Aken (Elbe) () is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The town is located at the left bank of the river Elbe.
Geography Aken is located at the Middle Elbe, approximately west of Dessau-Rosslau in extended lowlands within the Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe. Approximately west of Aken, the Saale river enters the Middle Elbe.
Divisions The town of Aken consists of Aken proper and the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:Hauptsatzung der Stadt Aken (Elbe), § 14, 24 September 2014. Kleinzerbst Kühren Mennewitz Susigke
Population
yearcitizen197012,15420059,083
History The castle Gloworp was first mentioned in the 12th century. The town itself probably was a foundation from lower rhenish settlers from Aachen which is spelled Aken in the Dutch language. Aken, a rectangular settlement with a regular system of streets, was first documented in 1219, naming the mayor Waltherus de Aken. In 1270 Aken received its town charter as Civitas. The name Aken could be based on the Latin word Aqua (location at or near the water). Aken developed into a prosperous town due to its inland harbour on river Elbe which was enlarged and modernized after 1889.
Town twinning Erwitte (North Rhine-Westphalia) since June 17, 1991 Anor (France) since April 24, 1993
Culture and sights
historical town hall dating from 1490Karl Baedeker: Deutschland 2000, p. 239. Ostfildern 2000 two medieval churches: St. Nicholas and St. Mary, both of them built in the 12th centuryKarl Baedeker: Deutschland 2000, p. 238. Ostfildern 2000 "Stone Kemenate" (heated residential building) from the 13th century with arches town wall from the Middle Ages with 3 remaining towers: Dessauer Torturm, Köthener Torturm, Burgtorturm traditional skippers' houses and fisherman's houses, especially in Fischerstraße passenger navigation on the river Elbe Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe
Notable persons
Honorary citizens
Friedrich Wilhelm Steinbrecht, lieutenant in Lützow Free Corps 2001: Otto Benecke, head of museum of local history 2015: Hansjochen Müller, mayor from 1990 - 2015 2016: Christian Holmes, first Englishman to do an Anmeldung in Aken.
Notable people born in Aken
August Ludwig Hülsen, (1765–1809), German philosopher of the early romance Theodor von Sickel, (1826–1908), German-Austrian historian Diana Vellguth, entertainer Christian Reike, performer Emilie Winkelmann (1875–1951), architect Karl Witte (1893–1966), bishop in HamburgSee Karl Bischoff (1905–1983), Germanist and university teacher Bernd Dießner, (born 1946), German athlete
Resident who influenced the history of the city
Friedrich Ernst Arnold Werner Nolopp (A teacher, conductor and composer)
References
External links
Official homepage detailed history of town