Bratwurst ( German: [ˈbʁaːtvʊʁst] ) is a type of German sausage made from pork or, less commonly, beef or veal . The name is derived from the Old High German Brätwurst , from brät- , finely chopped meat, and Wurst , sausage, although in modern German it is often associated with the verb braten , to pan fry or roast. Beef and veal are usually incorporated amongst a blend often including pork. Beef or veal is usual in halal and kosher Bratwurst sausages, which never include pork for religious reasons.
154-752: The first documented evidence of the Bratwurst in Germany dates to 1313 in the Franconian city of Nuremberg , which is still internationally renowned for the production of grilling sausages. Recipes for the sausage vary by region and even locality; some sources list over 40 different varieties of German bratwurst, many of the best known originating in Franconia (today for the most part situated in northern Bavaria , but still culturally quite distinct), its northern neighbour Thuringia and adjacent areas. How
308-649: A Franconian identity did not develop there. Franconia's largest city is Nuremberg , which is contiguous with Erlangen and Fürth , with which it forms the Franconian conurbation with around 1.3 million inhabitants. Other important Franconian cities are Würzburg , Bamberg , Bayreuth , Ansbach and Coburg in Bavaria, Suhl and Meiningen in Thuringia, and Schwäbisch Hall in Baden-Württemberg. The German word Franken —Franconians—also refers to
462-448: A PDO, the product must have qualities and characteristics which are essentially due to its region of production: it must also be produced, processed and prepared exclusively within that region. The requirements for a PGI are slightly less strict; a good reputation of a product from a given region is sufficient (rather than objectively different characteristics) if any of the steps of production, processing and preparation may take place within
616-494: A beechwood fire. As a main dish six sausages are served on a pewter plate with either sauerkraut or potato salad, and accompanied by a dollop of horseradish or mustard. They are also sold as a snack by street vendors as Drei im Weckla (three in a bun; the spelling Drei im Weggla is also common, Weggla / Weckla being the word for "bread roll" in the Nuremberg dialect), with mustard. Another way of cooking Nuremberg sausages
770-547: A certain breed of sheep, and matured in the natural caves near the town of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the Aveyron region of France, where it is colonised by the fungus Penicillium roqueforti that grows in these caves. Due to the horizontal and exhaustive nature of the legal regime, this system transcends national appellation systems used throughout Europe, such as the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) used in France,
924-420: A certain region may be registered so long as they have not become generic in the trade concerned. Trademarks which have been registered before the registration of a PDO or a PGI may continue to be used, but the registration of an equivalent trademark after the approval of a PDO or PGI is impossible (Art. 13, Regulation (EC) No 510/2006). The existence of a trademark (registered or unregistered) may be
1078-697: A chain of hill forts as a line of defence against the Germani advancing from the north. On the Staffelberg they built a powerful settlement, to which Ptolemy gave the name oppidum Menosgada , and on the Gleichberge is the largest surviving oppidum in Central Germany , the Steinsburg . With the increased expansion of Rome in the first century B.C. and the simultaneous advance of
1232-570: A complement to bratwurst. Every year, during the Memorial Day weekend, the city of Madison, Wisconsin , hosts Brat Fest , which is billed as the "world's largest bratwurst festival". The town of Bucyrus, Ohio , (which calls itself the "Bratwurst Capital of America") has held the three-day Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival annually since 1967. Franconia Franconia ( German : Franken [ˈfʁaŋkn̩] ; East Franconian : Franggn [ˈfrɑŋɡŋ̍] ; Bavarian : Frankn )
1386-719: A favoured Pfalz and an important centre of the Empire. Because parts of the Bishopric of Würzburg also fell to Bamberg, Würzburg was enfeoffed several royal estates by King Henry II by way of compensation. From the 12th century Nuremberg Castle was the seat of the Burgraviate of Nuremberg . The burgraviate was ruled from about 1190 by the Zollerns, the Franconian line of the later House of Hohenzollern , which provided
1540-583: A minimum of 30 years. Thus, TSG food denominations are registered trade signs with a distinctive function." As of 14 November 2021, 65 TSG have been registered (see list ), all of which originate from the EU or the UK. In principle, a similar protection to a geographical indication could be obtained through a collective trademark . Indications which serve exclusively to identify the place of origin of goods are not registrable as trademarks under Art. 6quinquies.B.2 of
1694-533: A more precise definition of Franconia's boundaries include: the territories covered by the former Duchy of Franconia and former Franconian Circle , the range of the East Franconian dialect group , the common culture and history of the region and the use of the Franconian Rake on coats of arms, flags and seals. However, a sense of popular consciousness of being Franconian is only detectable from
SECTION 10
#17327647885951848-660: A number of goals for the protection regimes: The provision of recompense for efforts to improve quality and the need for consumer protection are often cited as justifications for trade mark protection in other domains, and geographical indications operate in a similar manner to trademarks. The general regime governs the use of protected designations of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indications (PGI) for food and certain other agricultural products. There are separate regimes for spirits and aromatised drinks (geographical designations) as well as for wines (geographical indications, often referred to as appellations ). The origin of
