Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden | |
---|---|
Kurhaus Wiesbaden | |
Location of Wiesbaden within Hessen Urban district | |
Founded | 121 |
Subdivisions | 26 boroughs |
Government | |
• Lord mayor (2019–25) | Gert-Uwe Mende[1] (SPD) |
• Governing parties | CDU / SPD |
Area | |
• Total | 203.9 km2 (78.7 sq mi) |
Elevation | 115 m (377 ft) |
Population (2022-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 283,083 |
• Density | 1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Postal codes | 65183–65207 55246 (Mainz-Kostheim) 55252 (Mainz-Kastel) |
Dialling codes | 0611, 06122, 06127, 06134 |
Vehicle registration | WI |
Website | wiesbaden.de |
Wiesbaden (German pronunciation: , and has a combined population exceeding 5.8 million.
The city is located on the
Historically, Wiesbaden was a
Wiesbaden is one of the oldest
Geographical setting
Wiesbaden is situated on the right (northern) bank of the Rhine, above the confluence of the Main, where the Rhine's main direction changes from north to west. The city is across the Rhine from Mainz, the capital of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Frankfurt am Main is located about 38 kilometres (23.6 mi) east. To the north of the city are the Taunus Mountains, which trend in a northeasterly direction.
The city center, the Stadtmitte, is located in the north-easternmost part of the
The downtown is drained only by the narrow valley of the Salzbach, a tributary of the Rhine, on the eastern flanks of the Mosbacher Mountain. The city's main railway line and the Mainz road (Mainzer Straße) follow this valley. Several other streams drain into the Salzbach within the city center: the Wellritzbach, the Kesselbach, the Schwarzbach, the Dambach, and the Tennelbach, as well as the outflow of many thermal and mineral springs in the Kurhaus (spa) district. Above the city center, the Salzbach is better known as the Rambach.
The highest point of the Wiesbaden municipality is located northwest of the city center near the summit of the Hohe Wurzel, with an elevation of 608 metres (1,995 ft)
Wiesbaden covers an area of 204 km2 (79 sq mi). It is 17.6 kilometres (10.9 mi) from north to south and 19.7 kilometres (12.2 mi) from west to east. In the north are vast forest areas, which cover 27.4% of the urban area. In the west and east are
Climate
Wiesbaden has a temperate-oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) with relatively cold winters and warm summers. Its average annual temperature is 9.8 °C (49.6 °F), with monthly mean temperatures ranging from 1.0 °C (33.8 °F) in January to 18.6 °C (65.5 °F) in July.
Climate data for Wiesbaden | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4 (39) |
6 (43) |
11 (52) |
15 (59) |
20 (68) |
23 (73) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
20 (68) |
14 (57) |
8 (46) |
5 (41) |
14.7 (58.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.5 (41.9) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.8 (56.8) |
17.0 (62.6) |
18.6 (65.5) |
18.0 (64.4) |
14.6 (58.3) |
10.0 (50.0) |
4.9 (40.8) |
2.1 (35.8) |
9.8 (49.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1 (30) |
−1 (30) |
2 (36) |
5 (41) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
11 (52) |
7 (45) |
3 (37) |
1 (34) |
6.3 (43.3) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48 (1.9) |
41 (1.6) |
46 (1.8) |
41 (1.6) |
55 (2.2) |
68 (2.7) |
66 (2.6) |
63 (2.5) |
49 (1.9) |
49 (1.9) |
57 (2.2) |
55 (2.2) |
638 (25.1) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 111 |
Source: Sonnenlaender.de[6] |
History
Classical antiquity
While evidence of settlement at present-day Wiesbaden dates back to the
The Roman settlement is first mentioned using the name Aquae Mattiacorum (
The capital of the province of
The
Middle Ages
After the Franks under Clovis I defeated the Alamanni in the Battle of Tolbiac in 496, the Franks eventually displaced the Alamanni in the Wiesbaden area over the course of the 6th century. In the 8th century, Wiesbaden became the site of a royal palace of the Frankish kingdom. The first documented use of the name Wiesbaden is by Einhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, whose writings mention "Wisabada" sometime between 828 and 830.
When the Frankish
In 1232 Wiesbaden became a
Wiesbaden returned to the control of the House of Nassau in 1270 under Count Walram II, Count of Nassau. However, Wiesbaden and the castle at Sonnenberg were again destroyed in 1283 in conflict with Eppstein.
Walram's son and successor
In 1355, the County of Nassau-Weilburg was divided among the sons of Gerlach. The County of Nassau's holdings would be subdivided many times among heirs, with the parts being brought together again whenever a line died out. Wiesbaden became the seat of the County of Nassau-Wiesbaden under Count Adolf I (1307–1370), eldest son of Gerlach. It would eventually fall back to Nassau-Weilburg in 1605.
