Country Germany District Stendal Elevation 28 m (92 ft) Population 1,266 (31 Dec 2008) | State Saxony-Anhalt Municipal assoc. Arneburg-Goldbeck Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Local time Monday 7:03 AM | |
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Weather 8°C, Wind S at 10 km/h, 85% Humidity | ||
Werben (Elbe) is a town in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Contents
Map of 39615 Werben, Germany
Geography
It is situated on the left bank of the Elbe River, approximately seven kilometres west of Havelberg. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") Arneburg-Goldbeck. The town's official name is Hansestadt Werben (Elbe), referring to its status as a former member of the Hanseatic League.
History
Werben was first documented in 1005 and placed an influential role during the medieval wars between the Saxons and Polabian Slavs; its name is of Slavic origin. Part of the Altmark, it received town rights in 1151 from Albert the Bear and received an influx of Hollanders in 1160. It became a participant of the Hanseatic League in 1358. While part of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, Werben was the scene of the 1631 Battle of Werben during the Thirty Years' War. Werben became part of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. It became part of the Prussian Province of Saxony in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars and the new state of Saxony-Anhalt after World War II.
Werben's architecture is reminiscent of the Biedermeier style (Biedermeierstadt). Twice a year, the "Biedermeiermarkt" is held, a weekend festival in remembrance of this period.