Mosbach


Coordinates 9°8′48″E / 49.35222°N 9.14667°E / 49.35222; 9.14667
Administration
Country Germany
State Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region Karlsruhe
District Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis
Town subdivisions 6
Mayor Michael Jann (CDU)

Basic statistics
Area 62.23 km² (24.03 sq mi)
Elevation 156 m  (512 ft)
Population 24,963  (31 December 2006)
 - Density 401 /km² (1,039 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate MOS
Postal codes 74801–74821
Area code 06261
Website www.mosbach.de

Mosbach is the capital of the Neckar-Odenwald district in the north of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 58 km east of Heidelberg. Its geographical position is 49.21'N 9.9'E.

It has a population of approximately 25,000 people distributed in six boroughs: Mosbach Town, Lohrbach, Neckarelz, Diedesheim, Sattelbach and Reichenbuch.

Geography

Mosbach is situated south of the Odenwald mountains at a height of 134-354m at the confluence of the Neckar and the Elz. The town is part of the conservation area Naturpark Neckartal-Odenwald and the UNESCO Geopark Bergstraße-Odenwald.

History

The settlement of Mosbach developed around the Benedictine monastery of Mosbach Abbey ("Monasterium Mosabach"), the first written record of which dates from the 9th century. In 1241 rights and privileges had been granted to Mosbach as an Imperial free city. These rights were lost in 1362 when Mosbach became part of the Electoral Palatinate. In the 15th century Mosbach became the residence of the Electors Palatine Otto I and Otto II. After the end of the Mosbach principality in 1499 the town became the capital of the administrative district of "Oberamt Mosbach" in the Electoral Palatinate. In 1806 the city was made part of the Grand Duchy of Baden. In World War II, the Mosbach area was the location of an underground airplane engine factory.[1]

The etymology for Mosa- is related to the words Marsh, Mosses, Mousse etc. Bach- is literally Beck in English, and Bogg in Norse. It generally means river in Germany... Because we are talking about a geographic location Mosbach and its alternate spelling Musbach basically mean Marsh-River.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Mosbach is twinned with:

• Château-Thierry (France)
• Pesthidegkút (Hungary)
• Pößneck (Thüringen)
• Finike (Turkey)
• Lymington (England)

Points of interest

Its historic sites include:

• the historic town centre with the pedestrian area and timber-framed houses, such as:
  • the Palm House built in 1610, which is the town’s emblem
  • the Salzhaus, which is the oldest timber-framed house
• old town hall with tower
• the former collegiate church, now a parish church, of which the nave is used by the Protestants, and the chancel by the Roman Catholics
• the Tempelhaus in Neckarelz, which has the character of both a castle and a church.

Mosbach lies on the following heritage routes:

• the Deutsche Fachwerkstrasse (“German Half-timbered Road”), joining the locations of many of the best German half-timbered buildings
• the Burgenstrasse (“Castle Road”), linking many historic castles

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mosbach

References

Towns and municipalities in Neckar-Odenwald (district)

Important cities and touristic sites in  Germany: Greater region of Heidelberg / Rhine-Neckar–Palatinate
Major cities
Other touristic sites
Landscapes
Neighborhood