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113-660: Erfurt ( German pronunciation: [ˈɛʁfʊʁt] ) is the capital and largest city of the Central German state of Thuringia , with a population of around 216,000. It lies in the wide valley of the River Gera , in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin , north of the Thuringian Forest , and in the middle of a line of the six largest Thuringian cities ( Thüringer Städtekette ), stretching from Eisenach in
226-692: A logistics hub for Germany and central Europe. Erfurt hosts the second-largest trade fair in eastern Germany (after Leipzig), as well as the public television children's channel KiKa . The city is on the Via Regia , a medieval trade and pilgrims' road network. Erfurt Main Station is the junction of the Nuremberg–Erfurt and the Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed lines with the Halle–Bebra railway . Erfurt
339-497: A monarch held his or her court, the selection, relocation, founding, or capture of a modern capital city is a highly symbolic event. For example: The capital city is usually but not always a primary target in a war, as capturing it usually guarantees capture of much of the enemy government, victory for the attacking forces, or at the very least demoralization for the defeated forces. In ancient China , where governments were massive centralized bureaucracies with little flexibility on
452-481: A Lutheran, for funds to repair the church. In 1848 it was reconstructed in the neo-Gothic style. From 20 March until 29 April 1850, the church was used for meetings of the parliament of the Erfurt Union , an unsuccessful attempt at a federation of German states. The unification of Germany did not happen until 1871. The church was reconsecrated in 1854. In 1872, a fire destroyed the interior of upper story of
565-457: A building of the Erfurt Cathedral to negotiate peace between two of his vassals, Archbishop Konrad I of Mainz and Landgrave Ludwig III of Thuringia . The amassed weight of all the gathered men proved too heavy for the floor to bear, which collapsed. According to contemporary accounts, dozens of people fell to their death into the latrine pit below. Ludwig III, Konrad I and Henry VI survived
678-445: A compromise between two or more cities or other political divisions, historical reasons, or enough land was needed to deliberately build a new planned city for the capital. The majority of national capitals are also the largest city in their respective countries. Modern examples are Beijing , Berlin , Cairo , London , Madrid , Mexico City , Moscow , Paris , Rome , Jakarta , Metro Manila , Seoul , and Tokyo . Counties in
791-560: A deep economic crisis occurred in Eastern Germany. Many factories closed and many people lost their jobs and moved to the former West Germany. At the same time, many buildings were redeveloped and the infrastructure improved massively. In 1994, the new university was opened, as was the Fachhochschule in 1991. Between 2005 and 2008, the economic situation improved as the unemployment rate decreased and new enterprises developed. In addition,
904-568: A different site. That friary closed in 1822. The new priory building (which dated from the 14th century) was demolished in 1821, as it was dilapidated and there were no funds available to restore it. From this time the west wing of the monastery, together with the old priory, the library and the woad houses were used by the St. Martin's foundation, (German: the Martinsstift ), a charity for the education of orphans and neglected children. From 1840 to 1846,
1017-570: A friar from 1505 to 1511. Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706) served as organist at the Predigerkirche (Preachers Church) in Erfurt from June 1678 until August 1690. Pachelbel composed approximately seventy pieces for organ while in Erfurt. Capital (political) A capital city or just capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country , state , province , department , or other subnational division , usually as its seat of
1130-642: A large pond ( lavoratorium ) from the Peterskirche , inaugurated with ceremony on 14 August 1811 after extravagant celebrations for Napoleon's birthday, which were repeated in 1812 with a concert in the Predigerkirche conducted by Louis Spohr . With the Sixth Coalition forming after French defeat in Russia, on 24 February 1813 Napoleon ordered the Petersburg Citadel to prepare for siege , visiting
1243-470: A matter of convention, and because all or almost all the country's central political institutions, such as government departments, supreme court, legislature, embassies, etc., are located in or near them. Many modern capital cities are located near the centre of the country, so that they are more accessible to its population and have better protection from possible invasions. (See also § Capitals in military strategy ) The location may also be based on
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#17328373714561356-460: A microclimate caused by the location inside a basin with sometimes inversion in winter (quite cold nights under −20 °C (−4 °F)) and inadequate air circulation in summer. Annual precipitation is only 535 mm (21.1 in) with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Light snowfall mainly occurs from December through February, but snow cover does not usually remain for long. The Erfurt ( Erfurt–Weimar Airport ) weather station has recorded
1469-546: A result, the French ordered the closure of all inns and alehouses. Within a week of the Sixth Coalition's decisive victory at Leipzig (16–19 October 1813), however, Erfurt was besieged by Prussian, Austrian and Russian troops under the command of Prussian Lt Gen von Kleist . After a first capitulation signed by d'Alton on 20 December 1813 the French troops withdrew to the two fortresses of Petersberg and Cyriaksburg, allowing for
1582-548: A territory: Plymouth in Montserrat . There are several countries where, for various reasons, the official capital and seat of government are separated: Some historical examples of similar arrangements, where the recognized capital was not the official seat of government: With the rise of the modern nation-state , the capital city has become a symbol for the state and its government , and imbued with political meaning. Unlike medieval capitals, which were declared wherever
