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Regensburg (also '''Ratisbon''', Latin ''Ratisbona'') is a city (population 151,000 in 2007 ) in Bavaria , Germany , located at the Confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest . Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian Administrative Region Upper Palatinate . HISTORY The first settlements in Regensburg date to the Stone Age . The Celtic name Radasbona was the oldest name given to a settlement near the present city. Around AD 90 the Romans built a small "cohort-fort" in what would now be the suburbs. In re-established the Bishopric Of Regensburg in 739 . From the early 6th century, Regensburg was the seat of the Agilolfa ruling family, and in AD 843, Regensburg was the seat of the Eastern Frankish ruler, Louis II the German. From about 530 to the first half of the 13th Century , it was the capital of Bavaria. In 1135 - 1146 a bridge across the Danube, the ''Steinerne Brücke'', was built. This stone bridge opened major international trade routes between Northern Europe and Venice , and this started Regensburg's golden age as a city of wealthy trading families. Regensburg became the Cultural center of southern Germany and was celebrated for its gold work and fabrics. from Ancient Roman times]] In 845, fourteen Bohemia n princes came to Regensburg to receive Baptism there. This was the starting point of Christianization of the Czech people, and the diocese of Regensburg became the mother diocese of Prague . These events had a wide impact on the cultural history of the Czech lands, as consequently they were incorporated in the Roman Catholic and not into the Slavic-Orthodox World . The fact is well remembered, and a memorial plate at St John's Church (the alleged place of the baptism) was unveiled a few years ago, commemorating the incident in the Czech and German Language s. In 1245 Regensburg became a Free Imperial City and was a Trade center before the shifting of Trade Route s in the late Middle Ages. At the end of the 15th century Regensburg became part of the Bavarian Duchy in 1486, but its independence was restored by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1496. The city adopted the mentioned above. From 1663 to 1806 , the city was the permanent seat of the Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire. Thus Regensburg was one of the central towns of the Empire, attracting visitors in large numbers. In 1803 the city lost its status as a free city. It was handed over to the Archbishop Of Mainz and Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire Carl Von Dalberg in compensation for Mainz, which had become French under the terms of the Treaty Of Lunéville in 1801 . Together with Aschaffenburg , Wetzlar and (in 1806 ) Frankfurt upon Main, Regensburg formed a new state within the Empire. The archbishopric of Mainz was formally transferred to Regensburg. Dalberg united the bishopric, the monsteries and the town itself, making up the Principality Of Regensburg (''Fürstentum Regensburg''). Dalberg strictly modernised public life. Most importantly he awarded equal rights to Protestants and Roman Catholics. In 1810 Carl von Dalberg ceded Regensburg to the Kingdom Of Bavaria , he himself being compensated by the towns of Fulda and Hanau being given to him under the title of " Grand Duke Of Frankfurt ". Between April 19 and April 23 1809 , Regensburg was the scene of the Battle Of Ratisbon between forces commanded by Baron De Coutaud (the 65th Ligne) and retreating Austrian forces. It was eventually overrun after supplies and Ammunition ran out. The city suffered severe damage during the fight with about 150 houses being burnt and others being looted. In contrast to almost all other major German cities, Regensburg had little damage from Allied air raids during World War II and thus has an almost intact medieval city center, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The most important cultural loss is the Romanesque church of Obermünster, which was completely destroyed in an air raid in March 1945 and never rebuilt; only the Belfry survived. During WWII, Regensburg was an Area Headquarters of Military District XIII ( Wehrkreis XIII ), under the command of Lieutenant General Bruno Edler Von Kiesling Auf Kieslingstein . This Area Command was in charge of the military forces of Regensburg, Passau , Straubing , Weiden and Amberg . MAIN SIGHTS tower and gate]] , now known as Schloss Thurn Und Taxis , a huge palace]]
Near Regensburg there are two very handsome Classical buildings, erected by Ludwig I Of Bavaria as national monuments of German patriotism and greatness. The more imposing of the two is the '' Walhalla '', a costly reproduction of the Parthenon , erected as a Teutonic temple of fame on a hill rising from the Danube at Donaustauf , 15 km to the east. The interior, which is as rich as coloured Marble , Gilding , and sculptures can make it, contains the Busts of more than a hundred German worthies. The second of King Ludwig's buildings is the Befreiungshalle at Kelheim , 30 km above Regensburg, a large circular building which has for its aim the glorification of the heroes of the 1813 War Of Liberation . ECONOMY BMW operates an Automobile production plant in Regensburg; the Regensburg BMW plant produces approximately 1000 3-series and 1-series BMW vehicles per day. The second major employer is Siemens with its subsidiary Osram and mainly with the headquarters of its car component business. Infineon , the former Siemens semiconductor branch, and Südzucker , a sugar producer, both have medium-sized factories in Regensburg. Other well known companies such as Toshiba or Krones have built plants in or near Regensburg. The University Of Regensburg and trading also play a major role in Regensburg's economy. Some Hightech-Biotech Companies were also founded in Regensburg and have their headquarters and laboratories in the "BioPark". TRANSPORTATION Regensburg can easily be reached from Munich by train, which takes about 1.5 hours. The city lies also on two motorways, the A3 from Cologne and Frankfurt to Vienna , and the A93 from Munich to Dresden . The city is also connected by "Bundestraßen", namely the B8 , B15, and B16. The local transport is carried out by an intensive bus network. NOTABLE RESIDENTS
SISTER CITIES
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