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Breitenbrunn, Saxony

Breitenbrunn
Church
Church
Coat of arms of Breitenbrunn
Coat of arms
Breitenbrunn  is located in Germany
Breitenbrunn
Breitenbrunn
Coordinates: 50°28′29″N 12°46′0″E / 50.47472°N 12.76667°E / 50.47472; 12.76667Coordinates: 50°28′29″N 12°46′0″E / 50.47472°N 12.76667°E / 50.47472; 12.76667
Country Germany
State Saxony
District Erzgebirgskreis
Government
 • Mayor Ralf Fischer (CDU)
Area
 • Total 60.02 km2 (23.17 sq mi)
Elevation 550-950 m (−2,600 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
 • Total 5,491
 • Density 91/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 08359
Dialling codes 037756
Vehicle registration ERZ
Website www.breitenbrunn-erzgebirge.de

Breitenbrunn is a community in the Ore Mountains in the district of Erzgebirgskreis in the Free State of Saxony in Germany.

The community consists of Breitenbrunn with Breitenhof, Carolathal, Halbemeile and Rabenberg, Antonsthal with Antonshöhe, Erlabrunn, Steinheidel and Fällbach as well as Rittersgrün and Tellerhäuser.

Bordering on Breitenbrunn are Johanngeorgenstadt, the health resort of Oberwiesenthal and the town of Schwarzenberg, all in the Erzgebirgskreis.

Breitenbrunn lies on a mountain ridge stretching from the Schwarzwasser Valley on east. It is surrounded by, among other mountains, the Rabenberg and the Sauberg.

As the highest village in the lordly domain of Schwarzenberg, Breitenbrunn was likely founded only in the 13th century. With the help of vast meadows and sites it can be ascertained that no more than ten families settled here at first. The village had its first documentary mention as “breitinprun” in 1380 in a chronicle of the mountain counts of Leisnig when the mining rights for a tin mine had just been granted. Even before Breitenbrunn’s founding there was over the site of the later settlement a wall with a watchtower, a moat and a small outer defence to defend the Schwarzenberg lordly domain at its southernmost point. Since a spring was found within the moat, the moat was called a “broad spring”, or breiten Brunnen in German, and soon this description was taken up as the place’s name.

Of special historic importance is the Breitenbrunn Papermill found in the town, from which, among others, Johann Sebastian Bach got his notepaper.

In Catholic times, Breitenbrunn first belonged to the Parish of Schwarzenberg. Later, a chapel consecrated to Saint Peter was built, making Breitenbrunn into a Schwarzenberg branch parish. Even after the Reformation, a dependent relationship was maintained for the time being. Now, however, Breitenbrunn was a daughter community of the newly established parish of Grünstädtel.


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Wikipedia

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