Kreuzwertheim

Kreuzwertheim is a market community in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft (municipal association) of Kreuzwertheim. It has around 3,800 inhabitants.GeographyLocationThe community lies on the right bank of the river Main on the edge of the Spessart, across the river from the town of Wertheim in Baden-Württemberg.Constituent communitiesKreuzwertheim's Ortsteile are (with year of amalgamation and rough population figures): Kreuzwertheim, 2,844 Unterwittbach, 1977, 207 Wiebelbach, 1972, 201 Röttbach, 1978, 569 The community has the following Gemarkungen (traditional rural cadastral areas): Kreuzwertheim, Röttbach, Unterwittbach, Wiebelbach.HistoryPrehistoricAs witnessed by finds of stone hatchets, human settlement in the municipal area goes as far back as the Stone Age. The first known description of the settlement names Werdheim, which can be taken to mean "homestead on the safe riverbank", referring to the community's location on the Main.MedievalThe community's first documentary mention came as early as 779 . Werdheim developed into the mother parish for the southeastern Spessart area, which itself was first overseen by the Bishop of Würzburg. In 1009 the town was conferred of market rights by King Heinrich II.