2002-557: A premium price for their authentic products, and eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products, which may be of inferior quality or of a different flavour. Critics argue that many of the names, sought for protection by the EU, have become commonplace in trade and should not be protected. These regulations protect the names of wines, cheeses, hams , sausages , seafood, olives , olive oils , beers, balsamic vinegar , regional breads, fruits, raw meats and vegetables. Based on these regulations, within
2156-511: A protection regime for traditional food products of a specific character. Differing from PDO and PGI, this quality scheme does not certify that the protected food product has a link to a specific geographical area and that a product can thus be produced outside the area or country from which it originates. To qualify for a TSG a food must be of "specific character" and either its raw materials, production method or processing must be "traditional". Under Art. 3 of Regulation 1151/12 "specific character"
2310-606: A quality sparkling wine psr produced in Spain or to a Greek table wine which has been aged (as a transliteration of "Κάβα"). The Regulation laying down general rules on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and protection of spirit drinks (110/2008) provides for a double system of protection of spirit descriptions. Spirits are divided into 46 categories, which each have rules for fabrication and minimum strength. Within these categories, certain names are reserved for drinks from particular countries, for example ouzo , which
2464-618: A reason to refuse the registration of a PDO or a PGI [Art. 7(3)(c), Regulation (EC) No 510/2006]. Hence the Polish geographical designation "Herbal vodka from the North Podlasie Lowland aromatised with an extract of bison grass" (Polish: Wódka ziołowa z Niziny Północnopodlaskiej aromatyzowana ekstraktem z trawy żubrowej ), so phrased as to avoid infringing the trademark " Żubrówka ." The protection of geographical indications for wines and other alcoholic drinks
2618-850: A round bread is sold on the street, and also served in restaurants with rösti . Bratwurst, often shortened to "brat" in American English , is a common type of sausage in the United States , especially in the Upper Midwestern region , which is home to many people of German-American ethnicity. Wisconsin , where the largest ancestry group is German, is known for its bratwursts. Brats are also popular in other Midwestern states such as Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Ohio , Indiana and Iowa , as well as cities with large populations like New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Originally brought to North America by German immigrants, it
2772-536: A specified region and be associated with a "geographical indication" or appellation : indeed, the technical term used in the Regulation is quality wine psr , with the "psr" standing for "produced in a specified region". Wines which do not meet this requirement may only be marketed as table wine . There has been little harmonisation of national provisions within the European Union. Member States delimit
2926-612: Is Hildburghausen in the Thuringian part of Franconia, where it occurs in the so-called Thuringian Chirotherium Sandstone ( Thüringer Chirotheriensandstein , main Middle Bunter Sandstone). Chirotherium is also found in the Bavarian and Württemberg parts of Franconia. Sites include Aura near Bad Kissingen, Karbach , Gambach and Külsheim . There the deposits are somewhat younger (Upper Bunter Sandstone), and
3080-571: Is Yongfeng chili sauce ( Chinese : 永丰辣酱 ), also called Yongfeng hot sauce. In Canada, a 2003 agreement made with the EU provides for the protection of the names of wine and spirits. Under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the EU, Canada agrees "to protect 143 geographical indications for high-quality European products, such as Italian balsamic vinegar from Modena, Dutch Gouda cheese or Roquefort cheese and many others." After Brexit,
3234-520: Is a region of Germany , characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (German: Ostfränkisch ). Franconia is made up of the three Regierungsbezirke of Lower , Middle and Upper Franconia in Bavaria , the adjacent, Franconian -speaking South Thuringia , south of the Thuringian Forest —which constitutes the language boundary between Franconian and Thuringian —and
SECTION 20
#17327647885953388-608: Is a closely guarded trade secret of each butcher. Kulmbacher bratwursts are usually pan-fried, or grilled over a wood fire. They are sold and served freshly grilled from vendors' stands in the Marktplatz, in pairs, with or without mustard, on crusty rolls sprinkled with anise. The small, thin bratwurst from Franconia's largest city, Nuremberg, was first documented in 1567; it is 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) long, and weighs between 20 and 25 g. The denominations Nürnberger Bratwurst and Nürnberger Rostbratwurst ( Rost comes from
3542-503: Is a common sight at summer cookouts, along with hot dogs. Many grocery stores and butcher shops sell varieties with popular additions such as cheddar cheese and jalapeño peppers. Wisconsin is the home of the "beer brat", where the brats are simmered in beer (generally a mixture of a pilsner style beer with butter and onions) before or after grilling over charcoal. Bratwurst was popularized in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin , in
3696-495: Is a very popular form of fast food in German-speaking countries, often cooked and sold by street vendors from small stands, and is also traditionally popular with fans at football games. The Franconian sausage is a relatively long (10–20 cm [4–8 in]), thick, coarse sausage, common to the whole Franconian region with slight variations. It dates back to 1313. With marjoram as a characteristic ingredient, it