1695-583: Is a former church and friary complex dating from the 13th century. The site is almost one hectare (2.5 acres) in size. It was built by Augustinian friars, an order of the Catholic Church . It is most well known as the former home of Martin Luther (1483–1546), the father of the Reformation , who lived there as a friar from 1505 until 1511. About 74 ordained and 70 lay brothers lived at the friary at its peak in
1808-677: Is one of the best preserved medieval city centres in Germany. The Gera is spanned by the Merchants' Bridge ( Krämerbrücke ), one of the rare bridges with houses built on it. On the Erfurt Cathedral Hill is the ensemble of Erfurt Cathedral —which houses the world's largest free-swinging medieval bell —and St Severus' Church . Petersberg Citadel is one of the largest and best preserved town fortresses in Central Europe. Erfurt's Old Synagogue
1921-569: Is related to the enduring power of the city first as the capital of the Republic and the Empire , and later as the centre of the Catholic Church . In several English-speaking states , the terms county town and county seat are also used in lower administrative divisions . In some unitary states , subnational capitals may be known as 'administrative centres'. The capital is often the largest city of its constituent, though not always . Historically,
2034-550: Is situated in the south of the Thuringian basin , a fertile agricultural area between the Harz mountains 80 km (50 mi) to the north and the Thuringian Forest 30 km (19 mi) to the southwest. Whereas the northern parts of the city area are flat, the southern ones consist of hilly landscape up to 430 m of elevation. In this part lies the municipal forest of Steigerwald with beeches and oaks as main tree species. To
2147-582: Is the case with Nanjing by Shanghai , Quebec City by Montreal , and several US state capitals . The decline of a dynasty or culture could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred at Babylon and Cahokia . "Political nomadism" was practiced in ancient Near East to increase ties between the ruler and the subjects. Although many capitals are defined by constitution or legislation, many long-time capitals have no such legal designation, including Bern , Edinburgh , Lisbon , London , Paris , and Wellington . They are recognized as capitals as
2260-650: Is the oldest synagogue in Europe, and together with the Erfurt Mikveh [ de ] , which was only rediscovered in 2007, and the Stony House (Erfurt) [ de ] , forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt [ de ] . The city's economy is based on agriculture, horticulture and microelectronics. Its central location has made it
2373-409: Is today one of the popular cities in former East Germany due to its universities and broadcasting companies. Like other cities within the area of former East Germany, foreigners account only for a small share of Erfurt's population: c. 3.0 % are non-Germans by citizenship and overall 5.9 % are migrants (according to the 2011 European Union census ). Due to the official atheism of
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#17328373714562486-529: Is usually not a separate national capital, but rather the capital city of one constituent nation will also be the capital of the state overall, such as London , which is the capital of England and of the United Kingdom. Similarly, each of the autonomous communities of Spain and regions of Italy has a capital city, such as Seville and Naples , while Madrid is the capital of the Community of Madrid and of
2599-510: The 1848 Revolution , many Germans desired to have a united national state. An attempt in this direction was the failed Erfurt Union of German states in 1850. The Industrial Revolution reached Erfurt in the 1840s, when the Thuringian Railway connecting Berlin and Frankfurt was built. During the following years, many factories in different sectors were founded. One of the biggest was the "Royal Gun Factory of Prussia " in 1862. After
2712-591: The Auschwitz-Birkenau , Buchenwald and Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camps. On 27 January 2011 a memorial and museum dedicated to the Holocaust victims was opened at the former company premises in Erfurt. During World War II , Erfurt experienced more than 27 British and American air raids, about 1600 civilians died. Bombed as a target of the Oil Campaign of World War II , Erfurt suffered only limited damage and
2825-510: The Byzantine capital, Constantinople , Byzantine forces were able to regroup in several provinces; provincial noblemen managed to reconquer the capital after 60 years and preserve the empire for another 200 years after that. The British forces sacked various American capitals repeatedly during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 , but American forces could still carry on fighting from
2938-743: The Dominican monastery ( Predigerkloster ) in Erfurt when he was aged about 18 (around 1275). Eckhart was the Dominican prior at Erfurt from 1294 until 1298, and Vicar of Thuringia from 1298 to 1302. After a year in Paris, he returned to Erfurt in 1303 and administered his duties as Provincial of Saxony from there until 1311. Martin Luther (1483–1546) studied law and philosophy at the University of Erfurt from 1501. He lived in St ;Augustine's Monastery in Erfurt, as
3051-592: The Evangelische Predigerschule , a Lutheran seminary , moved to the site, and remained there until 1993. In 1996, the first four sisters of the evangelical Communität Casteller Ring moved into rooms of the monastery, returning the building to a usage similar to what it had in the Middle Ages. However, the community withdrew from Erfurt at Easter 2011. The Charitable Foundation of St. Augustine's Monastery in Erfurt ( Stiftung Augustinerkloster zu Erfurt )
3164-490: The German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The University of Erfurt was founded in 1379, making it the first university to be established within the geographic area which constitutes modern Germany. It closed in 1816 and was re-established in 1994. Martin Luther (1483–1546) was its most famous student, studying there from 1501 before entering St Augustine's Monastery in 1505. Other noted Erfurters include