Modern era
Due to its participation in the uprisings of the
The oldest remaining building of Wiesbaden, the old city hall, was built in 1609 and 1610. No older buildings are preserved due to two fires in 1547 and 1561. In 1648, at the end of the devastating Thirty Years' War, chronicles tell that Wiesbaden had barely 40 residents left. In 1659, the County of Nassau-Weilburg was divided again. Wiesbaden became part of the County of Nassau-Usingen. In 1744, the seat of Nassau-Usingen was moved to Biebrich. In 1771, the Count of Nassau-Usingen granted a concession for gambling in Wiesbaden. In 1810, the Wiesbaden Casino (German: Spielbank) was opened in the old Kurhaus. Gambling was later outlawed by Prussian authorities in 1872.
As a result of Napoleon's victory over Austria in the Battle of Austerlitz, the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1805. On 12 July 1806, 16 states in present-day Germany, including the remaining counties of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg, formally left the Holy Roman Empire and joined in the Confederation of the Rhine. Napoleon was its "protector". Under pressure from Napoleon, both counties merged to form the Duchy of Nassau on 30 August 1806.
At the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the Duchy of Nassau joined the German Confederation. The capital of Nassau was moved from Weilburg to Wiesbaden, and the city became the ducal residence. Building activity started to give the city a magnificent appearance. Most of the historical center of Wiesbaden dates back to this time.
In the Revolutions of 1848, 30,000 citizens of Nassau assembled in Wiesbaden on 4 March. They demanded a constitution from the Duke, which they received.
In the
The period around the turn of the 20th century is regarded as the heyday of the city.
In 1894, the present Hessian State Theater, designed by the Vienna architects Fellner and Helmer, was built on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Weimar Republic and Third Reich (1919 to 1945)
After World War I, Wiesbaden fell under the Allied occupation of the Rhineland and was occupied by the French army in 1918. In 1921, the Wiesbaden Agreement on German reparations to France was signed in the city. In 1925, Wiesbaden became the headquarters of the British Army of the Rhine until the withdrawal of occupying forces from the Rhineland in 1930.
In 1929, an airport was constructed in Erbenheim on the site of a horse-racing track. In 1936, Fighter Squadron 53 of the Luftwaffe was stationed here.
In the
General Ludwig Beck from Wiesbaden was one of the planners of the 20 July 1944 assassination attempt of Adolf Hitler. Beck was designated by his fellow conspirators to be future Head of State (Regent) after elimination of Hitler. The plot failed, however, and Beck was forced to commit suicide. Today, the city annually awards the Ludwig Beck prize for civil courage in his honor.
Lutheran pastor and theologian Martin Niemöller, founder of the Confessing Church resistance movement against the Nazis, is an Honorary Citizen of Wiesbaden. He presented his last sermon before his arrest in Wiesbaden's Market Church.
World War II
In World War II, Wiesbaden was the headquarters for Germany's
Wehrkreis XII was made up of three subordinate regions: Bereich Hauptsitze Koblenz, Mannheim and Metz.
- Bereich Hauptsitz Koblenz was the headquarters for 12 Unterregion-Hauptsitze, namely .
- Bereich Hauptsitz Mannheim was the headquarters for 10 Unterregion-Hauptsitze, namely St. Wendel, Zweibrücken, Kaiserslautern, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Ludwigshafen (Rhein), Mannheim I, Mannheim II, and Heidelberg.
- Bereich Hauptsitz Metz was the headquarters for Unterregion-Hauptsitze Diedenhofen (Thionville), and Saint-Avold.
During the war, Wiesbaden was, between August 1940 and the end of 1942, bombed by the Royal Air Force and from 1943 through to March 1945, was attacked by both RAF and United States Air Force bombers on 66 days. In the attacks, about 18% of the city's homes were destroyed. During the war, more than 25% of the city's buildings were damaged or worse and 1,700 people were killed.[13]
Wiesbaden was the location of a camp for Sinti and Romani people (see Romani Holocaust),[14] and two subcamps of the Hinzert concentration camp, mostly for Luxembourgish prisoners.[15]
Wiesbaden was captured by U.S. Army forces on 28 March 1945. The U.S. 317th Infantry Regiment attacked in assault boats across the Rhine from Mainz while the 319th Infantry attacked across the river Main near Hochheim am Main. The attack started at 01:00 and by early afternoon the two forces of the 80th U.S. Infantry Division had linked up with the loss of only three dead and three missing. The Americans captured 900 German soldiers and a warehouse full of 4,000 cases of champagne.[16]
After the war's end, American rock artist Elvis Presley was stationed in Friedberg and often visited Wiesbaden.[13]
Cold War and contemporary history
After World War II, the state of Hesse was established (see Greater Hesse), and Wiesbaden became its capital, though nearby Frankfurt am Main is much larger and works as Hesse's economic and financial centre. Wiesbaden however suffered much less than Frankfurt from air bombing. There is a persistent rumour that the U.S. Army Air Force spared the town with the intention of turning it into a postwar HQ, but USAAF sources claim this to be a myth, arguing that Wiesbaden's economic and strategic importance simply did not justify more bombing.[citation needed] Wiesbaden was host to the Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces, Europe based at the former Lindsey Air Station from 1953 to 1973.
