Aken
Town
Town hall
Town hall
Flag of Aken
Flag
Coat of arms of Aken
Coat of arms
Location of Aken (Elbe) within Anhalt-Bitterfeld district
Aken is located in Germany
Aken
Aken
Aken is located in Saxony-Anhalt
Aken
Aken
Coordinates: 51°51′N 12°03′E / 51.850°N 12.050°E / 51.850; 12.050
CountryGermany
StateSaxony-Anhalt
DistrictAnhalt-Bitterfeld
Government
 • Mayor (2022–29) Jan-Hendrik Bahn[1] (Ind.)
Area
 • Total59.91 km2 (23.13 sq mi)
Elevation
60 m (200 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-31)[2]
 • Total7,363
 • Density120/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
06385
Dialling codes034909
Vehicle registrationABI
Websitewww.aken.de

Aken (Elbe) (German pronunciation: [ˈaːkən] ⓘ) 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 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Dessau-Rosslau in extended lowlands within the Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe. Approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) 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:[3]

  • Kleinzerbst
  • Kühren
  • Mennewitz
  • Susigke

Population

year citizen
1970 12,154
2005 9,083

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

Culture and sights

Fountain at the market
  • historical town hall dating from 1490[4]
  • two medieval churches: St. Nicholas and St. Mary, both of them built in the 12th century[5]
  • "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

Theodor Sickel

Resident who influenced the history of the city

  • Friedrich Ernst Arnold Werner Nolopp (A teacher, conductor and composer)

References

  1. ↑ Bürgermeisterwahlen in den Gemeinden, Endgültige Ergebnisse, Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt, accessed 10 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden – Stand: 31. Dezember 2021" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt. June 2022.
  3. ↑ Hauptsatzung der Stadt Aken (Elbe), § 14, 24 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Karl Baedeker: Deutschland 2000, p. 239. Ostfildern 2000
  5. ↑ Karl Baedeker: Deutschland 2000, p. 238. Ostfildern 2000
  6. ↑ See Rainer Hering (1998). "Witte, Otto Karl Emil". In Bautz, Traugott (ed.). Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL) (in German). Vol. 13. Herzberg: Bautz. cols. 1427–1439. ISBN 3-88309-072-7.
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