3277-664: The Kingdom of Prussia in 1802, to compensate for territories Prussia lost to France on the Left Bank of the Rhine . In the Capitulation of Erfurt , the city, its 12,000 Prussian and Saxon defenders under William VI, Prince of Orange-Nassau , 65 artillery pieces, and the Petersberg Citadel and Cyriaksburg Citadel Cyriaksburg , were handed over to the French on 16 October 1806. At the time of
3390-619: The Kingdom of Spain as a whole and Rome is the capital of Italy and of the region of Lazio . In the Federal Republic of Germany , each of its constituent states (or Länder , plural of Land ) has its own capital city, such as Dresden , Wiesbaden , Mainz , Düsseldorf , Stuttgart , and Munich , as do all of the republics of the Russian Federation . The national capitals of Germany and Russia (the Stadtstaat of Berlin and
3503-689: The Landgraviate of Thuringia around, the Electorate of Mainz to the west and the Electorate of Saxony to the east. Between 1306 and 1481, Erfurt was allied with the two other major Thuringian cities ( Mühlhausen and Nordhausen ) in the Thuringian City Alliance and the three cities joined the Hanseatic League together in 1430. A peak in economic development was reached in the 15th century, when
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3616-510: The Latin word caput (genitive capitis ), meaning ' head ', later borrowed from Medieval Latin capitālis ('of the head'). The Latin phrase Roma Caput Mundi meaning 'Rome capital of the world' ( lit. ' head of the world ' ) was already used by the poet Ovid in 1st century BC . It originates out of a classical European understanding of the known world : Europe , North Africa , and Southwest Asia . The phrase
3729-587: The Prince Imperial , a 70-foot (21-metre) ceremonial column ( Die Napoleonsäule ) of wood and plaster was erected on the common . Similarly, the Napoleonshöhe – a Greek-style temple topped by a winged victory with shield, sword and lance and containing a bust of Napoleon sculpted by Friedrich Döll – was erected in the Stiegerwald woods, including a grotto with fountain and flower beds, using
3842-453: The Unification of Germany in 1871, Erfurt moved from the southern border of Prussia to the centre of Germany, so the fortifications of the city were no longer needed. The demolition of the city fortifications in 1873 led to a construction boom in Erfurt, because it was now possible to build in the area formerly occupied by the city walls and beyond. Many public and private buildings emerged and
3955-524: The United Kingdom have historic county towns, which are often not the largest settlement within the county and often are no longer administrative centres, as many historical counties are now only ceremonial, and administrative boundaries are different. The number of new capitals in the world increased substantially since the Renaissance period, especially with the founding of independent nation-states since
4068-513: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma 's interior as the former capital, Rangoon , was claimed to be overcrowded. A few nation-states have multiple capitals, and there are also several states that have no capital. Some have a city as the capital but with most government agencies elsewhere. There is also a ghost town which is currently the de jure capital of
4181-488: The federal city of Moscow ) are also constituent states of both countries in their own right. Each of the states of Austria and cantons of Switzerland also have their own capital cities. Vienna , the national capital of Austria , is also one of the states, while Bern is the ( de facto ) capital of both Switzerland and of the Canton of Bern . Governing entities sometimes plan, design and build new capital cities to house
4294-472: The "Latin Quarter" in the northern city centre (like Collegium Maius , student dorms " Georgenburse " and others, the hospital and the church of the university). The university quickly became a hotspot of German cultural life in Renaissance humanism with scholars like Ulrich von Hutten , Helius Eobanus Hessus and Justus Jonas . In 1501 Martin Luther (1483–1546) moved to Erfurt and began his studies at
4407-503: The 12th century, as a sign of more and more independence, the citizens built a city wall around Erfurt (in the area of today's Juri-Gagarin-Ring ). After 1200, independence was fulfilled and a city council was founded in 1217; the town hall was built in 1275. In the following decades, the council bought a city-owned territory around Erfurt which consisted at its height of nearly 100 villages and castles and even another small town ( Sömmerda ). Erfurt became an important regional power between
4520-462: The 1970s and 1980s, as the economic situation in GDR worsened, many old buildings in city centre decayed, while the government fought against the housing shortage by building large Plattenbau settlements in the periphery. The Peaceful Revolution of 1989/1990 led to German reunification . With the re-formation of the state of Thuringia in 1990, the city became the state capital. After reunification,
4633-674: The Coalition armies in France. Finally, in May 1814, the French capitulated fully, with 1,700 French troops vacating the Petersberg and Cyriaksburg fortresses. During the two and a half months of siege, the mortality rate rose in the city greatly; 1,564 Erfurt citizens died in 1813, around a thousand more than the previous year. After the Congress of Vienna , Erfurt was restored to Prussia on 21 June 1815, becoming
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4746-455: The Coalition forces to march into Erfurt on 6 January 1814 to jubilant greetings; the Napoleonsäule ceremonial column was burned and destroyed as a symbol of the citizens' oppression under the French; similarly the Napoleonshöhe was burned on 1 November 1813 and completely destroyed by Erfurters and their besiegers in 1814. After a call for volunteers 3 days later, 300 Erfurters joined
4859-477: The Erfurt area in c. 480 and gave their name to Thuringia in c. 500. The town is first mentioned in 742 under the name of "Erphesfurt": in that year, Saint Boniface wrote to Pope Zachary to inform him that he had established three dioceses in central Germany, one of them "in a place called Erphesfurt, which for a long time has been inhabited by pagan natives." All three dioceses (the other two were Würzburg and Büraburg ) were confirmed by Zachary
