Bad Mergentheim

Bad Mergentheim

Bad Mergentheim is a town in the Main-Tauber-Kreis district in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. About 23,000 people live there. The town is an officially recognized spa town since 1926.

Before 1926, the town was called Mergentheim. It was the headquarters of the Teutonic Order from 1526 until 1809. Today, Bad Mergentheim is still an important place in the area.

Geography

Subdivisions

Since the 1970s, several small villages have joined Bad Mergentheim. These villages are Althausen, Apfelbach, Dainbach, Edelfingen — where a famous scientist named Julius Adler was born — Hachtel, Herbsthausen, Löffelstelzen, Markelsheim, Neunkirchen, Rengershausen, Rot, Stuppach, and Wachbach. Each village has its own people living there.

History

Bad Mergentheim has a long history. It was first mentioned in records in 1058 as home to a noble family. In 1219, some of that family joined the Teutonic Order and gave two castles to them.

Later, in 1526, the Teutonic Order made Bad Mergentheim their main home. They built a nice place there. Famous people like Ludwig van Beethoven visited for special events. The town stayed important for the Order until 1809.

In 1826, a local shepherd found special mineral water nearby. This helped make Bad Mergentheim a relaxing spa town. In the 1970s, several nearby villages joined the town.

Arts and culture

Attractions

Mergentheim Palace

Main article: Mergentheim Palace

The most famous landmark in Bad Mergentheim is Mergentheim Palace. The Teutonic Knights once lived there. This castle has many buildings that are over 800 years old. The first parts were built in the 1100s, and it grew bigger in the late 1500s. Today, the palace has a museum about the Teutonic Order.

There is a beautiful garden next to the palace. It has special structures like a small building shaped like a faraway land and a tall stone pillar. The palace church, finished in the 1730s, has lovely paintings and designs on the ceiling.

Other sights

The Marienkirche church has old paintings on its walls, including one showing an important moment from the Bible.

Ottmar Mergenthaler Museum

The Ottmar Mergenthaler Museum is in an old town hall building. It shows machines and items related to Ottmar Mergenthaler, who invented a special printing machine. The museum is only open on the first Sunday of each month, so it's best to plan a visit ahead.

Demographics

Governance

Bad Mergentheim has friendly connections with towns in other countries. It is twinned with:

• Digne-les-Bains, France
• Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Manche, France
• Fuefuki, Yamanashi, Japan
• Borgomanero, Italy

Infrastructure

Bad Mergentheim has important buildings like the Löffelstelzen Transmitter and the German Diabetes Center Mergentheim.

Notable people

Bad Mergentheim has been home to many interesting people throughout history.

• Heinrich von Hohenlohe, a nobleman who was the seventh Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.
• Johann Friedrich Mayer, a priest who worked in farming.
• Ludwig van Beethoven, who played the viola in a court music group.
• Carl Arnold, a pianist, composer, and teacher.
• Eduard Mörike, a famous German poet who lived in Bad Mergentheim.
• John Balbach, an American blacksmith and important citizen of San Jose, California.
• Ottmar Mergenthaler, the inventor of the Linotype machine.
• Hansgünther Heyme, a well-known theatre director.
• Gudrun Mebs, an author of books for children and young people.
• Barbara Stamm, a politician who served as President of the Landtag of Bavaria.
• Fritz Kuhn, a former mayor of Stuttgart and leader of the Greens party.
• Jürgen Koch, a chef who has earned a star in the Michelin Guide.

Sport

Some notable athletes from Bad Mergentheim include:

• Martin Lanig, a football player.
• Carolin Golubytskyi, a foil fencer.
• Christopher Bieber, a footballer.
• Atilla Yildirim, a Dutch-Turkish football player.
• Luca Pfeiffer, a footballer.
• Valentin Kluss, a racing driver.