Bathing and gambling
Wiesbaden has long been famous for its thermal springs and spa. Use of the thermal springs was first documented by the Romans. The business of spring bathing became important for Wiesbaden near the end of the Middle Ages. By 1370, 16 bath houses were in operation. By 1800, the city had 2,239 inhabitants and 23 bath houses.
By 1900, Wiesbaden, with a population of 86,100, hosted 126,000 visitors annually. Famous visitors to the springs included Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, and Henrik Pontoppidan. In those years, more millionaires were living in Wiesbaden than in any other city in Germany.
Gambling followed bathing en suite, and in the 19th century, Wiesbaden was famous for both. Its casino (Spielbank) rivalled those of Bad Homburg, Baden-Baden, and Monaco. In 1872, the Prussian-dominated imperial government closed down all German gambling houses. The Wiesbaden casino was reopened in 1949.
Main sights
The Palace Square
Since 1945, the building has served as
The new town hall was built in 1887. A tile mosaic in front of the town hall shows the
The
Kurhaus and Theater
The monumental
In front of the Kurhaus is a lawn known as the Bowling Green. To one side of the Bowling Green is the Kurhaus Kolonnade. Built in 1827, the 129 meter structure is the longest hall in Europe supported by pillars. To the other side is the Theater Kolonnade, built in 1839. It is adjacent to the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, built between 1892 and 1894.
St. Bonifatius
St. Elizabeth's Church
The Russian Orthodox
Other sights
Another building from the regency of Duke Wilhelm is the Luisenplatz, a square named for the Duke's first wife. It is surrounded by
North of the city is the Neroberg. From the top of this hill it is possible to view a panorama of the city. The Nerobergbahn funicular railway connects the city with the hill. South of it, the Nerotalanlagen are a park along a creek, created in 1897/98 as an English landscape garden.
One of the three Hessian state museums, Museum Wiesbaden is located in Wiesbaden.
Other churches are the Bergkirche, completed in 1879 in Gothic Revival style, and the Lutherkirche, finished in 1910 in Jugendstil. The church Mariä Heimsuchung is a tall concrete landmark in the Kohlheck suburb.
Oriental Christianity is also represented with the St. Isaiah Syriac Orthodox Church on the Willi-Juppe-Straße in Dotzheim, built 2016 by Suryoye-Assyrians.
The Warmer Damm park is a 4.5-hectare park on the east side of Wilhelmstrasse and south of the State theater and Kurhaus which features a lake, a fountain, various statues, and large grassy areas. The park was created in 1859–1860 and is named after the medieval fortifications around a pond into which the warm waters of the town's 26 warm springs flowed.[19]
Gallery
-
Biebrich Palace
-
City Palace
-
Nerobergbahn funicular
-
Griechische Kapelle
-
Nerotalanlagen
-
Marktkirche
-
Warmer Damm
-
Warmer Damm
-
St. Bonifatius
Boroughs of Wiesbaden
The city of Wiesbaden is divided into 26 boroughs: five in the central city and 21 suburban districts. The 21 suburban districts were incorporated in four phases from 1926 to 1977. The former Mainz suburbs on the right bank of river Rhine viz. Amöneburg, Kastel and Kostheim have belonged to Wiesbaden since 1945.