4972-551: The Reformation and the area was an early adopter of Protestantism. In 1522 together with many of the friars, Lang left the Order. In 1525, the Church of St. Augustine was withdrawn from the friary and used by the congregation of the newly formed Lutheran-Protestant church. The last of the friars died in 1556 and the friary became the property of Erfurt city council. From 1561 the west wing of
5085-574: The UNESCO World Heritage Site designated "Luther Sites in Central Germany". Because of their role in the Reformation, all of these sites are considered to "represent one of the most important events in the religious and political history of the world". Augustinians had lived in Erfurt since 1266. After some disputes with the city, they were temporarily expelled in 1273, but were allowed to return permanently in 1276. The construction of
5198-481: The affair. The Jewish community of Erfurt was founded in the 11th century and became, together with Mainz , Worms and Speyer , one of the most influential in Germany. The Old Synagogue is still extant and is a museum today, as is the mikveh at Gera river near Krämerbrücke . In 1349, during the wave of Black Death Jewish persecutions across Europe, the Jews of Erfurt were rounded up, with more than 100 killed and
5311-642: The capital has been changed for geopolitical reasons; Finland 's first city, Turku , which had served as the country's capital since the Middle Ages under the Swedish rule, lost its position during the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, when Helsinki was made the current capital of Finland by the Russian Empire. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal. Traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals as
5424-565: The capital of a new " Bezirk " (district). In 1953, the Hochschule of education was founded, followed by the Hochschule of medicine in 1954, the first academic institutions in Erfurt since the closing of the university in 1816. On 19 March 1970, the East and West German heads of government Willi Stoph and Willy Brandt met in Erfurt, the first such meeting since the division of Germany. During
5537-478: The capital of one of the three districts ( Regierungsbezirke ) of the new Province of Saxony , but some southern and eastern parts of Erfurter lands joined Blankenhain in being transferred to the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach the following September. Although enclosed by Thuringian territory in the west, south and east, the city remained part of the Prussian Province of Saxony until 1944. After
5650-638: The capitulation, Joachim Murat , Marshal of France , had about 16,000 troops near Erfurt. With the attachment of the Saxe-Weimar territory of Blankenhain , the city became part of the First French Empire in 1806 as the Principality of Erfurt , directly subordinate to Napoleon as an "imperial state domain" ( French : domaine réservé à l'empereur ), separate from the Confederation of the Rhine , which
5763-496: The church and friary complex began in 1277, funded by donations given to the friars and the sale of indulgences . Building work continued, with the construction of the St. Katherine's chapel (German: Katharinenkapelle ), the chapter house , the church tower, a cloister , and a longhouse and a new priory . The stained glass windows of the church, which were created between 1310 and 1340, are particularly noteworthy. In 1482, two Woad houses (German: Waidhäuser ) were built. One
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#17328373714565876-730: The city and instituted a governor to rule Erfurt. In 1682 and 1683 Erfurt experienced the worst plague years in its history. In 1683 more than half of the population died because of the deadly disease. In Erfurt witch-hunts are known to have taken place from 1526 to 1705. Trial records are incomplete. Twenty people were involved in witch trials and at least eight people died. During the late 18th century, Erfurt saw another cultural peak. Governor Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg had close relations with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe , Friedrich Schiller , Johann Gottfried Herder , Christoph Martin Wieland and Wilhelm von Humboldt , who often visited him at his court in Erfurt. Erfurt became part of
5989-474: The city council in 1454. Because of their exceptional testimony to the life of a medieval Jewish community, the Jewish sites in Erfurt were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. In 1379, the University of Erfurt was founded. Together with the University of Cologne it was one of the first city-owned universities in Germany, while they were usually owned by the Landesherren . Some buildings of this old university are extant or restored in
6102-406: The city had a population of 20,000 making it one of the largest in Germany. Between 1432 and 1446, a second and higher city wall was established. In 1483, a first city fortress was built on Cyriaksburg hill in the southwestern part of the town. In the year 1184, Erfurt was the location of a notable accident called the Erfurter Latrinensturz ('Erfurt latrine fall'). King Henry VI held council in
6215-464: The city on 25 April to inspect the fortifications, in particular both Citadels. On 10 July 1813, Napoleon put Alexandre d'Alton [ fr ] , baron of the Empire , in charge of the defences of Erfurt. However, when the French decreed that 1000 men would be conscripted into the Grande Armée , the recruits were joined by other citizens in rioting on 19 July that led to 20 arrests, of whom 2 were sentenced to death by French court-martial ; as
6328-549: The countryside, where they enjoyed support from local governments and the traditionally independent civilian frontiersmen. Exceptions to these generalizations include highly centralized states such as France , whose centralized bureaucracies could effectively coordinate far-flung resources, giving the state a powerful advantage over less coherent rivals, but risking utter ruin if the capital were taken. St. Augustine%27s Monastery (Erfurt) St. Augustine's Monastery (German: Augustinerkloster ) in Erfurt , central Germany,
