Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein


Schleswig is a town in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg. It has a population of about 27,000, the main industries being leather and food processing. It takes its name from the Schlei, an inlet of the Baltic Sea at the end of which it sits, and vik or vig which means "bay" in Old Norse and Danish. Schleswig or Slesvig therefore means "bay of the Schlei".
WWW schleswig.deFB stadtverwaltungschleswigIG stadtschleswig

History

Today's small town has a great past, as it served as a major supraregional trading center, a bishop's seat, the residence of the dukes of Gottorf, and finally the capital of a Prussian province. Many historic buildings in Schleswig bear witness to the town's former importance.
The Viking settlement of Hedeby, located south of the modern town, was first mentioned in 804. It was a powerful settlement in the Baltic region, dominating the area for more than 200 years. In 1050, following several destructions, the population was moved to the opposite shore of the Schlei, becoming the city of Schleswig. In 1066 Hedeby was finally destroyed, and Schleswig remained a part of the Danish kingdom.
Schleswig became a bishopric in 947 and remained so until 1624. The first church building has disappeared, and the current Schleswig Cathedral was built starting in 1138. In 1544, Gottorf Castle became the residence of the local rulers. The dukes of Gottorf were vassals of the Danish kings and ruled over much of present-day Schleswig-Holstein. In 1721, when the Great Northern War ended, the dukes of Gottorf lost their power and most of their land, including Gottorf, became Danish crown land. After the Second Schleswig War, Schleswig was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1867. Until 1917, Schleswig was the capital of the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein before it had to relinquish this function to Kiel. However, it remains the seat of the state's Higher Regional Court to this day.

Geography

Schleswig lies at the western end of the Schlei Förde, which separates the two peninsulas of Angeln and Schwansen, and is on the western edge of the Schleswig-Holstein Uplands on the transition to the Geest country. The urban area ranges from 0 to above sea level. Brautsee is in the town.
The nearest major cities are Flensburg, Husum and Kiel. Autobahn 7 runs immediately west of the city. Highways 76 and 77 end in Schleswig and B 201 runs to the north of the town. Schleswig station is a stop for InterCity and Intercity-Express trains and is on the Hamburg–Neumünster–Flensburg and Husum–Kiel lines.

Climate

The climate is oceanic, humid and mild with a slight continental influence. The annual mean temperature is 8 °C and precipitation averages 925 mm.

Landmarks

Twin towns – sister cities

Schleswig is twinned with:

Notable people

Sport