Nagold
Encyclopedia
Nagold is a town in southwestern Germany, bordering the northern Black Forest
. It is located in the Landkreis (district) of Calw
(Germany
/Baden-Württemberg
). Nagold is known for its ruined castle, Hohennagold Castle, and for its road viaduct
. It takes its name from the river Nagold
, which flows through the town.
Nagold has a beautiful city centre where half-timbered houses and modern architecture meet each other. The following small villages belong to the district of Nagold: Emmingen, Gündringen, Hochdorf, Iselshausen, Mindersbach, Pfrondorf, Schietingen and Vollmaringen.
was probably settled as early as the early Stone Age: 2000 to 3000 BC. With its fertile soil and mild climate in the low mountain ridge, the basin afforded ideal possibilities for settlement. Traces of early human occupation from the Hallstatt culture
(700 BC to 450 BC) have been found in the "Bächle" area.
The Celts were in the Nagold basin by the 6th and 5th centuries BC. They are responsible for naming the river Nagold, meaning "flowing stretch of water". A Celtic royal burial mound (locally called Krautbühl) and signs of numerous settlements and graves have been found on Schlossberg.
By the time of Christ, the Romans
had established two settlements in the basin. One of these settlements was unearthed in the 7th century AD during construction of Remigiuskirche. Stone walls from the remains were used in the Remigiuskirche foundation.
The Alamanni
ran the Romans away from the Nagold Basin around 260 AD. They emphasized settlement of the valley, and expanded their territory. Around 700 AD, the Franks
conquered the Alamanni. The Remigiuskirche was built during this time, and it is assumed the Franks established a court in the area. Nagold became the administrative center of the region which extended from Bondorf
to Kniebis
. Small towns and settlements began to spring up around Nagold.
Pfalzgraf Rudolf von Tübingen established Nagold as a city early in the 13th century in order to protect his holdings in the northern Black Forest. Through marriage in the year 1230, Nagold came under the control of the Grafen von Hohenberg, who sped up development of the city. By the end of the 13th century, Nagold was encircled with a 5.5 metres (18 ft) wall, complete with moat and gate towers. Around 1350, the Plague devastated the population.
Construction was begun on Marienkirche church in 1360. The church was razed in 1876-1877, but an original tower built in 1401 still stands on Turmstrasse street.
In 1363 the Hohenbergs were forced out of Nagold, and the Dukes Eberhard and Ulrich von Württemberg bought the city. Nagold then served as a court city (Amtstadt), and in 1806 was elevated to a high court city (Oberamtstadt), which lasted until being abolished in 1938.
In the 16th century, farmers' uprisings lead to the departure of the local aristocracy
. Austria, always looking to expand the Habsburg
domain, quickly moved into the Nagold area. Herzog Ulrich
reclaimed his lands in 1534, and embraced Protestantism
.
During the Thirty Years' War
(1618–1647), the Burg Hohennagold (castle) was destroyed.
Parts of Nagold were destroyed in devastating fires in 1825, 1850, 1887, and 1893. Marktstrasse is one of the few streets in Nagold to have escaped destruction in the fires. A large of portion of the architecture on this street dates to the 18th century, and includes the three-story Rathaus
(1756–1758), the Stadtbrunnen (city fountain), the Schmidsche Apotheke with rich ornamentation, and numerous Fachwerk (timbered) houses from the 17th century. Other architectural treasures are scattered through the city. Among these are the Alte Schule (old school, 1706) and the Alte Vogtei with Celtic origins. The hotel "Alte Post" (1699) served as stop on the old mail line between Stuttgart
and Freudenstadt
. The Oberamtei (from 14th century) is located on Oberamteistrasse, and was the location of the high court (Oberamt) from 1812 until 1938.
As early as 1924, Nagold was a NSDAP (Nazi) base of support. According to voting statistics, 19.4% of the population voted NSDAP in May 1924. Comparatively, the NSDAP captured just 6.5% of the vote nationwide, and a mere 4.1% in Baden and Württemberg during the same election.
The Reunification of Germany
in 1989 brought new hopes for the future of Germany and Nagold, but was quickly followed by the worst recession in post-war history. Home construction, attraction of industry, and improvement of infrastructure have been difficult problems for Nagold. A city policy of construction, combined with improvement of the old city center, are cornerstones of the city planning. In 1992, the city's open-air swimming pool was amended with an indoor pool, and in 1996 a new cultural center named "Kubus" was built in the city center.
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
. It is located in the Landkreis (district) of Calw
Calw (district)
Calw is a district in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Karlsruhe, Enz, the district-free city Pforzheim, Böblingen, Freudenstadt and Rastatt.- History :...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
/Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
). Nagold is known for its ruined castle, Hohennagold Castle, and for its road viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
. It takes its name from the river Nagold
Nagold (river)
The Nagold is a river in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. A tributary of the Enz, it gave its name to the town of Nagold. It is 90.4 kilometres in length and has its source in Urnagold in the municipality of Seewald in the Northern Black Forest and flows in an easterly direction past...