6441-441: The early 16th century. After the Reformation, from 1525 the friary church was used by the local Lutheran congregation. The site became the property of Erfurt city council after the last friar died in 1556. It was secularised in 1559, but was later reconsecrated in 1854. It now belongs to the Evangelical Church in Central Germany . Parts of the complex were destroyed in a British air raid in 1945, in which 267 people sheltering on
6554-667: The east and to the west are some non-forested hills so that the Gera river valley within the town forms a basin. North of the city are some gravel pits in operation, while others are abandoned, flooded and used as leisure areas. Erfurt has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) bordering on a humid continental climate ( Dfb ) according to the Köppen climate classification system. Summers are warm and sometimes humid with average high temperatures of 23 °C (73 °F) and lows of 12 °C (54 °F). Winters are relatively cold with average high temperatures of 2 °C (36 °F) and lows of −3 °C (27 °F). The city's topography creates
6667-484: The eighteenth century. In Canada , there is a federal capital , while the ten provinces and three territories each have capital cities. The states of such countries as Mexico , Brazil (including the famous cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo , capitals of their respective states), and Australia also each have capital cities. For example, the six state capitals of Australia are Adelaide , Brisbane , Hobart , Melbourne , Perth , and Sydney . In Australia,
6780-424: The explosions caused all the remaining buildings, including the Augustinian church itself, to lose their roofs, windows and doors. The four valuable 14th-century stained glass windows from the church were preserved, as they had been removed and stored in the village church in Hohenfelden , Bavaria. Likewise, many of the valuable books from the library had been stored for safety in village churches. The basement of
6893-448: The following centuries. The later 16th and the 17th century brought a slow economic decline of Erfurt. Trade shrank, the population was falling and the university lost its influence. The city's independence was endangered. In 1664, the city and surrounding area were brought under the dominion of the Electorate of Mainz and the city lost its independence. The Electorate built a huge fortress on Petersberg hill between 1665 and 1726 to control
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#17328373714567006-538: The following decades Erfurt grew up to 130,000 at the beginning of World War I and 190,000 inhabitants in 1950. A maximum was reached in 1988 with 220,000 persons. In 1991, after the German reunification and when Erfurt became the capital of Thuringia state, it had a population of about 205,000. The bad economic situation in eastern Germany after the reunification resulted in a decline in population, which fell to 200,000 in 2002 before rising again to 206,000 in 2011. The average growth of population between 2009 and 2012
7119-436: The following extreme values: Erfurt abuts the districts of Sömmerda (municipalities Witterda , Elxleben , Walschleben , Riethnordhausen , Nöda , Alperstedt , Großrudestedt , Udestedt , Kleinmölsen and Großmölsen ) in the north, Weimarer Land (municipalities Niederzimmern , Nohra , Mönchenholzhausen and Klettbach ) in the east, Ilm-Kreis (municipalities Kirchheim , Rockhausen and Amt Wachsenburg ) in
7232-418: The former communist East German regime, most of the population is non-religious. 14.8 % are members of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany and 6.8 % are Catholics (according to the 2011 EU census). The Jewish community consists of 500 members. Most of them migrated to Erfurt from Russia and Ukraine in the 1990s. The theologian, philosopher and mystic Meister Eckhart (c. 1260–1328) entered
7345-407: The former local area of Melchendorf. The village of Melchendorf with around 1,000 inhabitants lies between the prefabricated building areas. In addition to the old village, the district of Melchendorf also includes the prefab housing areas of Drosselberg and Buchenberg as well as several four-story apartment blocks from the 1950s and 1960s on Kranichfelder Straße . Around 24,000 people still live in
7458-411: The former monastery's library being donated to the University of Erfurt (and then to the Boineburg Library when the university closed in 1816). Similarly the Cyriaksburg Citadel was damaged by the French, with the city-side walls being partially dismantled in the hunt for imagined treasures from the convent, workers being paid from the sale of the building materials. In 1811, to commemorate the birth of
7571-448: The foundation stone was laid for the new library, which cost 5 million Euros. The building was officially opened on 27 August 2010. The Library of the Evangelical Ministry, with 60,000 volumes, one of the most important ecclesiastical collections in Germany, is housed in the monastery's former dormitory. A "room of silence" in the basement of the new building recalls the 267 victims of the British air raid in February 1945. The building of
7684-466: The friar's dormitory, but the damage was repaired shortly afterwards. Between 1936 and 1938, reconstruction work was carried out on the 14th-century church and part of the friary under the direction of the architect Theo Kellner . Towards the end of World War II , on 25 February 1945, the friary complex was considerably damaged in a British air raid. The library building and the woad houses were directly hit and destroyed. The blast of air pressure from
7797-474: The friary and the priory were used as a school, which remained there until 1820. The friar's dormitory was converted into accommodation for the pupils. The monastic library lost material in the course of the Reformation, but in 1646, the Lutheran Library of the Evangelical Ministry moved into the building. A Protestant orphanage used part of the former monastery from 1669. In the middle of the 17th century, Augustinian friars settled in Erfurt again, but they lived at
7910-452: The friary library was a public air raid shelter, and many people were seeking refuge there at the time of the attack. There were 267 people who died in the air raid, including the church pastor. From 1946 to 1957, the church, the cloister, the east wing and the guesthouse (the former friar's dormitory) were restored. In 1947, the four medieval church windows were reinstated. The organ was restored with spare parts from West Germany. In 1960,