Inner boroughs
Borough | Area | Population | Density | Purchasing power per inhabitant |
Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitte[20] | 1.53 km2 | 20,797 | 13,593 | 19,707 € | |
Nordost[21] | 19.44 km2 | 22,621 | 1,163 | 21,709 € | |
Rheingauviertel[22] | 2.47 km2 | 19,802 | 8,017 | 17,461 € | |
Südost[23] | 6.62 km2 | 18,835 | 2,845 | 24,370 € | |
Westend[24] | 0.67 km2 | 16,528 | 24,669 | 19,047 € |
Suburban boroughs
Borough | Area | Population | Density | Purchasing power per inh. |
Incorporated since | Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auringen[25] | 3.12 km2 | 3,399 | 1,079 | 22,114 € | 1 January 1977 | |
Biebrich[26]
|
12.99 km2 | 36,896 | 2,840 | 18,779 € | 28 October 1926 | |
Bierstadt[27]
|
9.22 km2 | 12,109 | 1,313 | 22,807 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Breckenheim[28] | 6.53 km2 | 3,375 | 517 | 22,074 € | 1 January 1977 | |
Delkenheim[29] | 7.43 km2 | 4,938 | 665 | 20,908 € | 1 January 1977 | |
Dotzheim[30] | 18.27 km2 | 26,234 | 1,436 | 18,793 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Erbenheim[31] | 11.27 km2 | 9,258 | 821 | 19,357 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Frauenstein[32] | 10.65 km2 | 2,359 | 222 | 19,365 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Heßloch[33] | 1.54 km2 | 695 | 451 | 24,525 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Igstadt[34]
|
7.26 km2 | 2,090 | 288 | 21,869 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Klarenthal[35]
|
6.13 km2 | 10,280 | 1,677 | 18,103 € | 1 September 1964 | |
Kloppenheim[36] | 5.39 km2 | 2,301 | 427 | 21,592 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Mainz-Amöneburg[37] | 3.71 km2 | 1,444 | 389 | 17,267 € | 25 July 1945 | |
Mainz-Kastel[38] | 9.51 km2 | 12,021 | 1,264 | 19,874 € | 25 July 1945 | |
Mainz-Kostheim[39] | 9.53 km2 | 13,935 | 1,462 | 18,623 € | 25 July 1945 | |
Medenbach[40] | 4.74 km2 | 2,501 | 560 | 21,170 € | 1 January 1977 | |
Naurod[41] | 10.99 km2 | 4,414 | 402 | 21,865 € | 1 January 1977 | |
Nordenstadt[42] | 7.73 km2 | 7,896 | 1,021 | 21,503 € | 1 January 1977 | |
Rambach[43] | 9.92 km2 | 2,175 | 219 | 24,902 € | 1 April 1928 | |
Schierstein[44]
|
9.43 km2 | 10,129 | 1,074 | 19,938 € | 28 October 1926 | |
Sonnenberg[45] | 8.34 km2 | 7,972 | 956 | 27,701 € | 28 October 1926 |
Population
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1521 | 192 | — |
1699 | 730 | +280.2% |
1722 | 1,329 | +82.1% |
1800 | 2,239 | +68.5% |
1840 | 11,648 | +420.2% |
1861 | 20,800 | +78.6% |
1871 | 35,500 | +70.7% |
1880 | 50,238 | +41.5% |
1890 | 64,670 | +28.7% |
1900 | 86,111 | +33.2% |
1905 | 100,953 | +17.2% |
1910 | 109,002 | +8.0% |
1917 | 86,555 | −20.6% |
1925 | 102,737 | +18.7% |
1933 | 159,755 | +55.5% |
1939 | 170,354 | +6.6% |
1946 | 188,370 | +10.6% |
1950 | 220,741 | +17.2% |
1956 | 244,994 | +11.0% |
1961 | 253,280 | +3.4% |
1965 | 260,331 | +2.8% |
1970 | 250,122 | −3.9% |
1980 | 274,464 | +9.7% |
1987 | 251,871 | −8.2% |
1990 | 260,301 | +3.3% |
2000 | 270,109 | +3.8% |
2005 | 274,611 | +1.7% |
2010 | 275,976 | +0.5% |
2015 | 276,218 | +0.1% |
2019 | 278,764 | +0.9% |
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions. |
Wiesbaden has a population of about 280,000. In 1946, when Wiesbaden became the capital of
List of largest groups of foreign residents of Wiesbaden:[46]
Rank | Nationality | Population (2022) |
---|---|---|
1 | Turkey | 9,351 |
2 | Poland | 4,648 |
3 | Italy | 4,089 |
4 | Ukraine | 3,678 |
5 | Romania | 3,265 |
6 | Bulgaria | 2,843 |
7 | Greece | 2,774 |
8 | Syria | 2,495 |
9 | Croatia | 1,947 |
10 | Serbia | 1,815 |
11 | Morocco | 1,801 |
12 | Spain | 1,523 |
13 | USA | 1,333 |
14 | Afghanistan | 1,245 |
15 | Portugal | 1,240 |
16 | Russia | 1,143 |
17 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,138 |
18 | Iran | 820 |
19 | France | 774 |
20 | Austria | 713 |
Politics
Mayor
The current mayor of Wiesbaden is Gert-Uwe Mende of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who was elected in 2019.
