Sister Cities

Regensburg, Germany

Regensburg, also Ratisbon, Latin: Ratisbon, Czech: Rezno, originally Castra Regina, a fortress on the Regen River. It is the fourth largest city in Bavaria and the Bavarian government administrative center of the district of Upper Palatinate.

Mayor: Joachim WOLBERGS

City Council: 50 members, including the mayor and deputy

HISTORY

As early as 500 BC, there was a Celtic settlement and early AD Roman Legion fortress called Castra Regina here. From this period, the year 179, comes one of the most important local landmarks -the Porta Praetoria gateway, which is also the oldest tall structure in Germany. From approximately 530 to the mid-13th century Regensburg was the capital of Bavaria and the construction of the famous Stone Bridge across the Danube(1135-11460)dates back to this period. The bridge opened up a major international trade route between Northern Europe and Venice, launching a period of prosperity for the town, which became the cultural center of southern Germany. In 845 14 Czech noblemen were accepted into Regensburg Christianity and the Prague diocese was later established thanks in part to a significant contribution by the bishopric here. In 1245 Emperor Frederick II. granted the city the right to self-government and Regensburg remained a free imperial city until the year 1803. The ancient town hall was the seat of the Permanent Imperial Council from 1636 to 1806.

Surrounding villages were annexed to create a larger Regensburg in 1946, and in 1967 teaching began at the fourth provincial university in Bavaria. Major dates in recent years include 1992, when the Rhine-Main-Danube canal began operating and the university clinic opened. Two recent major events -the visit of Pope Benedict XVI on September 12, 2006 and the awarding of UNESCO World Heritage Site certification on November 24,2007 were also attended by representatives of the city of Pilsen.

GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHY

LOCATION: The city is situated at the confluence of the Danube and Regen Rivers at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Its coordinates are: 49° 01' north latitude and 12° 06' east longitude.

AREA: 80.70 km²

POPULATION: 131,000

CLIMATE: Central

ECONOMY

The town is a center of electronic, electrical, and engineering companies, car manufacturing as well as an important center for information and communication technologies, biotechnology and sensors. Every third BMW rolls off the belt in Regensburg, and the company Infineon is a leading manufacturer of microchips for mobile phones.Other companies based here include Dallmeier electronic, Siemens, Osram Opto and the oldest sugar factory in Bavaria. Other economic sectors are tourism, transport and hospitality.

EDUCATION

Higher:

UNIVERSITY - 18 thousand. students, 12 faculties, 55 degree courses,
TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COLLEGE - 6 thousand. Students,
CATHOLIC college of church music and music education - 60 students.

CULTURE AND TOURISM

MUSEUMS – In addition to the State and Historical Museums, there are 10 others, e.g., a clock museum and a Danube navigation museum.

GALLERY – Municipal Gallery Leerer Beutel, Ostdeutsche Gallery, exhibition space in the courtyard of the Thon-Dittmer Palace and several galleries, including a large exhibition area in the Donau shopping center

THEATER – The City Theater and The Theater am Heidplatz, in the summer season theater in the courtyard of the Thon-Dittmer Palace, other smaller theaters and performance venues

LIBRARY – The University Library and The Municipal Library, which is divided between a central part and four branches

TOURISTS - 42 accommodation facilities with 4,260 beds, campgrounds hostels and 720 dining establishments are all available to visitors to our city.

SPORT

The city operates 119 sporting associations with 44,600 members. The biggest sporting facilities include a football stadium with seats for 12,000 spectators, Donau-Arena with two indoor ice surfaces and seats for 5000 spectators. In addition to other sports and sports halls, there are centers and facilities for sports shooting, canoeing, equestrian sports, bowling and billiards.

TRADITIONAL EVENTS CITY PARTNERSHIP

BÜRGERFEST Burgher celebration - every odd year in late June

BACHWOCHE - Bach Music Week in June

THURN UND TAXIS SCHLOSSFESTSPIELE - summer festival in the castle Thurn and Taxis

KURZFILMWOCHE - Short Film Week in November

CHRISTMAS MARKETS during Advent with various themes

Advent concerts by the boys choir Regensburger Domspatzen in St Peter's Cathedral

CITY PARTNERS OF REGENSBURG

HISTORY OF PILSEN – REGENSBURG RELATIONS

A partnership agreement between the two cities was signed in Pilsen on September 25, 1993 by the then mayor Professor Zdenek Mracek and the mayor of Regensburg, Mrs. Christa Meier.

In the period since the signing of the contract there has been a complete series of events, such as art exhibitions, music performances, workshops for representatives of both municipalities , individual and long-term cooperation between schools and the like. As part of this collaboration there have been numerous exchanges, which include, among others, holiday visits by students from Pilsen to gatherings of children from the sister cities of Regensburg and inviting acting and official representatives of the city of Pilsen to bi-annual Regensburg festivals . Major projects include the creation of the Coordination Centre of Czech-German Youth Exchange called Tandem (founded in 1997), which has offices in Pilsen and Regensburg. In 2007 another long-term project began - a regional association called Regiopol was established for Western and Southern Bohemia - Upper Austria - East Bavaria.

USEFUL LINKS

Official website of the City of Regensburg: www.regensburg.de

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