Fulda, Germany

Fulda
Panorama of Fulda from the town castle
Coat of arms
Fulda Location of Fulda within Fulda district
Coordinates: 50°33′3″N 9°40′31″E / 50.55083°N 9.67528°E / 50.55083; 9.67528Coordinates: 50°33′3″N 9°40′31″E / 50.55083°N 9.67528°E / 50.55083; 9.67528
Country	Germany
State	Hesse
Admin. region	Kassel
District	Fulda
Founded	744
Government
• Lord Mayor	Gerhard Möller (CDU)
Area
• Total	104.04 km2 (40.17 sq mi)
Elevation	261 m (856 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	67,253
• Density	650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	36001–36043
Dialling codes	0661
Vehicle registration	FD
Website	www.fulda.de

Fulda (German pronunciation: [ˈfʊlda]) (historically in English called Fuld) is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district (Kreis). In 1990, the town hosted the 30th Hessentag state festival.

In 744 Saint Sturm, a disciple of Saint Boniface, founded the Benedictine monastery of Fulda as one of Boniface's outposts in the reorganization of the church in Germany. It later served as a base from which missionaries could accompany Charlemagne's armies in their political and military campaigns to fully conquer and convert pagan Saxony.

The initial grant for the abbey was signed by Carloman, Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia (in office 741-747), the son of Charles Martel. The support of the Mayors of the Palace, and later of the early Pippinid and Carolingian rulers, was important to Boniface's success. Fulda also received support from many of the leading families of the Carolingian world. Sturm, whose tenure as abbot lasted from 747 until 779, was most likely related to the Agilolfing dukes of Bavaria.

Fulda also received large and constant donations from the Etichonids, a leading family in Alsace, and from the Conradines, predecessors of the Salian Holy Roman Emperors. Under Sturm, the donations Fulda received from these and other important families helped in the establishment of daughter-houses near Fulda.