From a purely visual point of view, some visitors notice how similar many of the Franconian towns are. About 1.000 years The ruling Hohenzollern dynasty shaped German political history. The family's triumphal march began in the 11th century and lasted until the end of the First World War in 1918. The Hohenzollerns' rapid rise is particularly evident in Franconia. Preserved art treasures and buildings from the Hohenzollern's heyday bear witness to the shared history that shaped cities such as Ansbach, Bayreuth, Erlangen, Kulmbach, and Nuremberg.
Erlangen – home of the Hohenzollerns
Many of the Franconian towns have one thing in common: for centuries, the Hohenzollern dynasty left its mark on cities such as Erlangen, Bayreuth, Ansbach, Kulmbach, Nuremberg, and many more. When visitors pass through these towns on their journey through Franconia, they enter the realms of a German dynasty...
Christian Erlang – a Hohenzollern and the Huguenots
A momentous decision was made by the Margrave of Bayreuth, Christian Ernst (1644 – 1712), when, as a result of the famine years following the Thirty Years' War, he decided to open his dominion of Erlangen to other religious groups. As one of the first Protestant princes, he invited the Huguenots to settle in his territory. The decision was bold, but also wise. The Huguenots were considered innovative, skilled, and capable craftsmen and merchants. Over 250.000 fellow believers had fled since 1685, after the Sun King, Louis XIV, expelled them from France. Christian Ernst pursued the goal of giving his city an economic boost with the help of the Huguenots.
Hohenzollern monuments for the people of Erlangen
1686, with the decision to build a planned city, the Erlangen NeustadtBy establishing a town in rural Erlangen, the Margrave laid the foundation for a success story. The baroque planned town of "Christian Erlang" was in tune with the times. Christian Ernst immortalized himself with the construction of the new town and wanted the symmetrical layout of the streets to reflect the order in the state. This structure still forms the basic framework of Erlangen's town centre today, and the houses, which at the time were between two and three stories high, are also a defining feature of the townscape. Even though the settlement of the Huguenots did not go entirely smoothly - there were over 600 refugees for every 1.000 "Alterlangers" - Christian Erlang was soon able to resettle the first residents in the new town thanks to quick planning. New industries such as hat making, hosiery knitting, and glove making contributed to a small economic miracle.
The first building to be built was the new church, the present Huguenot ChurchThe "temple," as it was called by the Huguenots, was the first urban church without a cross, candles, or altar. Today, the church dominates what the city affectionately calls Hugo (short for Huguenot Square).
The symbol of the Hohenzollern family’s work is the Margravial Palace, which was built between 1700 and 1704. This includes the 7,5 hectare Castle Garden and the Orangery, which were indispensable for such a baroque ruling center. In the middle of the palace garden is also the Huguenot Fountain, which honors the achievements of the most important Huguenot family. Today, they are magnets for tourists and residents.
Not to be forgotten is, of course, today’s Friedrich-Alexander UniversityWhich of the Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1711 – 1763) opened. His second wife, Sophie Caroline Marie (1737 – 1817) not only transformed the palace garden into an English landscape garden, but also contributed to the flourishing of science at the university.