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{{about|the town in Thuringia, Germany}}
{{Infobox German location
|Name = Altenburg
|image_photo = Altenburg Frauenfels.jpg
|Art = Stadt
|Wappen = Altenburg coa.svg
|lat_deg = 50 |lat_min = 59 |lat_sec = 6
|lon_deg = 12 |lon_min = 26 |lon_sec = 0
|Lageplan = Altenburg in ABG.png
|Bundesland = Thüringen
|Landkreis = Altenburger Land
|Höhe = 227
|Fläche = 45.60
|Einwohner = 37236
|Stand = 2006-12-31
|PLZ = 04600
|Vorwahl = 03447
|Kfz = ABG
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 16 0 77 001
|Gliederung = 4
|Straße = Markt 1
|Website = [http://www.altenburg.eu/ www.altenburg.eu]
|Bürgermeister = Michael Wolf
|Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
|Partei = SPD
}}
'''Altenburg''' {{Audio|De-Altenburg.ogg|''[listen]''}} is a town in the [[Germany|German]] [[States of Germany|federal state]] (''Bundesland'') of [[Thuringia]], 45 km south of [[Leipzig]]. It is the capital of the [[Altenburger Land]] district.
==Geography==
Altenburg is bounded by [[Windischleuba]], [[Nobitz]], [[Saara, Altenburger Land|Saara]], [[Altkirchen]], [[Göhren, Thuringia|Göhren]], [[Lödla]], [[Rositz]], [[Wintersdorf]] and [[Gerstenberg]].
==History==
[[File:Altenburg-1650-Merian.jpg|thumb|left|Altenburg about the year 1650]]
[[File:Schloss Altenburg 02.JPG|thumb|left|Castle of Altenburg]]
[[File:Nikolaiviertel Altenburg.JPG|thumb|The Nikolai quarter is one of the oldest parts of Altenburg]]
The town (''civitas Altenburg'') was first mentioned in a deed to the [[Zeitz|Bishop of Zeitz]] in 976. Remains of a [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] castle on the Schloßberg ("Castle Hill") demonstrate that the town was probably a Slavic foundation, the capital of the shire of Plisni, taken over during the conquest of [[Meißen]] by [[Henry the Fowler|Henry I]]. As shown by place names, the surrounding area ([[Osterland]]) was mainly settled by [[Slavs]].
The town's location on the imperial road between [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle]] and [[Cheb]] in [[Bohemia]] gave Altenburg economic importance in the salt trade.
The first castle, located under the present day church St. Bartholomäi, was destroyed after the [[Battle on the Elster|Battle of Hohenmölsen]] between [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]] and [[Rudolf von Rheinfeld|Rudolph of Swabia]]. It was rebuilt on the Schloßberg outside of the town. The 11th century ''Mantelturm'' tower is still preserved. The castle later became an imperial [[Count palatine|palatinate]] and played an important part in the German takeover and settlement of the area between the [[Harz]]-mountains and the [[Elbe]].
In the middle of the 12th century, the [[Hohenstaufen]] emperors patronized Altenburg, allowing the town to become a market and a mint. Together with the Royal forests Leina, Pahna, Kammerforst and Luckauer Forst, lands of the Groitzsch family bought by [[Frederick Barbarossa]], Altenburg, [[Colditz]], [[Zwickau]] and [[Chemnitz]] were turned into the ''[[Pleissnerland|Terra Plisnensis]]''. Altenburg and Chemnitz as Imperial towns were intended to reduce the importance of Leipzig held by the Margrave of Meißen. Under Frederick Barbarossa much building took place, especially in the market area, and the town grew rapidly. An [[priory]] of [[canons regular]] was founded and the [[parish church]] was finished in 1172. The twin towers (''Rote Spitzen'') are still preserved. A town wall was constructed at the end of the 12th century.
