Arnstein Explained

Type:Stadt
Image Coa:Wappen von Arnstein (Unterfranken).svg
Coordinates:49.9667°N 68°W
Image Plan:Arnstein in MSP.svg
State:Bayern
Region:Unterfranken
District:Main-Spessart
Elevation:228
Area:112.12
Postal Code:97450
Area Code:09363
Licence:MSP
Gemeindeschlüssel:09 6 77 114
Divisions:12 Stadtteile
Mayor:Franz-Josef Sauer[1]
Leader Term:2019 - 25
Party:CSU

Arnstein (pronounced as /de/) is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany.

Geography

Location

The town lies on the banks of the river Wern and is roughly 20 km from Schweinfurt and 25 km from Würzburg.

Constituent communities

Arnstein's Stadtteile are:

  • Altbessingen
  • Binsbach
  • Binsfeld
  • Büchold
  • Dattensoll
  • Gänheim
  • Halsheim
  • Heugrumbach
  • Müdesheim
  • Neubessingen
  • Reuchelheim
  • Schwebenried

History

Town rights were granted in 1333 by Emperor Louis the Bavarian.

The former Oberamt of the Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg was in Bavaria's favour secularized and passed in 1805 to Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany to form the Grand Duchy of Würzburg.

Population development

Politics

Mayor

Town partnerships

Coat of arms

The town's arms might be described thus: Argent in base a mount of three vert, thereon an eagle reguardant wings expanded sable armed Or and langued gules.

The usual German word for eagle is Adler, but the poetic word Aar also exists. The noun Aar can follow the weak declension, in which case the genitive form is Aaren. The “mount of three” (called a Dreiberg in German heraldry), moreover, can be taken to be a stone (Stein in German). This makes the arms canting, as the town's name, Arnstein, can be taken to mean “Eagle’s Stone”, which is the image suggested by the charges in the arms. The town's oldest known seal, from 1378, already showed this image, as have all Arnstein's seals and coats of arms since then, although the eagle has changed in size and shape over time. The tinctures are known to have been used since 1544.[2]

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

In Arnstein's new residential area has stood since the late 1990s a terraced housing development with 20 low-energy houses, the so-called Arnsteiner Sonnenhäuser (“Sunhouses”). Part of the energy supply comes from a solar collector area of more than 210 m2 through which water is heated and household heating is provided. Furthermore, 95% of the space heat can be recovered through a controlled ventilation system. By using rainwater to flush the toilets, choosing ecologically friendly building materials, forgoing a basement and thus insulating the houses and taking other measures, further energy-saving and environmentally protective measures could be realized. The “Sunhouses” were built collaboratively by the 20 builders in the framework of the promotional programme for experimental home building, thereby reducing acquisition and planning costs.

Monuments

Not far outside Arnstein, on Bundesstraße 26a going towards Schwebenried, stands the Schnittpunktdenkmal, or “Crossing Point Monument”. It marks the spot where the 50th parallel of north latitude crosses the 10th meridian of east longitude: 50°N 10°W.

Economy and infrastructure

Solar park

See main article: Erlasee Solar Park. In May 2005, the world's biggest solar park was built near Arnstein (Erlasee).

MIWE

The biggest employer in town for over 80 years has been the firm MIWE GmbH. At the main MIWE works in Arnstein today, roughly 400 workers manufacture industrial ovens, ovens for bakeries and bakery and cooling technology products.

Education

the following institutions existed in Arnstein:

Recreation

Famous people

Notes and References

  1. https://www.statistik.bayern.de/wahlen/kommunalwahlen/bgm/ Liste der ersten Bürgermeister/Oberbürgermeister in kreisangehörigen Gemeinden
  2. http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/a/arnstein.htm Description of Arnstein’s coat of arms