Country Germany District Oder-Spree Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Population 32,867 (31 Dec 2008) | State Brandenburg Elevation 43 m (141 ft) Postal codes 15517 Local time Sunday 12:16 AM | |
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Weather 3°C, Wind W at 23 km/h, 75% Humidity Points of interest Spree, Heimattiergarten Fürstenwalde, Städtisches Museum Fürstenwalde, Jagdschloss, Alte Molkerei | ||
Fürstenwalde/Spree is the most populous town in the Oder-Spree District of Brandenburg, Germany.
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Map of F%C3%BCrstenwalde, Germany
Geography
It is situated in the glacial valley of the river Spree north of the Rauen Hills, about 60 km (37 mi) east of Berlin and 30 km (19 mi) west of Frankfurt (Oder) and the border with Poland. The district capital Beeskow is about 25 km (16 mi) to the southeast. In the north, the municipal area comprises the village of Trebus. The town is located on the western rim of historic Lubusz Land.
Fürstenwalde station is a stop on the railway line from Berlin to Frankfurt (Oder), the former Lower Silesian-Mark Railway. It also has access to the parallel Bundesautobahn 12.
History
Furstenwalde in the Margraviate of Brandenburg was first mentioned in a 1272 deed, founded in the course of the German Ostsiedlung migration at a ford across the Spree River, probably near the site of a former Slavic settlement. The town's importance rose as a staple port and terminal of the transportation of goods on the river.
In 1373 Emperor Charles IV, since 1367 also Margrave of adjacent Lower Lusatia campaigned the Brandenburg lands and enforced the renunciation of the Wittelsbach margrave Otto VII of Brandenburg by the Treaty of Fürstenwalde. As also the collegiate church in Lebus was destroyed, Bishop Wenceslaus moved the official seat of the Bishopric of Lebus to Fürstenwalde, where the St Mary's Church was raised to a cathedral.
The last Catholic bishop was Georg von Blumenthal (1490-1550), who was besieged in his palace by Reformist robbers led by Nickel von Minkwitz. The Bishop had to escape through a window in disguise. The bishopric was secularized during the Reformation in 1555, and was completely disbanded at the ascension of Joachim Frederick as Margrave of Brandenburg in 1598.
Famous Residents
International relations
Fürstenwalde is twinned with: