Altstadt

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File:Regensburg 08 2006 2.jpg
Old Town of Regensburg, Germany (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
File:Rapperswil - Altstadt, im Hingergrund Schloss Rapperswil.JPG
Rapperswil Castle and Altstadt of Rapperswil located at Lake Zürich, Switzerland

Altstadt (Script error: No such module "IPA".) is the German language word for "old town", and generally refers to the historical town or city centre within the old town or city wall, in contrast to younger suburbs outside. Neustadt (new town), the logical opposite of Altstadt, mostly stands for a part of the "Altstadt" in modern sense, sometimes only a few years younger than the oldest part, e. g. a late medieval enlargement.

Germany

Most German towns have an Altstadt, even though the ravages of war have destroyed many of them, especially during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). Another notable example was during the Nine Years' War (1688–1697), where Mélac's aggressive tactics devastated many cities and large parts of southwestern Germany, like the Heidelberg Castle.

Allied strategic bombing during World War II destroyed nearly all large cities, with the exception of Regensburg and Heidelberg. Many smaller towns remained intact, for example Bamberg, Konstanz, Passau, Tübingen, Dinkelsbühl, Quedlinburg and Wismar. Some Altstadt parts in Freiburg, Erfurt, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Weimar and others have been restored. But most destroyed bigger German old towns were not reconstructed. Important old towns like those of Hildesheim, Braunschweig, Frankfurt, Kassel and Pforzheim were largely lost and only a limited smaller part, such as a church or an area around a town square reconstructed.

Recent efforts of Altstadt reconstructions can be found in Dresden (Neumarkt area), Potsdam (the old market and city palace) and Frankfurt (Römerberg around the Cathedral).

Examples of Altstadt districts in cities and towns

Austria

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Germany

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Switzerland


Other towns

Notable Altstadt districts in cities that used to be inhabited also by a German-speaking population:

References

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  1. ^ Andreas Steigmeier: "Baden (AG, Gemeinde)" in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Die Unesco klopft der Stadt Bern auf die Finger". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in Schweizer Hochdeutsch). 21 April 2020. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Dietrich, Rolf (29 June 2017). "Freiburger Altstadt - Den Beizen fehlen die Gäste". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in Schweizer Hochdeutsch). Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Keine autofreie Altstadt für Frauenfeld – dafür wird saniert". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in Schweizer Hochdeutsch). 15 May 2022. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  5. ^ "St. Gallen (Gemeinde)" in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 6 January 2012.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Bitter, Sabine (24 June 2025). "«Kosmos Altstadt»: Schweizer Visionen für die Altstadt der Zukunft". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in Schweizer Hochdeutsch). Retrieved 2025-11-06.
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