8023-401: The government . A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the government's offices and meeting places; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution . In some jurisdictions , including several countries, different branches of government are in different settlements, sometimes meaning multiple official capitals. In some cases, a distinction is made between
8136-534: The great crisis of Japanese invasion . National capitals were arguably less important as military objectives in other parts of the world, including the West, because of socioeconomic trends toward localized authority, a strategic modus operandi especially popular after the development of feudalism and reaffirmed by the development of democratic and capitalistic philosophies. In 1204, after the Latin Crusaders captured
8249-505: The infrastructure (such as a tramway, hospitals, and schools) improved rapidly. The number of inhabitants grew from 40,000 around 1870 to 130,000 in 1914, and the city expanded in all directions. The " Erfurt Program " was adopted by the Social Democratic Party of Germany during its congress at Erfurt in 1891. Between the wars, the city kept growing. Housing shortages were fought with building programmes and social infrastructure
8362-462: The large settlement, which was once designed for almost 40,000 inhabitants. Around the year 1500, the city had 18,000 inhabitants and was one of the largest cities in the Holy Roman Empire . The population then more or less stagnated until the 19th century. The population of Erfurt was 21,000 in 1820, and increased to 32,000 in 1847, the year of rail connection as industrialization began. In
8475-461: The library began in 1506 and took until 1518 to complete. Martin Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt in 1501, aged 17, and studied law and philosophy. He had a religious conversion on 2 July 1505 when he was returning to university after a visit to his parents in Eisleben during a violent thunderstorm. As he was passing through Stotternheim, on the outskirts of Erfurt, lightning struck. He
8588-417: The major economic centre of a state or region has often become the focal point of political power, and became a capital through conquest or federation . Historical examples are ancient Babylon , ancient Athens , ancient Rome , Abbasid Baghdad , Constantinople , Chang'an , and ancient Cusco . The modern capital city has not always existed: in medieval Western Europe, an itinerant (wandering) government
8701-568: The medieval philosopher and mystic Meister Eckhart (c. 1260–1328), the Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706) and the sociologist Max Weber (1864–1920). To the west of Erfurt in Frienstedt existed, in the AD era, a big Germanic village, which was found during the construction of a highway. Where they also discovered the oldest Germanic word ever discovered in Central Germany written in runic script
8814-604: The modern 'Waidhaus' on the foundations and cellar of the medieval Woad houses that were destroyed in World War II was done in consultation with the Thuringia department for monument protection and archaeology. It was opened on 14 September 2008 and contains 17 guest rooms and a meditation/training space in the former medieval cellar. On 23 September 2011, Pope Benedict XVI visited the former Augustinian monastery as part of his papal visit to Germany. In February 2016 an application
8927-552: The new administration. In 1938, the new synagogue was destroyed during the Kristallnacht . Jews lost their property and emigrated or were deported to Nazi concentration camps (together with many communists). In 1914, the company Topf and Sons began the manufacture of crematoria later becoming the market leader in this industry. Under the Nazis, JA Topf & Sons supplied specially developed crematoria, ovens and associated plants to
9040-578: The next year, though in 755 Erfurt was brought into the diocese of Mainz . That the place was populous already is borne out by archeological evidence, which includes 23 graves and six horse burials from the sixth and seventh centuries. Throughout the Middle Ages , Erfurt was an important trading town because of its location, near a ford across the Gera river. Together with the other five Thuringian woad towns of Gotha , Tennstedt , Arnstadt and Langensalza it
9153-441: The northern as well as Melchendorf , Wiesenhügel and Herrenberg in the southern city parts. Eventually, there are many villages with an average population of approximately 1,000 which were incorporated during the 20th century; they have mostly retained a rural character to date, however: Erfurt-Southeast (German: Erfurt-Südost ) is the collective name for a series of prefabricated housing areas that emerged in
9266-510: The official ( constitutional ) capital and the seat of government, which is in another place . English-language news media often use the name of the capital city as an alternative name for the government of the country of which it is the capital, as a form of metonymy . For example, the "relations between London and Washington " refers to the " relations between the United Kingdom and the United States ". The word capital derives from
9379-461: The one he used after returning from Rome. Not long after his death in 1546, the cell became a site of veneration and pilgrimage. A fire in 1872 destroyed the interior of the upper storey of the former dormitory where the cell is located, but it was rebuilt in keeping with historical accuracy soon afterwards. The cell was also damaged in World War II bombing. It was not repaired until after the war, by which time it had become damaged by water leaks. It
9492-505: The over 1300 km journey in about four weeks, reaching Rome in early December. They returned to St Augustine's in March 1511 and in September 1511 Luther left the friary permanently, to teach at Wittenberg. In his later role as the provincial vicar of Saxony and Thuringia, from 1515, Luther continued to pay visits to St Augustine's and other monasteries. He delivered an historic sermon against