During the [[Interregnum]], the Terra Plisnensis was impounded, but bought back by [[Rudolph I of Germany]], who desired the crown of Thuringia. Together with Zwickau and Chemnitz, Altenburg was part of the anti-Meißen Pleiße-city Union of 1290. After the [[Battle of Lucka]] in 1307 against [[Frederick the Brave]] of Meißen and his brother Diezmann, King [[Albert I of Habsburg|Albert I]] lost Altenburg and the Pleiße-lands to the margraves of Meißen.
In 1455, Altenburg saw the division (''Altenburger Teilung'') of the Meißen lands between Elector [[Frederick II, Elector of Saxony|Frederick II]] (the Gentle) and Duke William that led, after a failed attempt at reconciliation (''Hallescher Machtspruch'') to a war (1446–1451) between the two brothers ([[Saxon Brother War|''Bruderkrieg'']]).
In the second division of the [[House of Wettin|Wettin]] lands between [[Ernest, Elector of Saxony|Ernest]] and [[Albert, Duke of Saxony|Albert]] at Leipzig in 1485, Altenburg fell to Ernest, together with the Electorate (''Kurland''), [[Grimma]], the Mutschener Pflege, [[Leisnig]], Thuringia and the [[Vogtland]]. From this time on, Altenburg was historically connected with Thuringia.
During the [[German Peasants' War]] of 1525, the Altenburg Augustinian monastery was attacked. In the summer, four peasant rebels were executed at the marketplace.
From 1603 to 1672, Altenburg was the residence of the Ernestine line, after that, it fell to [[Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg]]. During the [[Napoleonic wars]] it was a scene of a brief Allied [[Raid at Altenburg|raid]] by the Saxon General [[Johann von Thielmann]]. When the Ernestine lands were re-divided in 1826, Altenburg became the capital of [[Saxe-Altenburg]]. The last duke abdicated on 13 November 1918 after being promised 12 million Marks and the ownership of numerous castles. The free-state Saxe-Altenburg was merged with Thuringia in 1920.
During [[World War II]], several subcamps of the [[Buchenwald concentration camp]] were located here. They provided [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labour]] for [[HASAG]], the third largest Germany company to use concentration camp labour.<ref>Edward Victor, [http://www.edwardvictor.com/Holocaust/List%20of%20camps.htm ''Alphabetical List of Camps, Subcamps and Other Camps.'']</ref>
In 1952, Altenburg fell to the Leipzig District, but became part of Thuringia again in 1990.
==Historical population==
{| class="wikitable"
|!valign="top" align="center" width="25%" |'''1831 - 1939'''
|!valign="top" align="center" width="25%" |'''1946 - 1996'''
|!valign="top" align="center" width="25%" |'''1997 - 2004'''
|-
|
* 1831 - 12,629
* 1880 - 26,241
* 1885 - 29,110
* 1890 - 31,439
* 1900 - 37,110
* 1925 - 42,570
* 1933 - 43,736
* 1939 - 45,851
|
* 1946 - 51,805 <ref group=*>29 October</ref>
* 1950 - 49,413 <ref group=*>31 August</ref>
* 1960 - 46,791
* 1981 - 55,827
* 1984 - 54,755
* 1994 - 46,291
* 1995 - 45,472
* 1996 - 44,854
|
* 1997 - 44,060
* 1998 - 43,032
* 1999 - 42,005
* 2000 - 41,290
* 2001 - 40,559
* 2002 - 39,810
* 2003 - 39,189
* 2004 - 38,417
|}
:<small> Source (since 1994): Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik</small>
<references group=* />
==Main sights==
Altenburg's [[town hall]] is one of the most important [[Renaissance]] buildings in Germany. It was built between 1562 and 1564 by the architect [[Nikolaus Grohmann]]. The ''Schenkendorffsches Palais'' (1724) and the ''Alte Amtshaus'' (1725) are remarkable [[Baroque]] structures. There is also a [[castle]], which is the scene of the famous ''[[Prinzenraub]]'', related by [[Thomas Carlyle|Carlyle]] in his "Miscellanies". The Western main wing (1706–1732) contains an exhibition on the history of playing cards and card games and an historical museum.
