Seligenstadt

 

Seligenstadt on the river Main, in the midst of the Rhine – Main region has a population of about twentyonethousand.   The town lies on the Autobahn A3 and A45 and on the train route Hanau-Stuttgart; it can be easily reached from the Frankfurt Airport. Service provider for many branches of commerce, trade, gastronomy and a large variety of sports activities are capable to satisfy any demand. The river location, historically valuable buildings, a school system that allows all levels of exams up to university qualification exams (Einhard Gymnasium) as well as a very densely wooded area providing opportunities for extended walks leave no wishes open.

The first brewery of Seligenstadt was founded in 1744, A number of medium-sized businesses active in a variety of industrial sectors are located here as well as a large group in the field of electronics.

 City charter can be dated back to 1175. In 1330 the self-assured citizen of Seligenstadt fought for the right to place a mayor elected by the public in charge of the city.  875 the emperor Louis the German held a diet in Seligenstadt, 1188 Frederick Barbarossa (“Redbeard”) also held a splendid royal court here. In 1792, Francis II, the last emperor of the Holy Roman Empire stayed in the prelate quarters of the monastery before his crowning in Frankfurt on the Main. In 1803 the city passed from Mainz to Hessen-Darmstadt rule.

Art and Science

From it’s origin until the present time the term “City of Culture” is a typical phrase used to characterize the community. Around 1433 Hans Memling, who later in his life became a famous member of the Dutch School of Painters in Bruges,  was born in Seligenstadt.

Newer research comes to the conclusion that Matthias Grünewald, the titan among the German painters of the outgoing Middle Ages and creator of the overwhelming “Isenheimer Altar”, was also a citizen of Seligenstadt for a certain period of time. He most likely possessed a second home here in the beginning of the 16^th century. A close friend of Matthias Grünewald was Arnold Rucker, the creator of a number of outstanding church organs. In addition, the art of printing was well represented in the town by Johannes Herbort who was born here as well as the honorary citizen Franz Böres (1872). The latter came to fame in Stuttgart where he was well known for his art nouveau designs of industrial products.

Present day

Seligenstadt boasts a large identification of its citizens with the wide range of cultural activities available. There are at least a dozen culturally oriented groups, organizations, choirs, etc. The Choir of the Basilica (Einhard’s curch), for instance, has been in existence for 150 years. The “Art Forum Seligenstadt” is responsible for present-day art exhibitions as well as the yearly sculpture exhibition in the gardens of the abbey. They also have theatrical performances, jazz concerts and cabaret performances form in their repertoire. Another pillar of the cultural life of Seligenstadt are the “Seligenstädter Klosterkonzerte”, a series of concerts that are given every year on the unique premises of the monastery. Their high standing enables them to attract music lovers from the whole Rhine-Main region.