Freising

Freising (German pronunciation: [ˈfʁaɪzɪŋ]) is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and the capital of the Freising Landkreis (district), with a population of about 50,000.

For the district, see Freising (district).
Freising
Domberg (cathedral hill) Freising
Coat of arms
Location of Freising within Freising district
Freising
Freising
Coordinates: 48°24′10″N 11°44′56″E
CountryGermany
StateBavaria
Admin. regionOberbayern
DistrictFreising
Subdivisions29 Stadtteile
Government
 • Lord MayorTobias Eschenbacher (FSM)
Area
 • Total88.45 km2 (34.15 sq mi)
Elevation
448 m (1,470 ft)
Population
 (2018-12-31)[1]
 • Total48,634
 • Density550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneCET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes
85354, 85356
Dialling codes08161
Vehicle registrationFS
Websitewww.freising.de

Location

Freising is the oldest town between Regensburg and Bolzano and located in Upper Bavaria north of Munich, near Munich International Airport, on the Isar river. There are two hills, the cathedral hill with the bishop's castle and Freising cathedral, and Weihenstephan Hill with Weihenstephan Abbey, the oldest working brewery in the world. It was also the first recorded place of a European tornado. The city is 448 meters above sea level.

Cultural significance

Freising is one of the oldest settlements in Bavaria, becoming a major religious centre in the early Middle Ages. It is the centre of an important diocese. Some important historical documents were created between 900 and 1200 in its monastery:

The above and other scripts from that time can be found in the "Bayerische Staatsbibliothek" (Bavarian State Library) in Munich.

History

Even though archaeological finds show that the area was settled in the Bronze Age, no proof has been found yet to suggest a continuous settlement until the 8th century AD Frigisinga. Saint Corbinian settled at a shrine that already existed at Freising in 724. He was the forerunner of the diocese of Freising, established after his death by Saint Boniface. According to his Vita by Bishop Arbeo he ordered a bear to carry his luggage over the Alps after it had killed his packhorse. The saddled bear is still the symbol of the city, displayed in the coat of arms. Though the seat of the diocese was moved to Munich in 1821, including the elevation to an arch-diocese, Freising has remained the seat of diocese administration until today.

Between 764-783, Bishop Arbeo founded a library and scriptorium at the abbey. The settlement started to become a religious centre.

The earliest recorded tornado in Europe struck Freising in 788.[2][3]

The mortal remains of Pope Alexander I are said to have been transferred to Freising in 834.

In 996, Freising received city rights from Emperor Otto III. However, after the "(...) destruction of the episcopal bridge, custom houses, mint, and salt works near Oberföhring by Duke Henry the Lion, who transferred the custom houses and bridge site to the upper part of Oberföhring, placing them in the village of Munich on the Isar" (Lins, Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913) in 1158, Freising started to lose its economic significance. In 1159, the romanesque cathedral was constructed (with a notable animal column in the crypt).

In the secularization of 1803, the Roman Catholic Church lost most of its properties and authority over the city.

Education

Schools include:

Universities include:

  • Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf
  • TU-München Weihenstephan

See also

Twin towns

Freising is twinned with:

Famous citizens

Points of interest
  • Freising cathedral
  • Inside the cathedral
  • Bishop castle
  • St. Georg church
  • Monastery Neustift
  • Asam theater
  • Weihenstephan brewery
  • Hofbräuhaus brewery

References
  1. "Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes". Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung (in German). July 2019.
  2. Dr. R. Hennig, Katalog bemerkenswerter Witterungsereignisse. Berlin 1904; Originalquellen: Aventinus (Turmair), Johannes (gest. 1534): Annales Boiorum. Mit Nachtrag. Leipzig 1710; Annales Fuldenses, Chronik des Klosters Fulda. Bei Marquard Freher: Germanicarum rerum scriptores ua Frankfurt aM 1600–1611)
  3. "Tornadoliste Deutschland". https://tornadoliste.de/788. German meteorological list of documented tornadoes
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