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Barbarossa city facts for kids

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Sinzig Barbarossa
Memorial for Frederick Barbarossa in Sinzig

A Barbarossa city (German: Barbarossastadt) is a special name given to German cities. These cities were important places where Emperor Frederick I, also known as Frederick Barbarossa, stayed or visited often. He was a powerful ruler from the Staufer family in the Middle Ages. Some of the main Barbarossa cities include Sinzig, Kaiserslautern, Gelnhausen, Altenburg, and Bad Frankenhausen. Other cities like Annweiler am Trifels, Bad Wimpfen, Eberbach, and Waiblingen also see themselves as Barbarossa cities.

Sinzig: An Emperor's Favorite Place

Sinzig is a city located by the Middle Rhine River. It has a long history, starting with the Celts and then the Romans. The city was first mentioned in 762 as a Frankish king's court.

Sinzig was very important from the 12th to the 14th century. It had a special palace called a Kaiserpfalz. This was a royal residence where German kings and emperors often stayed. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa himself visited Sinzig four times. This shows how much he liked the city.

Kaiserslautern: Barbarossa's Imperial Center

Kaiserslautern is a city with a very old history. People lived here as far back as 8,000 years ago! Around the year 1100, rulers from the Salian family built a castle here.

Between 1152 and 1158, Emperor Barbarossa made this castle much bigger. It became his own Kaiserpfalz, a grand imperial palace. He even named it after himself. Barbarossa wanted Kaiserslautern to be a main city in his Staufer empire. This made the city grow and become very successful.

In 1176, Barbarossa also gave money to build a hospital in Kaiserslautern. He asked a group of monks, called Norbertines, to manage it. The people of Kaiserslautern were very proud to be called a "Barbarossa city."

Gelnhausen: A City Founded by the Emperor

Gelnhausen Kaiserpfalz
Imperial country castle at Gelnhausen

The "Barbarossa city" of Gelnhausen is in the eastern part of Hesse. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa himself founded this city in 1170. He chose this spot because it was a great location for trade. A major merchant road, the Via Regia, crossed other important roads here.

Frederick I created Gelnhausen by joining three smaller villages. He made it an "imperial free city." This meant it had special rights and was directly under the emperor's rule. The city also got special trading benefits, like being a duty-free zone. This helped many traders and merchants move to Gelnhausen quickly.

Gelnhausen also had the Stapelrecht. This was a rule that said merchants passing through had to offer their goods for sale in the town for a certain time. This helped Gelnhausen become a very successful trading center. Just ten years after it was founded, the city hosted an important meeting called a Reichstag. The Kaiserpfalz in Gelnhausen is one of the best-preserved Staufer palaces still standing today.

Altenburg: A Castle Visited by Barbarossa

Altenburg Rote Spitzen
Rote Spitzen of Augustine monastery

Altenburg in eastern Thuringia can also proudly call itself a "Barbarossa city." It was first mentioned in official records in 976. Emperor Barbarossa visited the imperial castle of Altenburg many times. He stayed there a total of six times between 1165 and 1188.

In 1172, he officially opened an Augustinian monastery. It was called "Our dear Lady St. Mary" and was built at the top of a mountain.

Bad Frankenhausen: Home of the Barbarossa Monument

Kyffhäuser Barbarossa
Kyffhäuser Monument with Frederick Barbarossa

People first settled in Bad Frankenhausen around 8000 BC. The town itself was mentioned in the 9th century. It was called a Frankish settlement in old documents.

Even though there's no proof that Emperor Barbarossa ever stayed in Bad Frankenhausen, it's still considered a Barbarossa city. This is because of some important landmarks nearby. There's the "Barbarossa Cave" with its "emperor's throne." Also, the famous "Barbarossa Memorial" is here. This huge monument features a larger-than-life statue of Frederick Barbarossa. It was built between 1890 and 1896 on the ruins of an old imperial castle.

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