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ofHelena Sauer
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Which districts belong to Lower Franconia, how many people live there, who rules and which sights are there? All important information about the region in Bavaria at a glance.
Lower Franconia – Lower Franconia is a region in the northwest of the Free State of Bavaria and is one of three administrative districts in Franconia – alongside Upper Franconia and Middle Franconia. 1.3 million people live in an area of 8,531 square meters, which borders the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Thuringia.
In addition to nine districts – Aschaffenburg, Bad Kissingen, Haßberge, Kitzingen, Main-Spessart, Miltenberg, Rhön-Grabfeld, Schweinfurt and Würzburg – there are the three independent cities of Aschaffenburg, Würzburg and Schweinfurt. From these results the administrative region Lower Franconia with its seat in Würzburg. It is one of seven districts in Bavaria. These districts form the third level in the Bavarian municipal self-government. The first consists of the municipalities, the second of the districts and urban districts.
Lower Franconia: Sights, Government, Tourism and Corona – All information about the region in Bavaria
Lower Franconia as a district takes on tasks that the districts and independent cities cannot take on. For example, it supports public institutions that are important for the economic, social and cultural well-being of the people in Lower Franconia.
Administrative district Lower Franconia federal state Bayern Size (inhabitants) 1.3 million (as of April 20) surface 8531 square kilometers District President Dr. Eugen Ehmann —
The government of Lower Franconia is also called the district government and is headed by Dr. Eugen Ehmann directed. District President Ehmann took office in January 2019, replacing Paul Beinhofer.
The region of Lower Franconia is named after its location on the river Main. Lower Franconia is located on the lower reaches of the Main (Upper Franconia, on the other hand, on the upper reaches), which completely flows through the core region – the regional centers of Würzburg and Schweinfurt. This core region is also called Main Franconia.
Lower Franconia: Administrative region in Bavaria with nine administrative districts and three independent cities
The coat of arms of Lower Franconia has been used since 1961 following a resolution by the district assembly and the approval of the Ministry of the Interior. It reflects the most important former rulers. The three silver tips in red represent the bishopric and cathedral chapter of Würzburg – the “Franconian rake”. The quartered storm flag represents the old banner of the Duchy of Würzburg and the Duchy of East Franconia. The Mainz Wheel is the old symbol of the Archbishopric and Electorate of Mainz and symbolizes the great rulership of Mainz in what is now the Lower Franconia district.
With around 124,600 inhabitants, Würzburg is the largest city in the Lower Franconia region, followed by Aschaffenburg with around 68,700 and Schweinfurt with around 52,000 inhabitants. The entire area of Lower Franconia is around a third of Franconia.
The Old Main Bridge in Würzburg connects the old town with the Mainviertel and the Marienberg.
© CTW Würzburg
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With its location in the middle of Germany, Lower Franconia also offers optimal connections to the European trunk road network. For example, the west-east running A3 motorway and the A7 intersect. In addition, the railway provides connections to German and European economic areas, in particular the ICE junction in Würzburg and the Aschaffenburg ICE stop.
The Lower Franconia region is characterized by vineyards and forest mountains
Lower Franconia is also valued above all for its “rural area”. 132 nature reserves are spread over 183 square kilometers. The Dammersfeld in the Franconian part of the Rhön is the highest elevation at 930 meters and is located on the Wildflecken military training area. The neighboring Kreuzberg is the second highest mountain at 928 meters.
The Main – as the most important body of water in the region – flows through the southern and western parts and leaves Lower Franconia in Kahl am Main. In terms of landscape, Lower Franconia is not only characterized by the valleys of the Main. The vineyards and the forest mountains Spessart, Odenwald, Rhön, Steigerwald and Hassberge also stand out.
The proximity to the vineyards also makes Würzburg interesting for many tourists.
© Daniel Karmann / dpa
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Würzburg is not only the seat of government in Lower Franconia. As the largest city in the region and the seventh largest in Bavaria, it has 13 districts and 25 districts. Würzburg is an important school and university location and is mainly known to wine lovers for the many wine festivals. The proximity to the vineyards makes the city interesting for many guests. But not only because of the wine, they also invite nature lovers to go hiking and walking.