The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2019, with a runoff held on 16 June, and the results were as follows:
Candidate | Party | First round | Second round | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
Gert-Uwe Mende | Social Democratic Party | 29,940 | 27.1 | 41,000 | 62.0 | |
Eberhard Seidensticker | Christian Democratic Union | 26,997 | 24.5 | 25,104 | 38.0 | |
Christiane Hinninger | Alliance 90/The Greens | 25,849 | 23.4 | |||
Sebastian Rutten | Free Democratic Party | 11,590 | 10.5 | |||
Eckhard Müller | Alternative for Germany | 6,859 | 6.2 | |||
Ingo von Seemen | The Left | 5,336 | 4.8 | |||
Christian Bachmann | Free Voters | 3,812 | 3.5 | |||
Valid votes | 110,383 | 98.9 | 66,104 | 98.6 | ||
Invalid votes | 1,202 | 1.1 | 937 | 1.4 | ||
Total | 111,585 | 100.0 | 67,041 | 100.0 | ||
Electorate/voter turnout | 208,686 | 53.5 | 208,821 | 32.1 | ||
Source: City of Wiesbaden (1st round, 2nd round) |
The following is a list of mayors since 1945:[a]
- 1849–1868: Heinrich Fischer
- 1868–1882: Wilhelm Lanz
- 1882–1883: Christian Schlichter
- 1883–1913: Carl Bernhard von Ibell
- 1913–1919: Karl Glässing
- 1919–1929: Fritz Travers
- 1930–1933: Georg Krücke
- 1933–1937: Alfred Schulte
- 1937–1945: Erich Mix
- 1945–1946: Georg Krücke
- 1946–1953: Hans Heinrich Redlhammer
- 1951–1954: Georg Kluge
- 1954–1960: Erich Mix
- 1960–1968: Georg Buch
- 1968–1980: Rudi Schmitt
- 1980–1982: Georg-Berndt Oschatz
- 1982–1985: Hans-Joachim Jentsch
- 1985–1997: Achim Exner
- 1997–2007: Hildebrand Diehl
- 2007–2013: Helmut Müller
- 2013–2019: Sven Gerich
- 2019– : Gert-Uwe Mende[48]
City council
The Wiesbaden city council (Stadtverordnetenversammlung) governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 14 March 2021, and the results were as follows:
Party | Lead candidate | Votes | % | +/- | Seats | +/- | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) | Daniela Georgi | 1,526,381 | 23.5 | 1.2 | 19 | 1 | |
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) | Christiane Hinninger | 1,390,605 | 21.4 | 7.3 | 17 | 6 | |
Social Democratic Party (SPD) | Hendrik Schmehl | 1,320,299 | 20.3 | 5.6 | 17 | 4 | |
Free Democratic Party (FDP) | Christian Diers | 675,021 | 10.4 | 0.6 | 8 | ±0 | |
Alternative for Germany (AfD) | Eckhard Müller | 423,519 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 5 | 6 | |
The Left (Die Linke) | Ingo von Seemen | 402,735 | 6.2 | 0.0 | 5 | ±0 | |
Volt Germany (Volt) | Daniel Weber | 246,454 | 3.8 | New | 3 | New | |
Free Voters (FW) | Christian Bachmann | 163,942 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2 | 1 | |
Initiative Pro Auto Wiesbaden (Pro Auto) | Christian Hill | 105,047 | 1.6 | New | 1 | New | |
Citizens' List Wiesbaden (BLW) | Monika Becht | 73,255 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1 | ±0 | |
Die PARTEI (PARTEI) | Lukas Haker | 51,343 | 0.8 | New | 1 | New | |
Independent List Wiesbaden (ULW) | Veit Wilhelmy | 50,920 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1 | ±0 | |
Alliance for Innovation and Justice (BIG) | Faissal Wardak | 44,344 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1 | 1 | |
Liberal Conservative Reformers (LKR)
|
Thomas Preinl | 25,988 | 0.4 | New | 0 | New | |
Valid votes | 83,885 | 95.9 | |||||
Invalid votes | 3,597 | 4.1 | |||||
Total | 87,482 | 100.0 | 81 | ±0 | |||
Electorate/voter turnout | 209,347 | 41.8 | 1.6 | ||||
Source: Statistics Hesse |
Transport
Roads
Wiesbaden is well connected to the German motorway (Autobahn) system. The Wiesbadener Kreuz is an Autobahn interchange east of the city where the Bundesautobahn 3 (A 3), Cologne to Würzburg, and the Bundesautobahn 66 (A 66), Rheingau to Fulda, meet. With approximately 210,000 cars daily it is one of the most heavily used interchange in Germany. The Bundesautobahn 66 (A 66) connects Wiesbaden with Frankfurt.
The
The downtown area is bordered on the north side by Taunusstrasse, which has once featured many antique stores.[49] The east side is constrained by Wilhelmstrasse, created by Christian Zais. This 1,000 meter-long street is named after Duke William of Nassau (German Wilhelm), not Emperor Wilhelm II, as many mistakenly believe.[50]
The streets of central Wiesbaden are regularly congested with cars during rush hour. Besides some areas, especially the
Rail
Public transport
- S-Bahn
Wiesbaden is connected to the Frankfurt
- Bus
The city's public transportation service
Airports
The city can be accessed from around the world via
The airport can be reached by car or train and has two railway stations, one for regional and one for long-distance traffic. The
- Frankfurt Hahn Airport
Despite the name, Frankfurt Hahn Airport (Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn) is not located anywhere near Frankfurt but is instead situated approximately 100 km (62 mi) from the city in Lautzenhausen (Rhineland-Palatinate). Hahn Airport was a major base for low-cost carrier Ryanair. This airport can be reached by car or bus. The nearest train station is in Traben-Trarbach, it is ca. 17 km (11 mi) from the airport, on foot. The roads are not lit.
