Market square (Meiningen)
| market | |
|---|---|
| Place in Meiningen | |
 North-east side of the market square with post office |
|
| Basic data | |
| place | Meiningen |
| District | Old town |
| Created | around 1000 |
| Confluent streets | Georgstrasse, Wettiner Strasse, Eleonorenstrasse, Untere Kaplaneistrasse, Nonnenplan, Alte Kirchgasse, Anton-Ulrich-Strasse, Schlundgasse, Luisenstrasse |
| Buildings |
City church main post office Gasthof Zum Hirsch |
| use | |
| User groups | pedestrian |
| Space design | Heinrichsbrunnen |
| Technical specifications | |
| Square area | about 105 × 85 meters |
The Meininger marketplace , official address market , is the oldest square and the urban center of the city of Meiningen . The market square was first mentioned in the 10th century. Since its inception, it has been used for all kinds of events in addition to holding markets and weekly markets .
Plaza
The Meiningen market square is centrally located in the historic old town , has a size of 105 by 85 meters and is at a height of 292 meters above sea level. The north and east sides are bounded by three to four- story Wilhelminian- style houses in an eclectic style. The north-east corner is occupied by the neo-renaissance post office building . On the south, south-east and south-west side there are town houses and half-timbered buildings from the 17th to the early 19th century. In the south of the market, the dominant building dominating the square is the town church of our dear women . The west side, on which the neo-Gothic town hall and the Stadtsparkasse once stood, was destroyed in the Second World War and was rebuilt in 2016/17 with a three-storey residential and commercial building. The Heinrichsbrunnen has been located in the center of the square on a stylized way of the cross since 1873 . Nine streets and alleys lead into the market square. The entire square is paved and is a listed building as an ensemble .
history
In the 10th century the village ( Villikation ) and Königsgut Meiningen were the center of the Mark Meiningen and tithe seat in Grabfeldgau in the Duchy of Franconia . The settlement was given market rights to hold annual fairs and the market square was built on its edge, which was first mentioned in a deed of donation in 982. Around 1000, the construction of the parish church of St. Mary began on the edge of the square, which still exists today as a town church after several renovations. The Eisenach / Gotha – Würzburg trade route continued across the market. The rectangular market square was completely built up when the city was expanded and fortified in the 12th century. The town hall found its place on the west side, market water and fountains were created. Several documented inns lined the market, including the Black Bear (1467), the Brown Deer (1490) and the Lindwurm (1626).
In 1517 a new town hall was built on the south-west corner of the market opposite the church, which the Meiningen citizens replaced with a Renaissance building in 1628. In 1775 the Neptune Fountain was built in the middle of the square. The Heinrichsbrunnen has taken its place since 1873. In 1832 the landscape building was built next to the town hall as the seat of the Meiningen state parliament . The great city fire of September 5, 1874 destroyed around three quarters of the market buildings, including the town hall and the state parliament. Only the town church and the south side of the market square survived the fire.
By 1880, the burned-down sides, which mainly consisted of half-timbered buildings, were re-parceled out and rebuilt in an eclectic style. The square was enlarged to its current dimensions and it was planted for the first time in its history. In the air raid on Meiningen on February 23, 1945, bombs destroyed the entire west side of the square with the town hall, savings bank building and Kronenapotheke. Other buildings, including the town church, were badly damaged. After the Second World War, the GDR government showed no interest in rebuilding, so a green area was first created here. In 1950 the city council renamed the market to Republic Square . A major redesign of the square took place in 1969 in the style of socialist architecture , whereby the course of the streets was changed, a small row of shops was built on the west side, showcases, another fountain and seating areas were installed and large-format concrete slabs were used for the city floor. Until 1974, today's Bundesstraße 19 ran across the square , after which the market became a pedestrian zone with the exception of the east and south sides .
During the political change , the market square was the gathering point and starting point for demonstrations (→ Wende in Meiningen ). In January 1991, the place got its historical name market back. In 1994, then Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl held a major election event on the market square. In 1998/99, the market square was completely redesigned based on the historical model. It was completely paved in various designs, new seating, new plants and an extension of the pedestrian zone to the east and south-east side. The row of shops on the west side was removed in 2008 in order to enable an urban redevelopment of this market side, which initially failed for various reasons, but was realized in 2016-2017 with the construction of the Herzog-Georg-Forum. In 2009 a monument and a floor slab were inaugurated at the church to commemorate the events of the turning point in Meiningen. Another major election event took place on the square in April 2012 with Chancellor Angela Merkel .
Historical annual and weekly markets
From the Middle Ages onwards, eight officially known annual markets were held on the market square in Meiningen.
- Sebastiansmarkt / Baschenmarkt on January 20th.
- Church mass market on the Sunday after Easter, proven from 1336.
- Monastery market on May 18, from 1242.
- Kapitelmarkt, three weeks after Pentecost, no later than 1278.
- Maria Magdalena Market / Church Market on July 22nd, from 1384.
- Michaelis market on September 29th.
- Burkhardi Market (Zwickchenmarkt) on October 14th.
- Martini market on November 11th.
From 1612 two cattle markets and a horse market were added, the latter was held until the 19th century. The city received another fair with the Christmas market in 1676 from Duke Friedrich von Sachsen-Gotha. Most of the fairs were held until the beginning of the 20th century.
The weekly markets have been documented since 1565 at the latest and continue to this day with a few interruptions. Some markets, including the meat market, the pottery market and the shoe market, were given separate locations for reasons of space.
Markets and events in the present
Weekly markets are still held on the market square in Meiningen, a mixed market every Tuesday and a green market every Friday and Saturday . The square is also the focal point of the five annual special markets (spring market, Easter market, May market, autumn market, Martin's market), the Christmas market and the city festival. Social cultural open-air events, days of action of various kinds, election events and demonstrations take place on the square. In terms of sport, the marketplace is the start and finish for the annual Meininger City Run on October 3rd, and it is also used for motor and cycling events.
See also
literature
- Kuratorium Meiningen (Hrsg.): Lexicon for the history of the city of Meiningen. Bielsteinverlag, Meiningen 2008, ISBN 978-3-9809504-4-2 .
- Reissland / Heinritz: Meiningen views , Staatliche Museen Meiningen (today Meiningen museums ), 1982.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Axel Schneider / Kuratorium Kulturstadt Meiningen (Ed.): Lexicon for the history of the city of Meiningen. Bielsteinverlag, Meiningen 2008, page 152.
- ↑ measured with Google Earth.
- ^ Meiningen first mentioning certificate from 982 - Meiningen City Archives.
- ^ Andrea Jakob / Kuratorium Kulturstadt Meiningen (ed.): Lexicon for the history of the city of Meiningen. Bielsteinverlag, Meiningen 2008, pages 124/125.
Coordinates: 50 ° 34 ′ 4 ″ N , 10 ° 24 ′ 56 ″ E