[[File:Rathaus Altenburg.jpg||thumb|left|Town Hall.]]
The [[Lindenau-Museum]] in the palace of [[Bernhard August von Lindenau]], was built in 1875 and houses [[Italian culture|Italian]] paintings of the 13th-15th centuries, a collection of classical antiquities and cast and modern art.
The scientific museum [[Mauritianum]] shows the largest well-known mummified [[Rat king (folklore)|rat king]], which was found in 1828 in a miller's fireplace at Buchheim.
[[File:Schloss Altenburg.jpg|thumb|Castle - Corps de Logis.]]
[[File:Theater Altenburg.jpg|thumb|Altenburg Theatre,]]
Other points of interest include the [[Botanischer Erlebnisgarten Altenburg]], a small [[botanical garden]].
==Culture==
Altenburg is called the ''playing cards town''. The game of [[Skat (card game)|skat]] is said to have originated here, based on the Bavarian [[tarock]]. Because of the influence Emperor [[Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick Barbarossa]] had on the town, it is nicknamed a "[[Barbarossa town]]".
==Economy==
[[File:Gumpert Apollo Dubai.jpg|thumb|Gumpert Apollo]]
Altenburg is noted for produced playing cards. The Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik was founded in 1831. Today it is a subsidiary company of [[Cartamundi]] and market leader in Germany.
In Altenburg is the headquarters of the [[Gumpert|Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur]]. The [[Gumpert Apollo]] supercar has been produced by Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur since 2005.
Altenburg is also known for its mustard, which is produced by Altenburger Senf und Feinkost.
==Transport==
===Local transport===
Local transport within Altenburg relies exclusively on buses. 6 lines connect the outlying quarters to the downtown.
===Rail===
[[Altenburg station]] is on the [[Leipzig–Hof railway|Leipzig–Hof line]]
===Airport===
[[File:AOC-Terminal and Tower.jpg|thumb|Leipzig-Altenburg Airport]]
In the vicinity of the town are two airports. <br />
The [[Leipzig-Altenburg Airport]], a former [[Russia]]n military airport, is used for cheap commercial flights to [[London Stansted Airport|London Stansted]], Barcelona-[[Girona]] and [[Edinburgh]].<br />
[[Leipzig/Halle Airport|Leipzig/Halle]] is an international airport 50 km northwest of Altenburg.
==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Altenburg is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Offenburg]], [[Germany]]
* {{flagicon|Switzerland}} [[Olten]], [[Switzerland]]
* {{flagicon|Czech Republic}} [[Zlín]], [[Czech Republic]]
* {{flagicon|United States}} [[Hickory, North Carolina|Hickory]], [[United States]]
==Notable natives==
*[[Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus]]
*[[Joachim Büchner]]
*[[Carl Adolph Douai]]
*[[Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick I]]
*[[Hans Conon von der Gabelentz]]
*[[Georg von der Gabelentz]]
*[[Johann Georg August Galletti]]
*[[Ralf Haber]]
*[[Johann Ludwig Krebs]]
*[[Bernhard von Lindenau]]
*[[Uwe Rösler]]
*[[Hermann Schlegel]]
*[[Ingo Schulze]]
*[[George Spalatin]]
== See also ==
*[[Petrosomatoglyph]]. Christs's Fingerprint and the imprint of the Devil's head.
== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
== External links ==
{{Commons|Altenburg}}
* [http://www.altenburg.eu/sixcms/detail.php?_nav_id1=3161&id=15327&_lang=en official website for the town]
* [http://altenburg-tourismus.de/ tourism information]
* [http://www.lindenau-museum.de/ Lindenau-Museum]
* http://www.investor-altenburg.de/
{{Cities and towns in Altenburger Land (district)}}
[[Category:Altenburg| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Thuringia]]
{{usedwp|Altenburg}}