Port
There are small container port operations nearby on the rivers Rhine and Main.
Military
The United States Army runs a garrison in Wiesbaden. The facilities for US soldiers and families are spread across various locations including: Aukamn, Hainerberg, Mainz-Kastel and the Wiesbaden Army-Airfield, where the names of the streets are named after servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives during the Berlin Airlift.[51]
Economy
Wiesbaden hosts a number of international companies, which have their German or European headquarters there including
The Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Statistical Office of Germany are both based in Wiesbaden, along with many Hessian ministries such as the Hessian State Criminal Police Office.
At approximately €77,500, Wiesbaden has the second largest gross domestic product per inhabitant in Hesse, after Frankfurt, making it one of the richest cities in Germany. The purchasing power per inhabitant is €22,500.[citation needed]
Culture
Wiesbaden's most important stage is the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. Concert halls include the Friedrich-von-Thiersch-Saal of the Kurhaus. Wiesbaden has a State Library and a conservatory, where Max Reger studied and taught as a young man. Choirs such as the Wiesbadener Knabenchor, Schiersteiner Kantorei and Chor von St. Bonifatius are known in the region and even internationally.
International May Festival
The International May Festival is an annual arts festival presented by the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden every May. Established in 1896, it is one of the most distinguished international theatre and music festivals in the world. The festival features performances of plays, musicals, operas, and ballets. Concerts from a wide array of music are featured, as are artistic circus acts and modern dance presentations. Lectures, recitals, cabaret performances, and readings are also featured.[52]
Rheingau Wine Festival
The wines and sparkling wines of the close Rheingau are presented annually at the ten-day festival in August, Rheingauer Weinwoche (Rheingau Wine Week) around the Wiesbaden City Hall, on the Schlossplatz (Palace Square), the square Dern'sches Gelände and in the pedestrian area. At 118 booths, Rheingau and Wiesbaden vintners offer their wine and sparkling wine and invite to discover the already well known and favored, but also new vintages. Every year thousands of visitors use this opportunity to get acquainted with Rheingau Riesling wines and all their various facets and flavors. Regional specialities compatible with the wines are offered as well. A diversified musical program entertains the wine festival guests. Initiated more than 30 years ago by the Rheingau vintners, this wine festival has a long tradition.
Shooting Star Market
Wiesbaden's Sternschnuppenmarkt is located at the central Schlossplatz and the neighbouring streets of the parliamentary building, old town hall, and market church. The Sternschnuppenmarkt takes place from the end of November until 23 December every year and is open from Monday until Thursday 10:30 – 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 10:30 – 9:30 pm, and Sunday 12:00 – 9:00 pm.
The market is related to the city arms of Wiesbaden: the colours blue and gold and the three lilies are characteristic. Four gates and an illuminated floral roof symbolizing Fleur-de-lis, consisting of twelve over ten metre high and twelve metre wide luminous lilies, emboss the Sternschnuppenmarkt.
Over 110 booths are decorated in oriental style, coloured blue and gold, offering Christmas style goods, arts and crafts as well as nostalgic carousels and a toy train. A Christmas tree more than 28 metres (92 feet) tall is decorated with 1000 blue and golden ties, 2500 electric bulbs and 30 flash bulbs. The nativity scene displays life-sized wooden figures.
Rheingau Musik Festival
From the beginning in 1988 the Rheingau Musik Festival has staged summer concerts in the Marktkirche and in the concert hall of the Kurhaus now named Friedrich-von-Thiersch-Saal.
Sport
Since 2007 Wiesbaden has been home to SV Wehen Wiesbaden, an association football team that formerly played in nearby Taunusstein. The club was promoted to the 2. Bundesliga in 2019, but relegated back to the 3. Liga in 2020.
Twin towns – sister cities
Town twinning between Wiesbaden and other cities began with Klagenfurt in 1930, one of the first town-twinnings in Germany. Wiesbaden is twinned with:[53]
- Klagenfurt, Austria (1930)
- Montreux, Switzerland (1953)
- Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (Berlin), Germany (1964)
- Ghent, Belgium (1969)
- Fondettes, France (1975)
- Ljubljana, Slovenia (1977)
- Kfar Saba, Israel (1981)
- San Sebastián, Spain (1981)
- Wrocław, Poland (1987)
- Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, United Kingdom (1989)
- Görlitz, Germany (1990)
- Ocotal, Nicaragua (1990)
- Fatih, Turkey (2012)
- Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine (2023)
Coat of arms
Wiesbaden's coat of arms features three fleurs-de-lys, stylized representations of the city's heraldic symbol, the lily. The blazon is: "Azure, two and one fleurs-de-lys Or".
