Bad Lobenstein

Bad Lobenstein
Old town of Bad Lobenstein

Coat of arms
Bad Lobenstein
Location of Bad Lobenstein within Saale-Orla-Kreis district
Coordinates: 50°27′0″N 11°39′0″E / 50.45000°N 11.65000°E / 50.45000; 11.65000Coordinates: 50°27′0″N 11°39′0″E / 50.45000°N 11.65000°E / 50.45000; 11.65000
Country Germany
State Thuringia
District Saale-Orla-Kreis
Government
 • Mayor Thomas Weigelt (Ind.)
Area
 • Total 48.94 km2 (18.90 sq mi)
Elevation 560 m (1,840 ft)
Population (2017-12-31)[1]
 • Total 5,997
 • Density 120/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 07351–07356
Dialling codes 036651
Vehicle registration SOK
Website www.moorbad-lobenstein.de
Bad Lobenstein - downtown area with church
Bad Lobenstein - downtown area with church

Bad Lobenstein is a spa town in the Saale-Orla-Kreis district, in Thuringia, Germany with a population of about 6,000 inhabitants. Until 2005, the town was named Lobenstein.

The town, grouped round a rock, upon which stand the ruins of an old castle, is exceedingly picturesque. It contains a spacious parish church, a palace (until 1824 the residence of the princes of Reuss-Lobenstein-Ebersdorf), and a hydropathic establishment. Local industries include dyeing, brewing and cigar-making.[2]

History

Within the German Empire (1871-1918), Lobenstein was part of the Principality of Reuss-Gera.

Coat of arms

Blazon: "In red floating the silver-black divided trunk of a bracke"

The trunk of the bracke (a certain type of dog group) is the crest of Principality of Reuss-Greiz (German: Fürstentum Reuß-Greiz). The image was already used in 15th century as coat of arms for the town.

Etymology

Lobenstein could come from "Lobe den Stein" which means "Praise the stone".

A legend describes how the inhabitants believe the town's name might have been established. It is believed that emperor Ludwig the Bavarian, who lived from 1328 to 1347 announced "Praise the stone" as he had lost and found his favourite dog in this region during hunting for deer. He was looking for the dog for quite a while until finally one of his knights found the tired and slightly injured dog lying on a stone. The knight caried the dog to his master, who was so grateful, he gave this piece of land as fief to the knight. In memory of this event, the place received the name Lobenstein and caried from now on the head of a bracke in its coat of arms.[3]

Geography

The town is located in the Thuringian Slate Mountains between Thuringian Forest and Franconian Forest, western to the Saale river dams Hohenwarte and Bleiloch next to Gräfenwarth.

Districts

  • Bad Lobenstein, main district with town center
  • Helmsgrün
  • Lichtenbrunn
  • Mühlberg
  • Oberlemnitz
  • Saaldorf
  • Unterlemnitz

Neighbouring communities

Incorporating communities

On 4 August 1993 previously independent municipalities Helmsgrün and Lichtenbrunn got incorporated into the community of Bad Lobenstein.[4] On 1 January 1997 also Unterlemnitz and in 1999 Oberlemnitz got in incorporated.[5]

Population growth

Demographic development (from 1994 on each number was counted on 31st December):

  • 1833: 3.274
  • 1933: 3.391
  • 1939: 3.577
  • 1994: 7.002
  • 1995: 7.019
  • 1996: 7.083
  • 1997: 7.455
  • 1998: 7.419
  • 1999: 7.363
  • 2000: 7.332
  • 2001: 7.235
  • 2002: 7.132
  • 2003: 7.042
  • 2004: 6.948
  • 2005: 6.905
  • 2006: 6.820
  • 2007: 6.653
  • 2008: 6.570
  • 2009: 6.466
  • 2010: 6.444
  • 2011: 6.236
  • 2012: 6.164
  • 2013: 6.108
  • 2014: 6.073
  • 2015: 6.146

Data source from 1994: Thuringian State office for Statistics

Bad Loebenstein, city park
City park, former palace garden
Market Bad Lobenstein
Market place of Bad Lobenstein

Sights of Bad Lobenstein

  • New Palace with Palace garden
  • Castle Lobenstein (main landmark of the town)
  • Town's church St. Michaelis
  • Thermal bath
  • "Markt Höhler" - a historical beer cellar which is located in the rocks below the city
  • Regional Museum
  • "Lommesteener Fäßlesächer" is a small figur located in the tower of the major hall, which is the mascot of Bad Lobenstein. It is hidden behind 2 doors and is visible several times a day.
  • Market place of Bad Lobenstein

Personality

Sons and daughters of the town

Anton Friedrich Hohl

Other personalities

  • Christian Gottlieb Reichard (1758-1837), councilor and general counsel to Lobenstein
  • Georg Andreas Sorge (1703-1778), composer, 1721 court organist in Lobenstein.
  • Axel Teichmann (born 1979), cross-country skier, visited here school and was appointed honorary citizen on May 2, 2003, due to his great sporting successes

References

  1. ↑ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden, Gemeinschaftsfreie Gemeinde, erfüllende/beauftragende Gemeinden, Verwaltungsgemeinschaft/Mitgliedsgemeinden in Thüringen". Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik (in German). September 2018.
  2. ↑ Public Domain One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lobenstein". Encyclopædia Britannica. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 837.
  3. ↑ Arbeitsgemeinschaft Thüringen e.V. (Hrsg.): Neues Thüringer Wappenbuch. Band 2. Seite 39, 1998, ISBN 3-9804487-2-X
  4. ↑ Gemeinden 1994 und ihre Veränderungen seit 01.01.1948 in den neuen Ländern, Verlag Metzler-Poeschel, Stuttgart, 1995, ISBN 3-8246-0321-7, Herausgeber: Statistisches Bundesamt
  5. ↑ StBA: Änderungen bei den Gemeinden, siehe 1997 und 1999
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