, which flows through the town.
Nagold has a beautiful city centre where half-timbered houses and modern architecture meet each other. The following small villages belong to the district of Nagold: Emmingen, Gündringen, Hochdorf, Iselshausen, Mindersbach, Pfrondorf, Schietingen and Vollmaringen.
History
Hallstatt culture
The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Central European culture from the 8th to 6th centuries BC , developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC and followed in much of Central Europe by the La Tène culture.By the 6th century BC, the Hallstatt culture extended for some...
(700 BC to 450 BC) have been found in the "Bächle" area.
The Celts were in the Nagold basin by the 6th and 5th centuries BC. They are responsible for naming the river Nagold, meaning "flowing stretch of water". A Celtic royal burial mound (locally called Krautbühl) and signs of numerous settlements and graves have been found on Schlossberg.
By the time of Christ, the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
had established two settlements in the basin. One of these settlements was unearthed in the 7th century AD during construction of Remigiuskirche. Stone walls from the remains were used in the Remigiuskirche foundation.
The Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
ran the Romans away from the Nagold Basin around 260 AD. They emphasized settlement of the valley, and expanded their territory. Around 700 AD, the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
conquered the Alamanni. The Remigiuskirche was built during this time, and it is assumed the Franks established a court in the area. Nagold became the administrative center of the region which extended from Bondorf
Bondorf
Bondorf is a municipality in the district of Böblingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.Famous Inhabitants:Constantin Melachrinos...
to Kniebis
Schwarzwaldhochstraße
The Schwarzwaldhochstraße, or Black Forest High Street, is the oldest and one of the best known themed drives in Germany. It is a part of the Bundesstraße 500.-Route description:...
. Small towns and settlements began to spring up around Nagold.
Pfalzgraf Rudolf von Tübingen established Nagold as a city early in the 13th century in order to protect his holdings in the northern Black Forest. Through marriage in the year 1230, Nagold came under the control of the Grafen von Hohenberg, who sped up development of the city. By the end of the 13th century, Nagold was encircled with a 5.5 metres (18 ft) wall, complete with moat and gate towers. Around 1350, the Plague devastated the population.
Construction was begun on Marienkirche church in 1360. The church was razed in 1876-1877, but an original tower built in 1401 still stands on Turmstrasse street.
In 1363 the Hohenbergs were forced out of Nagold, and the Dukes Eberhard and Ulrich von Württemberg bought the city. Nagold then served as a court city (Amtstadt), and in 1806 was elevated to a high court city (Oberamtstadt), which lasted until being abolished in 1938.
In the 16th century, farmers' uprisings lead to the departure of the local aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
. Austria, always looking to expand the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
domain, quickly moved into the Nagold area. Herzog Ulrich
Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg
Herzog Ulrich von Württemberg succeeded his kinsman Eberhard II as Duke of Württemberg in 1498, being declared of age in 1503.-Early life:...
reclaimed his lands in 1534, and embraced Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
.
During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
(1618–1647), the Burg Hohennagold (castle) was destroyed.
Parts of Nagold were destroyed in devastating fires in 1825, 1850, 1887, and 1893. Marktstrasse is one of the few streets in Nagold to have escaped destruction in the fires. A large of portion of the architecture on this street dates to the 18th century, and includes the three-story Rathaus
Rathaus
Rathaus is a German word literally translating as “council house”, meaning “city hall” or “town hall”. Many specific buildings are referred to as Rathaus even when spoken about in English.Some important Rathäuser are:* Rathaus Schöneberg...
(1756–1758), the Stadtbrunnen (city fountain), the Schmidsche Apotheke with rich ornamentation, and numerous Fachwerk (timbered) houses from the 17th century. Other architectural treasures are scattered through the city. Among these are the Alte Schule (old school, 1706) and the Alte Vogtei with Celtic origins. The hotel "Alte Post" (1699) served as stop on the old mail line between Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and Freudenstadt
Freudenstadt
Freudenstadt is a town in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is capital of the district Freudenstadt. The closest population centres are Offenburg to the west and Tübingen to the east ....
. The Oberamtei (from 14th century) is located on Oberamteistrasse, and was the location of the high court (Oberamt) from 1812 until 1938.
The Reunification of Germany
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
in 1989 brought new hopes for the future of Germany and Nagold, but was quickly followed by the worst recession in post-war history. Home construction, attraction of industry, and improvement of infrastructure have been difficult problems for Nagold. A city policy of construction, combined with improvement of the old city center, are cornerstones of the city planning. In 1992, the city's open-air swimming pool was amended with an indoor pool, and in 1996 a new cultural center named "Kubus" was built in the city center.
External links
- Official homepage of Nagold
- Castle ruin Hohen Nagold Black Forest tourist information (German)