Notable people
- Kathrin Ackermann (born 1938), actress
- Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (born 1817, Biebrich Palace), reign 23 November 1890 – 17 November 1905
- Norbert J. Becker (1937–2012), agricultural scientist and specialist in the area of vine breeding and viticulture
- Adolphus Busch (1839–1913), founder of Anheuser-Busch
- Sarah Colonna (born 1974), American stand-up comedian
- Shlomo Eckstein (1929–2020), Israeli economist and President of Bar-Ilan University
- Gisela Ehrensperger (born 1943), Swiss operatic soprano
- Hessian Landtag
- Biruté Galdikas(born 1946), Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist
- Jürgen Grabowski (1944–2022), footballer
- Peter Hanenberger (born 1942), automotive specialist for General Motors, previously chairman of Holden
- Franz Kaiser (1891–1962), astronomer, discoverer of asteroid 717 Wisibada and asteroid 765 Mattiaca, both named in honour of the city of Wiesbaden
- Wilhelm Kempf (1906–1982), Catholic theologian, Bishop of Limburg 1949–1981
- Michael Kessler (born 1967), actor and comedian
- Alfred Koerppen (1926–2022), organist, music pedagogue, composer and academic teacher
- Otto Krebs (1873–1941), industrialist and art collector
- Günther Lütjens (1889–1941), admiral and commander of the World War II naval Operation Rheinübung, aboard the battleship Bismarck
- Bruce Maxwell (born 1990), American baseball player (born on a U.S. military base)
- John McEnroe (born 1959), American tennis player (born on a U.S. military base)
- August Momberger (1905–1969), racing driver and engineer
- Melody Perkins (born 1974), American actress
- Emil Pfeiffer (1846–1921), physician
- Bud Pierce (born 1956), American politician
- Dieter Rams (born 1932), industrial designer, former head of design for Braun
- Knights Cross of the Iron Crossfor bravery
- 2016 Formula One World Champion
- Volker Schlöndorff (born 1939), film director
- Kristina Schröder (born 1977), politician (CDU)
- Henry Schwarzschild (1925–1996), American activist for civil rights and human rights
- Kiki VanDeWeghe (born 1958), American basketball player, coach and executive
- Valerie Weigmann (born 1989), Filipino-German actress, host and Miss World Philippines 2014 titleholder
- Silvia Weiss, soprano
- William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (born 1852, Biebrich Palace), reign 17 November 1905 – 25 February 1912
- Maria Yakunchikova (1870–1902), Russian painter and graphic artist
- Schoolboy Q (born 1986), American rapper (born on a U.S. military base)
- Leona Riemann (born 1952) German writer, author, and publisher
Notable residents
- Peter Carl Fabergé, fled Russia to Germany, settled first in Bad Homburg and then in Wiesbaden
- Alexej von Jawlensky, Russian Expressionist painter, lived there in 1922–1941 and died there
- Hava Lazarus-Yafeh (1930–1998), Orientalist, scholar, editor, and educator; born in Wiesbaden.[54]
- Béla Kéler, Hungarian composer, he lived in Wiesbaden from 1863 until his death in 1882. He led the orchestra of the Second Regiment of the Duke of Nassau (1863-1866), and later also the spa orchestra (1870-1872).
- Vladimir Nabokov, Russian novelist, poet, translator and entomologist, writes in his autobiography about his memories of his childhood in Wiesbaden
- Priscilla Presley, lived in Wiesbaden with her parents. It was here that she met Elvis Presley.
- Max Reger, studied in Wiesbaden
- Mickey Rourke, resides in Wiesbaden at least part-time with his Russian-born girlfriend Anastassija Makarenko
- Debby Ryan, American actress, lived in Wiesbaden for three years
- Biebrich (now part of Wiesbaden) in 1861, after the political ban against him in Germany was lifted. It was there that he began work on Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
- Reese Witherspoon, lived in Wiesbaden with her parents
- Mayte Garcia, American belly dancer, actress, author, singer and choreographer, lived in Wiesbaden with her parents. It was here that she met her future husband, the singer Prince, backstage at one of his concert
- Eno, rapper, lives in Wiesbaden
Notable visitors
- In the 19th century, visitors to the Wiesbaden's famous hot springs included Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Johannes Brahms. Brahms' Symphony No. 3 (Op. 90) was composed in Wiesbaden in the summer of 1883.
- Washington Roebling, chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, came to Wiesbaden—along with his wife, Emily Warren Roebling—in 1873, hoping that the warm springs would ameliorate the effects of the decompression sickness he suffered as a result of working in caissons of the bridge.[55]
- Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, who suffered from an acute gambling compulsion, allegedly lost his travelling money in Wiesbaden's Spielbank casino in 1865. The experience became the inspiration of his 1866 novel The Gambler (Russian Игрок), set in the fictitious place "Roulettenburg". Some historians have disputed this account, saying that Bad Homburg was the location for Dostoevsky's real-life misfortune.
