in 1089. The city was at the forefront of the Ostsiedlung, or intensive German settlement of the rural Slavic lands east of the Elbe, and its reception of city rights dates to 1332.

The construction of Meissen Cathedral was begun in 1260 on the same hill as the Albrechtsburg castle. The resulting lack of space led to the cathedral being one of the smallest cathedrals in Europe. The church is also known as being one of the most pure examples of Gothic architecture.

During World War II, a subcamp of Flossenbürg concentration camp was located in Meissen.[2]

Porcelain

Porcelain bells at the Frauenkirche

Meissen is famous for the manufacture of porcelain, based on extensive local deposits of china clay (kaolin) and potter's clay (potter's earth). Meissen porcelain was the first high quality porcelain to be produced outside of the Orient.

The first European porcelain was manufactured in Meissen in 1710, when the Royal Porcelain Factory was opened in the Albrechtsburg. In 1861, it was moved to the Triebisch river valley of Meissen, where the porcelain factory can still be found today. Along with porcelain, other ceramics are also manufactured.

Main sights

Cathedral

The Albrechtsburg, the former residence of the House of Wettin, is regarded as being the first castle to be used as a royal residence in the German-speaking world.[citation needed] Built between 1472 and 1525, it is a fine example of late Gothic style. It was redecorated in the 19th century with a range of murals depicting Saxon history. Today the castle is a museum. Nearby is the 13th-century Gothic Meissen Cathedral (Meißner Dom), whose chapel is one of the most famous burial places of the Wettin family. The hill on which the castle and the cathedral are built offers a view over the roofs of the old town.

Meissen's historical district is located mostly around the market at the foot of the castle hill. It contains many buildings of Renaissance architecture. Also imposing is the view from the 57 metre high tower of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), situated in the old market-place. This church, not to be confused with the Dresden Frauenkirche, was first mentioned in a 1205 deed issued by Bishop Dietrich II and after a blaze about 1450 rebuilt in the Late Gothic style of a hall church. Its tower hosts the world's first porcelain carillon, manufactured in 1929 on the occasion of the town's 1000-years-jubilee. Another popular tourist sight is the world-famous Meissen porcelain factory.

From spring to autumn, several festivals take place in Meissen, such as the pottery market or the Weinfest, which celebrates the wine harvest. Meissen wine is produced at the vineyards in the river valley (Elbtal) around the town, part of the Saxonian wine region, one of the northernmost in Europe.

Notable residents

Sister cities

Meissen is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bevölkerung des Freistaates Sachsen jeweils am Monatsende ausgewählter Berichtsmonate nach Gemeinden" (in German). Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen. 31 December 2010. http://www.statistik.sachsen.de/download/010_GB-Bev/Bev_Gemeinde.pdf. 
  2. ^ Christine O'Keefe. Concentration Camps. tartanplace.com

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Meissen — • A former see of north east Germany Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Meissen     Meissen     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Meissen — Meissen …   Wikipédia en Français

  • MEISSEN — MEISSEN, former margravate in Saxony, city near Dresden, Germany. Jews are mentioned as resident in the margravate of Meissen in the first decade of the 11th century. An organized community in the city of Meissen dates only from the 12th century …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Meissen — Meissen, vor 800 Jahren bereits der Sitz eines Mark und Burggrafen und die Schutzwehr gegen die nach der Lausitz zurückgedrängten Sorben und Wenden, jetzt eine freundliche, gewerbfleißige, in dem herrlichen Elbthal, 5 Stunden unterhalb Dresden… …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • Meissen — [mī′sən] city in EC Germany, on the Elbe, in the state of Saxony: noted for its porcelain: pop. 50,000 …   English World dictionary

  • Meissen — Wappen Deutschlandkarte …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Meissen — 1. Der Weise von Meissen. Während die Christen einen »dummen ⇨ Jungen« (s.d. 70) von Meissen als Sprichwort im Munde führen, haben die Juden ein diesem ganz entgegengesetztes Sprichwort; sie reden nämlich von einem »Weisen aus Meissen«. Die… …   Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon

  • Meissen — I. noun Etymology: Meissen, Saxony, Germany Date: 1863 a ceramic ware made at Meissen near Dresden; especially a European porcelain developed under the patronage of the king of Saxony about 1715 and used for both ornamental and table wares called …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Meissen — /muy seuhn/, n. a city in E central Germany, on the Elbe River: famous for fine porcelain. 38,137. * * * ▪ Germany  city, Saxony Land (state), southeastern Germany. It lies on the Elbe River just northwest of Dresden. It grew out of the early… …   Universalium

  • Meissen — noun Meissen is used before these nouns: ↑porcelain …   Collocations dictionary

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