Balingen Explained

Type:Stadt
Image Coa:DEU Balingen COA.svg
Coordinates:48.2731°N 8.8506°W
Image Plan:Balingen in BL.svg
State:Baden-Württemberg
Region:Tübingen
District:Zollernalbkreis
Elevation:517
Area:90.34
Gemeindeschlüssel:08417002
Postal Code:72301–72336
Area Code:07433
Licence:BL
Website:www.balingen.de
Mayor:Dirk Abel[1]
Leader Term:2023 - 31
Party:CDU

Balingen (pronounced as /de/; Swabian: Balenga) is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, capital of the district of Zollernalbkreis. It is located near the Swabian Jura, approx. 35 km to the south of Tübingen, 35 km northeast of Villingen-Schwenningen, and 70 km south southwest of Stuttgart.

It is home to the Bizerba and Ideal companies.

History

Balingen is first mentioned in 863. Initially a possession of the lords of Haigerloch, in 1162 it was acquired by the count of Hohenberg. In the 13th century it received the title of city from Friedrich der Erlauchte, it was largely rebuilt on the left bank of the river Eyach.

In 1403 it was sold to the County of Württemberg, whose chancellor maintained a residence there until the 18th century.

Balingen became part of the unified Germany in 1870.

During the Second World War (1939-1945) Balingen was the site of a sub-camp of the German death camp of Natzweiler-Struthof in the occupied French region of Alsace. After the war this camp became a French internment camp for former Nazi war criminals, the Camp d’internement de Wurtemberg.

Main sights

The city was destroyed by a fire in 1809, from which only the Protestant church, the castle and a few other edifices escaped. The Protestant church's construction finished in 1541; it has a characteristic sundial in the apse.

The castle was reconstructed in 1935.

Sulfor spring

In Balingen there is the enclosed, publicly accessible sulfur spring, whose water is said to have healing powers and support the immune system.[2] As with the medicinal springs in Bad Sebastiansweiler, the spring is made up of dissolved, sulfur-containing sodium hydrogen carbonate (Na-HCO3) from the rock (Black Jura).[3] When the rock containing pyrites (pyrite) is weathered, the oxidation of the pyrite with subsequent bacterial reduction of the sulfate ion produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It gives the mineral water the smell of rotten eggs. It contains dissolved substances and hydrogen sulfide. Visitors who regularly drink from it should note that the daily intake of hydrogen sulfide does not exceed the limit of 100 mg.

Nickname

World Capital

Balingen is nicknamed "Waagenstadt", the metropolis of scales. The father Philipp Matthäus Hahn behind the original idea.[4] [5] [6]

Frommern is nicknamed "Möbelstadt", the metropolis of furniture in the time of Wirtschaftswunder. In Frommern a line of high polished industrial production (fine veneered wood) take up the ideas of the royal Hofebenist. In the Haus der Volkskunstof the Schwäbischer Albverein the traditional Himmelbett is use as a hotel bed.[7] [8]

Notable people

Personalities who have worked locally

Geography

Climate

Balingen has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb).

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany. Balingen is twinned with:[10]

Natural Sport

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/wahl/oberbuergermeisterwahl-balingen-2023// Oberbürgermeisterwahl Balingen 2023
  2. https://www.geopark-alb.de/de/sulphur-well-Balingen Sulfor
  3. https://www.geopark-alb.de/en/geopark-erleben/thermalbad-mineralbad.php Sebastiansweiler
  4. https://www.schwarzwaelder-bote.de/inhalt.balingen-waagenbau-im-visier.2e17bc04-d159-4d5d-85d9-bd647817695e.html Waahenbai in german
  5. https://www.schwarzwaelder-bote.de/inhalt.balingen-symbol-fuer-die-waagenstadt.fe52b8ae-51ce-4adb-9c18-6a3aa6e3e936.html Symbol in german
  6. https://www.schwarzwaelder-bote.de/inhalt.balingen-wiegetechnik-auf-modern-getrimmt.efe61eaf-513b-4640-9095-94fe26333e92.html Wiegetechnik in german
  7. http://www.schwaben-kultur.de/moebel/ film in swabian german
  8. http://www.schwaben-kultur.de/starweb/ska/moebel/servlet.starweb?path=ska/moebel/de/details.web&suche4=3634Schwaben Kultur in german
  9. http://www.taebingen.de/index.php?seite=Karsthanskirche Karsthans Täbingen
  10. Web site: Städtepartnerschaft Balingen – Royan. balingen.de. Balingen. de. 2021-02-04. 2021-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603140936/https://www.balingen.de/Startseite/Stadt+_+Buergerservice/Partnerstadt+Royan.html. dead.
  11. https://www.schwarzwaelder-bote.de/inhalt.balingen-lochen-deutlich-weniger-wild-fahrer.9f831fcf-14ed-44fe-ab88-5a48db9a5acf.html Trail
  12. https://tourismus.meinestadt.de/balingen/outdoor/radtouren/detail?id=1022750881 Outdoor