Burgkunstadt

Burgkunstadt is a town in the district of Lichtenfels, in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Main, 15 km west of Kulmbach, and 24 km southeast of Coburg.HistoryThe earliest archeological evidence of settlement dates to the 8th century, and the first written record of a settlement dates to April 13, 1059 in the time of Friedrich Barbarossa. The city earned its charter on April 27, 1426 under Prince Frederick Bishop of Bamberg.The town experienced outbreaks of plague in 1312, 1348, 1448, 1473, and 1626. 195 villagers died, approximately one third of the population.The town fell under the sway of Protestantism in 1517 but returned to Catholicism in 1624. The city's residents supported the peasant revolt of 1525, but the ruling diocese ordered the city plundered as punishment, and the city capitulated in June when order was restored.In the Second Margrave War of 1553, the town was occupied by Albert Alcibiades who burned nearly the entire town.In the Thirty Years War, the city was occupied by Swedish troops for one year and five months from 1632 onwards, causing a tremendous decline in living conditions.The City hall building dates to 1690 and is an archetypical Franconian half-timbered building. During the Seven Years' war, Prussian troops were stationed in the city resulting in yet more destruction and looting. In the Napoleonic wars, the ruling Bishop was forced to resign in 1802, and the town government was secularized. A new main Catholic church dated to 1812.