9605-538: The population began to increase once again. A school shooting occurred on 26 April 2002 at the Gutenberg-Gymnasium. Since the 1990s, organized crime has gained a foothold in Erfurt, with several mafia groups, including the Armenian mafia present in the city. Among other events, there has been a robbery and an arson attack targeting the gastronomy sector and in 2014 there was a shoot-out in an open street. Erfurt
9718-459: The provincial level, a dynasty could easily be toppled with the fall of its capital. In the Three Kingdoms period, both Shu and Wu fell when their respective capitals of Chengdu and Jianye fell. The Ming dynasty relocated its capital from Nanjing to Beijing , where they could more effectively control the generals and troops guarding the borders from Mongols and Manchus . The Ming
9831-414: The rest driven from the city. Before the persecution, a wealthy Jewish merchant buried his property in the basement of his house. In 1998, this treasure was found during construction works. The Erfurt Treasure with various gold and silver objects is shown in the exhibition in the synagogue today. Only a few years after 1349, the Jews moved back to Erfurt and founded a second community, which was disbanded by
9944-424: The seat of government of a polity or of a subdivision. Deliberately planned and designed capitals include: These cities satisfy one or both of the following criteria: Some examples of the second situation (compromise locations) are: Changes in a nation's political regime sometimes result in the designation of a new capital. Akmola (renamed Astana in 1998) became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, following
10057-445: The site were killed. Today the complex has a mixture of medieval and modern buildings. It is now used as a place of worship and as a meeting and conference centre. Music concerts are performed in the church, which has a Walcker organ, built in 1938. It also provides simple accommodation for travellers and for retreats. In February 2016, an application was made to have St. Augustine's Monastery, along with 11 other sites, added to
10170-455: The south and Gotha (municipalities Nesse-Apfelstädt , Nottleben , Zimmernsupra and Bienstädt ) in the west. The city itself is divided into 53 districts. The centre is formed by the district Altstadt (old town) and the Gründerzeit districts Andreasvorstadt in the northwest, Johannesvorstadt in the northeast, Krämpfervorstadt in the east, Daberstedt in
10283-407: The southeast of Erfurt in the last ten years of East Germany. After Erfurt-Nord, Erfurt-Südost is the second-largest prefabricated building area in the city. The problems associated with large housing estates are not as pronounced in the southeast as in the north, but they are still present. The districts of Melchendorf, Herrenberg and Wiesenhügel belong to Erfurt-Südost, all of which were formed from
10396-506: The southeast, Löbervorstadt in the southwest and Brühlervorstadt in the west. More former industrial districts are Ilversgehofen (incorporated in 1911), Hohenwinden and Sulzer Siedlung in the north. Another group of districts is marked by Plattenbau settlements, constructed during the East Germany period: Berliner Platz , Moskauer Platz , Rieth , Roter Berg and Johannesplatz in
10509-486: The surrounding Thuringian states had joined. Erfurt was administered by a civilian and military Senate ( Finanz- und Domänenkammer Erfurt ) under a French governor, based in the Kurmainzische Statthalterei , previously the seat of the city's governor under the Electorate. Napoleon first visited the principality on 23 July 1807, inspecting the citadels and fortifications. In 1808, the Congress of Erfurt
10622-507: The tenth and eleventh centuries both the Emperor and the Electorate of Mainz held some privileges in Erfurt. The German kings had an important monastery on Petersberg hill and the Archbishops of Mainz collected taxes from the people. Around 1100, some people became free citizens by paying the annual " Freizins " (liberation tax), which marks a first step in becoming an independent city. During
10735-655: The term "capital cities" is regularly used to refer to those six state capitals plus the federal capital Canberra , and Darwin , the capital of the Northern Territory . Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and also of the United Arab Emirates overall. In unitary states which consist of multiple constituent nations, such as the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Denmark , each will usually have its own capital city. Unlike in federations , there
10848-563: The theology of the Catholic Church and the papacy to a crowd in St Augustine's Church on 7 April 1521, on his way to the Diet of Worms , an assembly to which he had been summoned to account for his teachings. He was declared a heretic on 26 May 1521. The present-day 'Luther Cell' is a reconstruction of what is thought to be the third or fourth monastic cell that Luther had at St Augustine's, and
10961-583: The university. After 1505, he lived at St. Augustine's Monastery as a friar. In 1507 he was ordained as a priest in Erfurt Cathedral. He moved permanently to Wittenberg in 1511. Erfurt was an early adopter of the Protestant Reformation , in 1521. In 1530, the city became one of the first in Europe to be officially bi-confessional with the Hammelburg Treaty. It kept that status through all
11074-455: The west, via Gotha , Erfurt, Weimar and Jena , to Gera in the east. Together with Kassel and Göttingen , it is one of the cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants lying closest to the geographic centre of Germany. Erfurt is 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Leipzig , 250 km (155 mi) north-east of Frankfurt , 300 km (186 mi) south-west of Berlin and 400 km (249 mi) north of Munich . Erfurt's old town
11187-400: The western wing and the priory were renovated with architectural plans by Karl Friedrich Schinkel , which created a connection between the west wing and the library. This renovation and modernization was done in a rather piecemeal fashion; St. Augustine's Church itself had to be closed in 1844 due to dilapidation. A successful petition was made to King Frederick William IV of Prussia , who was
11300-421: Was 200 in 2012, this is −1.0 per 1,000 inhabitants (Thuringian average: −4.5; national average: −2.4). The net migration rate was +8.3 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2012 (Thuringian average: −0.8; national average: +4.6). The most important regions of origin of Erfurt migrants are rural areas of Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony as well as foreign countries like Poland, Russia, Syria, Afghanistan and Hungary. Erfurt
