Breisach, BW, Germany - City and Town Halls on Waymarking.com

The Town:

Breisach is a municipality in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg with a population of about 16,500.

Breisach has a long history that dates back to prehistoric times and it was often completely destroyed and rebuilt.

The center of town is the rocky hill called Münsterberg, where today the town hall and the cathedral are located at the southern end. Until the river corrections in the early 19th century, this hill became an island during floods.

Two thousand years ago, there was the residence of a Celtic prince on that hill. There are no remains left, except the town name that is derived from "brisin-ac" (water breaker, island). We do not know much about the early days of the Roman era, but in the mid-3rd century the Roman Empire had to give up most of its territories east of the Rhine due to Alemanni aggressions and internal crisis. The area became a frontier and a major Roman fort was built on the hill. It was called Mons Brisiacus and Emperor Valentinianus spent several days here and made it the temporary residence, when he visited the ongoing border fortifications in Summer 369.

There is no documentation about the centuries after the decline of the Roman Empire, until the Prince-Bishop of Basel founded a small traders settlement with a church on the hill in 1146. This was not considered a real town; the official founding year is 1185, the founders were the Staufen. Already in 1198, they had to pledge the town to Zähringen. Under Duke Berthold V a castle was built on the northern part of the hill and the cathedral St Stephan on the southern end. After the extinction of this dynasty, Breisach became property of Basel in 1254 until 1273, when Habsburg took it over and granted it the rights of a free Imperial city the same year. Emperor Ludwig pledged the city to Austria in 1330. Then Breisach stayed Austrian for over three centuries, except from 1469 to 1474, when it was pledged to Burgundy.

In the Thirty-Years War, Breisach was called the Key of the Empire, so it was under siege for over three months in 1633. In 1638 it was under siege for over eight months; when the defenders had to surrender the fort, only 150 of the 4.000 inhabitants had survived hunger and pestilence. Breisach became French, this state was approved in 1648. After the Nine Year's War France had to give Breisach back to Austria in 1697, but was again captured by France in 1703. In 1714, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Breisach became Austrian again for the last time.

In the Napoleonic Wars, Breisach was attacked by French troops and almost completely destroyed in 1793. 1805 it became part of the newly founded Grand-Duchy of Baden.

In World War II, Breisach was again a strategic location that was hard-fought. 85% of the city were destroyed, when the Allied forces managed to cross the river.

Today Breisach is a local cultural and economic center of an catchment area of about 40.000 inhabitants. Viniiculture and tourism are important parts of the local economy.

The Town Hall:

The town hall is a historic building on Münsterberg hill just next to the cathedral. A place that was the seat of the local administration even in Roman times. I could not determine the exact age of the building, but until 1638 this was the municipal mint. Then it was converted into a school that was in service until 1793. In 1807 it became the town hall.

The house has a stepped gable and a rdge turret with a bell. It has a small annex to the west and a larger side wing to the north. The entrance façade has been ornamented with the coats of arms of all the countries Breisach belonged to since the 11th century.

Name: Rathaus Address: Münsterplatz 1 Breisach, Baden-Württemberg Germany 79206 Web Site for City/Town/Municipality: [Web Link] Date of Construction: Not listed Architect: Not listed Memorials/Commemorations/Dedications: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/29/2013 Tygress visited it