Rudolstadt

Rudolstadt is a town in the German federal state Thuringia, with the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north.

Rudolstadt
Coat of arms
Location of Rudolstadt within Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district
Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt
Coordinates: 50°43′1″N 11°19′39″E
CountryGermany
StateThuringia
DistrictSaalfeld-Rudolstadt
Subdivisions12
Government
 • MayorJörg Reichl
Area
 • Total135.17 km2 (52.19 sq mi)
Elevation
195 m (640 ft)
Population
 (2018-12-31)[1]
 • Total25,115
 • Density190/km2 (480/sq mi)
Time zoneCET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes
07407
Dialling codes03672
Vehicle registrationSLF, RU
Websitewww.rudolstadt.de

The former capital of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the town is built along the River Saale inside a wide valley surrounded by woods. Rudolstadt was founded in 776 and has had municipal law since 1326. The town's landmark is the Castle Heidecksburg which is enthroned on a hill above the old town. The former municipality Remda-Teichel was merged into Rudolstadt in January 2019.

Rudolstadt was once well known because of the Anchor Stone Blocks of the Toy Company Richter and porcelain factories, beginning with the establishment of the Volkstedt porcelain manufacture in 1762.

History

Early History

There is archeological evidence of a hill fort on the Weinberg in Oberpreilipp from the time of the late Urnfield culture and the early Iron Age.[2] A Celtic settlement followed the Germanic one and the affiliation with the Duchy of Thuringia. From the 6th Century onwards, archeological records suggest Slavic settlement in the area.

The first documented mention of the placename was in 776 as Rudolfestat (Rudolf's settlement) as a gift from Charlemagne to Hersfeld Abbey [3]

Historical Population
Population graph of Rudolstadt from 1834 to 2016

Number of Inhabitants (from 1960 as of 31st December, unless otherwise indicated):

1834 to 1960

  • 1834: 05,929
  • 1890: 1
  • 1925: 15,711
  • 1933: 16,863
  • 1939: 19,331
  • 1946: 22,100 1
  • 1950: 28,234 2
  • 1960: 27,678

1970 to 1997

  • 1970: 31,683
  • 1981: 31,547
  • 1984: 32,232
  • 1985: 32,408
  • 1994: 29,118
  • 1995: 28,691
  • 1996: 28,438
  • 1997: 28,521

1998 to 2005

  • 1998: 28,241
  • 1999: 27,996
  • 2000: 27,528
  • 2001: 26,940
  • 2002: 26,549
  • 2003: 26,010
  • 2004: 25,793
  • 2005: 25,397

2006 to 2013

  • 2006: 25,131
  • 2007: 24,650
  • 2008: 24,285
  • 2009: 24,033
  • 2010: 23,762
  • 2011: 23,998
  • 2012: 22,811
  • 2013: 22,739

since 2014

  • 2014: 22,667
  • 2015: 22,855
  • 2016: 22,704
  • 2017: 22,560
  • 2018: 22,283
Data since 1994: Thuringian Statistical Office

1 29 October
2 31 August

Culture

Rudolstadt hosts Germany's biggest folk, roots, and world music festival, TFF Rudolstadt (Tanz&FolkFest), taking place annually on the first full July weekend.[4]

Rudolstadt is twinned with Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland.[5]

Since 2012 Rudolstadt hosts Getting tough race (German wiki), Europe's hardest obstacle race.

Economy

The headquarters of the EPC Group, a global engineering and construction company, are in Rudolstadt.

  • The so-called "Richtersche Villa" (Richters Mansion).
  • Rudolstadt Town Hall
  • Bobo 2006

Notable people from Rudolstadt

References
  1. "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden, erfüllenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften nach Geschlecht in Thüringen Gebietsstand: 31.12.2018". Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik (in German). September 2019.
  2. Michael Köhler: Thüringer Burgen und befestigte vor- und frühgeschichtliche Wohnplätze. Jenzig-Verlag Köhler, Jena 2001, ISBN 3-910141-43-9, S. 270.
  3. Wolfgang Kahl, Hansjürgen Müllerott (2002), Die Vor- und Frühgeschichte Rudolstadts mit den Annalen von 775–786 bis 1503 und einem Exkurs aus der Geschichte Saalfelds (in German), Arnstadt: Thüringer-Chronik-Verlag H. E. Müllerott, p. 128, ISBN 3-910132-73-1
  4. Official website of TFF.Rudolstadt Archived 2006-02-04 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Donegal Councillor Ian McGarvey immortalised in wine". Donegal News. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019.


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