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'Amberg' is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Oberpfalz ("Upper Palatinate"), roughly half way between Regensburg and Bayreuth. Population: 44,200 (2001).

Contents

History

Sights

Twin towns

External links

History

The town was first mentioned in 1034, at that time under the name 'Ammenberg'. It became an important trading centre in the Middle Ages, exporting mainly iron ore and iron products. In 1269 the town became together with Bamberg subordinate to the Wittelsbach dynasty that ruled Bavaria.
In 1329 the town and the entire region of Oberpfalz fell to a branch line of the Wittelsbach family and was no longer part of the duchy of Bavaria. Although in geographic terms it was regarded as Bavarian and the region was part of the Bavarian circle in the organisation of the Imperial Circles. The rulers of the Palatinate were open-minded towards Protestantism. In the 16th century the town turned to Lutheranism, but attempts of the ruling family to introduce the more radical Calvinism failed due to the reluctance of its citizens.
In 1628 Amberg and Oberfalz became part of the electorate of Bavaria. The inhabitants were given the choice: return to Catholicism or leave the town forever. Many families left the town and fled to the Free Imperial Cities of Regensburg and Nuremberg.
Amberg was the regional capital of Oberpfalz until 1810 when it was handed over to the larger city of Regensburg.
After the Second World War, in which Bavaria fell into the American Sector, Amberg was home to Pond Barracks, a United States Army base. The base was finally closed in 1992 and turned over to the local community for housing.

Sights

A defining feature of the town is the 'Stadtbrille' - a bridge, originally a part of the city fortifications, whose arches reflected on the river waters resemble a pair of glasses.
Other tourist attractions in Amberg include:

★ The 'Marktplatz' (Market Square), which contains the Gothic Town Hall (built in 1358) and the late-Gothic Pfarrkirche St Martin

★ The 'Neues Schloß' (New Palace), the former residence of the counts of the Rhennish Palatinate, built at the beginning of the 15th century and renovated in 1603 (photo)

★ A well-preserved section of the medieval city walls and gates

★ The baroque Franciscan monastery on the 'Mariahilfberg' hill above the city. The Mariahilfberg (literally: Maria-Help-Mount) was given its name during the bubonic plague in the Thirty Years' War in 1633/4 when the locals beseeched the Virgin Mary to rid them of the plague]]

★ St. Martin's Basilica (photo)

Twin towns

★ Bad Bergzabern, Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate

★ Bystrzyca Klodzka (Habelschwerdt), Poland

★ Desenzano, Italy

★ Périgueux, France

★ Trikala, Greece

★ Ústí nad Orlicí (Wildenschwert), Czech Republic

External links

★ Amberg official city website