11413-462: Was approximately 0.68 % p. a., whereas the population in bordering rural regions is shrinking with accelerating tendency. Suburbanization played only a small role in Erfurt. It occurred after reunification for a short time in the 1990s, but most of the suburban areas were situated within the administrative city borders. Erfurt is also the 10th-largest city in Germany by area with area of 269.17 km (103.93 sq mi). The birth deficit
11526-458: Was broadened according to the welfare policy in the Weimar Republic . The Great Depression between 1929 and 1932 led to a disaster for Erfurt, nearly one out of three became unemployed. Conflicts between far-left and far-right-oriented milieus increased and many inhabitants supported the new Nazi government and Adolf Hitler . Others, especially some communist workers, put up resistance against
11639-652: Was captured on 12 April 1945, by the US 80th Infantry Division . On 3 July, American troops left the city, which then became part of the Soviet Zone of Occupation and eventually of the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany ). In 1948, Erfurt became the capital of Thuringia , replacing Weimar . In 1952, the Länder in the GDR were dissolved in favour of centralization under the new socialist government. Erfurt then became
11752-791: Was common. The capital city attracts politically motivated people and those whose skills are needed for efficient administration of national or imperial governments, such as lawyers , political scientists , bankers , journalists , and public policy makers . Some of these cities are or were also religious centres , e.g. Constantinople (more than one religion), Rome / Vatican City (the Roman Catholic Church ), Jerusalem (more than one religion), Babylon, Moscow (the Russian Orthodox Church ), Belgrade (the Serbian Orthodox Church ), Paris, and Beijing. In some countries,
11865-614: Was destroyed when Li Zicheng took their seat of power, and this pattern repeats itself in Chinese history, until the fall of the traditional Confucian monarchy in the 20th century. After the Qing dynasty 's collapse, decentralization of authority and improved transportation and communication technologies allowed both the Chinese Nationalists and Chinese Communists to rapidly relocate capitals and keep their leadership structures intact during
11978-402: Was dismantled and rebuilt, with the window being made smaller. The Prior of the monastery from 1516 to 1522 was Johannes Lang (c. 1487–1548). He was one of Luther's closest collaborators and known as the 'Reformer of Erfurt', as it was he who prepared Erfurt and the surrounding districts for the Reformation, distributing Luther's texts and promoting his teachings. The city council supported
12091-628: Was established in November 2003 by the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz . Its purpose is manage the preservation, restoration and reconstruction of the buildings. In the same year the extensive restoration of the cloister was completed. In 2003, several scenes of the feature film Luther , starring Joseph Fiennes , were shot in the buildings of the monastery. Work to restore the foundations of buildings destroyed in 1945 and expose their basements began in November 2006. In February 2008,
12204-461: Was first mentioned in 742, as Saint Boniface founded the diocese. Although the town did not belong to any of the Thuringian states politically, it quickly became the economic centre of the region and was a member of the Hanseatic League . It was part of the Electorate of Mainz during the Holy Roman Empire , and became part of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1802. From 1949 until 1990 Erfurt was part of
12317-487: Was found on a comb from a sacrificial shaft the word: "kaba". From Roman Times , however, they found 200 coins dating back to the third century, plus 150 Roman ceramic fragments and more than 200 fibulae . Also 11 inhumation graves of the Haßleben-Leuna group, which is an archeological cultural group. The Melchendorf dig in the southern city part showed a settlement from the neolithic period . The Thuringii inhabited
12430-516: Was held with Napoleon and Alexander I of Russia visiting the city. During their administration, the French introduced street lighting and a tax on foreign horses to pay for maintaining the road surface . The Peterskirche suffered under the French occupation, with its inventory being auctioned off to other local churches – including the organ , bells and even the tower of the Corpus Christi chapel ( Fronleichnamskapelle ) – and
12543-574: Was terrified that he would die and cried out "Help me, St. Anne, and I will become a monk." He survived the storm and kept his vow, immediately leaving university and joining St. Augustine's Monastery as a novice friar on 17 July 1505. On 3 April 1507 he was ordained as a priest in Erfurt Cathedral , and said his first mass on 2 May 1507 in St Augustine's Church. In September 1508 Luther was sent to teach and study at Wittenberg University . He returned to St Augustine's in September 1509. In November 1510 Luther and another friar were sent to Rome. They walked
12656-555: Was the centre of the German woad trade, which made those cities very wealthy. Erfurt was the junction of important trade routes: the Via Regia was one of the most used east–west roads between France and Russia (via Frankfurt , Erfurt, Leipzig and Wrocław ) and another route in the north–south direction was the connection between the Baltic Sea ports (e. g. Lübeck ) and the potent upper Italian city-states like Venice and Milan . During
12769-510: Was used to store cereal grains and the other for processing the woad plant to produce valuable blue indigo dye, for which Erfurt was renowned in the Middle Ages. The friars relied on trading woad to help support their livelihood. The friary also had a notable Studium generale , an early form of university, led by Henry of Friemar the Elder (c.1245–1340), an Augustinian friar, philosopher, theologian and aesthetic writer. The construction of
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