- Wiesbaden's Bowling Green has been very popular in recent years since various open-air concerts have been held there by artists like Elton John (2009, 2011 & 2019), Rod Stewart (2009), Eric Clapton (2008), R.E.M. (2003), Sting (2001), Bryan Adams (2000), Simply Red (1999), José Carreras (1992), and Luciano Pavarotti (1993). Lionel Richie and Plácido Domingo (2nd time in Wiesbaden) have also performed there.
Rivalry with Mainz
Mainz, on the opposite side of the Rhine, is Wiesbaden's archrival – the two cities are the capitals of their respective Bundesländer, and citizens of both cities jokingly refer to those on the other one as "living on the wrong side of the river".
Fictional references
- In his short story "Homburgin which aircraft mysteriously vanish.
- In the 1983 American television movie The Day After, Wiesbaden was the first city to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon during the escalating war between NATO and Warsaw Pact forces that eventually leads to a full-scale nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union.
- The historical novel series Romanike (2006–2014) by Codex Regius features Wiesbaden in the Roman age, or Aquae Mattiacorum, as one of its main locations.[56]
References
- Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. 5 September 2022. Archivedfrom the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. June 2023.
- ^ Wiesbadener Tagblatt. 18 September 2008
- ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ^ "Kaufkraft 2017" (PDF). IHK Wiesbaden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "Weather Information for Wiesbaden". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ The hypothesis of the Heidenmauer being a remainder of an aquaeduct now has been definitely proven wrong. Further reading see: Klee, Margot: Sperrmauer oder Aquädukt? Zur Deutung der Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden. (Blocking wall or aquaeduct. Re. Interpretation of the Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden). In: NA (Nassauische Annalen) 2014. Eck Werner: Ein praefectus Aquen(sium), kein praefectus aqu(a)e. Zur Inschrift CIL XIII 7279 aus Mainz Kastel (A praefectus Aquen(sium), not a praefectus aqu(a)e. Re. Inscription CIL XIII 7279 from Mainz Kastel). In: NA (Nassauische Annalen) 2014.
- ^ Csysz, Walter: Wiesbaden in der Römerzeit. Aalen: Theiss editors, 2000; mentioned by Roman poet Martial: Epigrammata 14, 27.
- ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ^ "Wiesbaden | The Valley of the Communities". www.yadvashem.org. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ISBN 3764809418.
- ^ ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ^ "Lager für Sinti und Roma Wiesbaden". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ISBN 978-0-253-35328-3.
- ^ The Last Offensive by Charles B. MacDonald, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 71-183070
- ^ "Wiesbaden ceremonies mark key milestones in U.S. Army Europe transition". Eur.army.mil. 14 June 2012. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- Hougoumont Farm. The duke issued a medal to all surviving participants in 1816. https://www.nmm.nl/zoeken-in-de-collectie/detail/231159/[permanent dead link]
- ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Mitte Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Nordost Archived 16 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Rheingauviertel Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Südost Archived 19 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Westend[permanent dead link], September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Auringen Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Biebrich Archived 16 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Bierstadt Archived 19 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Breckenheim Archived 5 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Delkenheim Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Dotzheim Archived 13 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Erbenheim Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Frauenstein Archived 15 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Heßloch Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Igstadt Archived 16 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Klarenthal Archived 13 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Kloppenheim Archived 15 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Mainz-Amöneburg Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Mainz-Kastel Archived 18 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Mainz-Kostheim Archived 18 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Medenbach Archived 13 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Naurod Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Nordenstadt Archived 11 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Rambach Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Schierstein Archived 17 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden – Ortsbezirk Sonnenberg Archived 16 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, September 2009
- ^ "Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden: Statistisches Jahrbuch 2016 – Bevölkerung" (PDF). wiesbaden.de. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Amtsvorgänger". Archived from the original on 25 December 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
- ^ "Porträt Gert-Uwe Mende | Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden". Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ISBN 978-3-89889-167-7.
- ^ Fish, Todd J. "About". U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden. Accessed 11 September 2016. http://www.wiesbaden.army.mil/about/ Archived 19 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "International May Festival". staatstheater-wiesbaden.de. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
- ^ "Partnerstädte". wiesbaden.de (in German). Wiesbaden. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ISBN 978-3-11-097027-2. Archivedfrom the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ Wagner, Erica, Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, The Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge, New York, Bloomsbury, 2017, p.191ff
- ^ Codex Regius. "Romanike (by Codex Regius)". Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
Notes
External links
- Official website
- The Jewish Community of Wiesbaden on the Yad Vashem website
- Wiesbaden City Panoramas – Panoramic Views and virtual Tours
- Photos of Wiesbaden
- More Photos of Wiesbaden Archived 22 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- Wiesbaden Daily Photos
- Webcam to Wiesbaden (Remote-Control Pan-Tilt)
- 23 live webcams to Wiesbaden
- Webcam to Railway-Station Wiesbaden
- Wiesbaden U.S. Army Garrison
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.