The most famous vineyard in the city is the Würzburger Stein on the southern slope of the Steinberg. It has been used for viticulture since the 8th century. The mineral-rich shell limestone soil of the stone is said to be responsible for an extraordinary wine aroma.
Lower Franconia: Bavarian region as the home of UNESCO cultural heritage
Another attraction and landmark of the Lower Franconian city is the Old Main Bridge, which was built in the 12th century by master builder Enzelin. It connects the old town with the Mainviertel and the Marienberg. The stone arch bridge is 185 meters long and seven and a half meters wide. Twelve large sandstone figures are placed on the Old Main Bridge. The figures mainly represent Würzburg bishops, Franconian apostles and saints as patrons of their names such as Johannes Nepomuk (bridge saint) and Pippin the Younger (Frankish king, father Charlemagne).
Nowadays the Alte Mainbrücke is a meeting point in Lower Franconia for locals and guests to have a so-called Brückenschoppen (a glass of wine) together, to enjoy the view and to chat.
The Würzburg Residence on the outskirts of the city center is considered a cultural asset and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The baroque palace was built from 1720 to 1744 – according to plans by Balthasar Neumann, one of the great master builders of the 18th century. The residence served as the seat of the Würzburg prince-bishops and is still considered one of the most important palaces in Europe. 42 of the 340 rooms in the residence are now showrooms. The university and the Martin von Wagner Museum also use parts of the premises.
During the corona pandemic, the paths in the Rhön, as here in the Black Moor, are orphaned.
© Falko Göthel/stock.adobe.com
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In addition to Balthasar Neumann, names such as Walther von der Vogelweide and Tilman Riemenschneider (carver and sculptor who lived in Würzburg since 1483) are associated with Lower Franconia.
Walther von der Vogelweide is one of the most important German-speaking minstrels of the Middle Ages. One of his most famous songs is “Unter der Linden”. Emperor Friedrich II granted the minstrel a fiefdom in or near Würzburg between 1200 and 1230. He spent the last years of his life in Neumünsterstift and died around 1230 near Würzburg.
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön is also partly located in Lower Franconia. It stands for scenic diversity with great biodiversity and is administered by Bavaria, Thuringia and Hesse. The region’s cultural diversity with its history, traditions, rites and dialects is considered a valuable treasure.
The Rhön biosphere reserve offers guests and locals a lot to experience as the “land of the open distance”. The Black Moor, for example, is an important raised bog in Europe. Moor paths lead through the reserve and invite visitors to wade dry feet through the moor. 23 information boards along the way present interesting facts about the moor.
From the three crosses of the Kreuzberg, visitors have a good view of the Rhön.
© Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / dpa
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Furthermore, the Kreuzberg rises in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve and in the Bavarian Rhön Nature Park. It is located between the town of Bischofsheim, the municipality of Sandberg and the Wildflecken market in the Lower Franconian district of Bad Kissingen. The monastery founded by Franciscans in 1644 is located on the Kreuzberg. Today the monastery brewery is a popular place to stop for hikers.
Corona in Lower Franconia: Mobile vaccination teams were first in retirement homes in Bergtheim and Estenfeld
A certain topic has also been present in Lower Franconia since March 2020: the corona virus. With the Germany-wide Corona vaccination start on December 27, 2020, the first vaccinations were also carried out in Lower Franconia. The mobile vaccination teams were out and about in retirement homes in Bergtheim and Estenfeld, among others. They started with 1200 vaccine doses that were initially available.
The first to be vaccinated by one of the mobile vaccination teams was a 94-year-old resident of the senior citizen center in Bergtheim. Then 24 more senior citizens from the facility were vaccinated.
“After the Christmas holidays, that day was already a historic moment. We are pleased that we can give people hope for 2021, ”said Würzburg District Administrator Thomas Eberth (CSU) confidently.
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