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Aken (Elbe)

Coordinates: 51°51′N 12°03′E / 51.850°N 12.050°E / 51.850; 12.050
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aken
Town
Town hall
Town hall
Flag of Aken
Flag
Coat of arms of Aken
Coat of arms
Location of Aken (Elbe) within Anhalt-Bitterfeld district
AkenBitterfeld-WolfenSüdliches AnhaltSüdliches AnhaltKöthenMuldestauseeOsternienburger LandSüdliches AnhaltRaguhn-JeßnitzSandersdorf-BrehnaSüdliches AnhaltSüdliches AnhaltZerbstZörbigSaxony-Anhalt
Aken is located in Germany
Aken
Aken
Aken is located in Saxony-Anhalt
Aken
Aken
Coordinates: 51°51′N 12°03′E / 51.850°N 12.050°E / 51.850; 12.050
CountryGermany
StateSaxony-Anhalt
DistrictAnhalt-Bitterfeld
Government
 • Mayor (2022–29) Jan-Hendrik Bahn[1] (Ind.)
Area
 • Total
59.91 km2 (23.13 sq mi)
Elevation
60 m (200 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total
7,304
 • Density120/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
06385
Dialling codes034909
Vehicle registrationABI
Websitewww.aken.de

Aken (Elbe) (German pronunciation: [ˈaːkən] ⓘ) is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The town is located at the left bank of the river Elbe.

Geography

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Aken is located at the Middle Elbe, approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Dessau-Rosslau in extended lowlands within the Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe. Approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Aken, the Saale river enters the Middle Elbe.

Divisions

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The town of Aken consists of Aken proper and the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:[3]

  • Kleinzerbst
  • Kühren
  • Mennewitz
  • Susigke

Population

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year citizen
1970 12,154
2005 9,083

History

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The castle Gloworp was first mentioned in the 12th century. The town itself probably was a foundation from lower rhenish settlers from Aachen which is spelled Aken in the Dutch language. Aken, a rectangular settlement with a regular system of streets, was first documented in 1219, naming the mayor Waltherus de Aken. In 1270 Aken received its town charter as Civitas. The name Aken could be based on the Latin word Aqua (location at or near the water). Aken developed into a prosperous town due to its inland harbour on river Elbe which was enlarged and modernized after 1889.

Town twinning

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Culture and sights

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Fountain at the market
  • historical town hall dating from 1490[4]
  • two medieval churches: St. Nicholas and St. Mary, both of them built in the 12th century[5]
  • "Stone Kemenate" (heated residential building) from the 13th century with arches
  • town wall from the Middle Ages with 3 remaining towers: Dessauer Torturm, Köthener Torturm, Burgtorturm
  • traditional skippers' houses and fisherman's houses, especially in Fischerstraße
  • passenger navigation on the river Elbe
  • Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe

Notable persons

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Honorary citizens

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  • Friedrich Wilhelm Steinbrecht, lieutenant in Lützow Free Corps
  • 2001: Otto Benecke, head of museum of local history
  • 2015: Hansjochen Müller, mayor from 1990 - 2015
  • 2016: Christian Holmes, first Englishman to do an Anmeldung in Aken.

Notable people born in Aken

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Theodor Sickel

Resident who influenced the history of the city

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  • Friedrich Ernst Arnold Werner Nolopp (A teacher, conductor and composer)
  • Railway station
    Railway station
  • St. Mary's Church
    St. Mary's Church
  • Medieval city wall seen from Kaiserstrasse
    Medieval city wall seen from Kaiserstrasse
  • Medieval city wall at Elbstrasse
    Medieval city wall at Elbstrasse
  • Tower Dessauer Torturm
    Tower Dessauer Torturm
  • Traditional skippers' houses in Fischerstraße
    Traditional skippers' houses in Fischerstraße
  • Traditional skippers' houses in Fischerstraße
    Traditional skippers' houses in Fischerstraße
  • St. Nicholas Church
    St. Nicholas Church
  • Wall painting referring to the foundation of Aken
    Wall painting referring to the foundation of Aken
  • Wall painting referring to the founder of Aken
    Wall painting referring to the founder of Aken

References

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  1. ^ Bürgermeisterwahlen in den Gemeinden, Endgültige Ergebnisse, Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt, accessed 10 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden – Stand: 31. Dezember 2022" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt. June 2023.
  3. ^ Hauptsatzung der Stadt Aken (Elbe), § 14, 24 September 2014.
  4. ^ Karl Baedeker: Deutschland 2000, p. 239. Ostfildern 2000
  5. ^ Karl Baedeker: Deutschland 2000, p. 238. Ostfildern 2000
  6. ^ See Rainer Hering (1998). "Witte, Otto Karl Emil". In Bautz, Traugott (ed.). Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL) (in German). Vol. 13. Herzberg: Bautz. cols. 1427–1439. ISBN 3-88309-072-7.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Aken (Elbe) (category)
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Aken".
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