3850-596: Is aniseed-flavoured spirit drink which must have been produced exclusively in Greece or Cyprus, or grappa , which is a grape marc spirit produced in Italy, or pálinka , which is a purely fruit based spirit produced in Hungary (or parts of Austria for apricot spirits only). The Regulation also defines a number of geographical designations , which are reserved for drinks which "acquired their character and definitive qualities" in
4004-539: Is close in taste to the Nürnberger Bratwurst but juicier, due to its size and coarseness. The Fränkische Bratwurst is traditionally served with sauerkraut or potato salad. Bratwurst originating in the city of Coburg in Franconia was first documented there in 1498. It is made from pork and a minimum of 15% beef, seasoned with only salt, pepper, nutmeg , and lemon zest , and bound with raw egg. It
4158-528: Is coarse in texture and is about 25 cm (10 in) long. Traditionally, it is grilled over pinecones and served in a bread roll ( Brötchen ). The Kulmbacher Bratwurst is a finely-ground Rohwurst from the city of Kulmbach in Upper Franconia . Long and thin, it is made mostly from very finely ground veal, with very little pork. This sausage may be seasoned with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, lemon peel, marjoram, caraway, and garlic. The exact mixture
4312-650: Is cut into the ends of the sausage, which opens during cooking. Sometimes a row of x-shaped cuts are made along its length. Banat Swabians , Danube Swabians living in the Banat , that immigrated to Germany brought with them Banater Bratwurst which was influenced by regional cuisine and as a result is made with hot and sweet paprika . In 1438, bratwurst started to become popular in eastern Switzerland, especially in St. Gallen . " St. Galler Bratwurst ", traditionally made from veal, has been famous since then. St. Galler bratwurst with
4466-502: Is defined as "the characteristic production attributes which distinguish a product clearly from other similar products of the same category". Under Art. 3 of Regulation 1151/12 "traditional" is defined as "proven usage on the domestic market for a period that allows transmission between generations; this period is to be at least 30 years". For a food name to be registrable under the TSG scheme it must (a) have been traditionally used to refer to
4620-401: Is gradually expanded internationally via bilateral agreements between the EU and non-EU countries. It ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be identified as such in commerce. The legislation first came into force in 1992. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods, promote rural and agricultural activity, help producers obtain
4774-572: Is in a spiced vinegar and onion stock; this is called Blaue Zipfel (blue lobes). The Würzburger Bratwurst , also known as the Winzerbratwurst , comes from the city of Würzburg in Franconia. Its size is similar to the Thüringer Rostbratwurst , but its ingredients include white wine from the region . The Thüringer Rostbratwurst is a spicy sausage from Thuringia . It is thin and 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long. It
Bratwurst - Misplaced Pages Continue
4928-637: Is in eAmbrosia, Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG) have a separate register. Both are at the European Agriculture site . Note that the database contains both approved designations (status "Registered") and designations not yet approved (status "Applied" or "Published"). More information can also be found in GIview, a GI database by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and
5082-646: Is part of free trade agreements, such as Association Agreements (e.g. with Armenia, Ukraine and Moldova). Geographical indications are (following an objection period where GIs can be refused) furthermore protected in the member states of the 2015 Geneva Act to the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration , to which (apart from the EU and some of its member states) also Albania, Cambodia, Samoa, Laos and North Korea are parties. However, as of August 2021,
5236-528: Is permissible to label a drink "Sangria produced in the United Kingdom: aromatised wine-based drink" if the drink meets the other requirements to be described as sangria. Similarly, the denomination " Clarea " on its own is reserved for drinks produced in Spain. As of January 2020, the protected geographical designations are: Article 13 of this legislation states that registered designations are protected against: ... any usurpation or imitation, even if
5390-531: Is protected in Europe, but the name is used without restrictions by US dairy companies. The geographical limitations are strict: Newcastle Brown Ale was restricted to being brewed in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. However, having obtained this protection for their product, the brewery decided in 2004 that it would move across the river Tyne to Gateshead . As Gateshead is a separate town—albeit only
5544-561: Is similar to the Thüringer Rostbratwurst in taste. It is made from coarsely ground pork and is heavily seasoned. Traditionally, it is grilled over a wood fire and served on a cut-open roll with mustard. The Rote Wurst (red sausage) is a favorite Bratwurst of the Swabian region. It is similar to the Bockwurst , and is made from finely ground pork and bacon, and has a spicy taste. To prevent splitting during grilling or pan frying, an X
5698-524: Is sometimes less marked. The region of Franconia is divided among the states of Hesse, Thuringia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The largest part of Franconia, both by population and area, belongs to the Free State of Bavaria and is divided into the three administrative regions ( Regierungsbezirke ) of Middle Franconia (capital: Ansbach ), Upper Franconia (capital: Bayreuth ) and Lower Franconia (capital: Würzburg ). The name of these regions, as in
5852-533: Is that the proposed denomination is a generic term for the product in question: generic names cannot be registered but, once registered, the denominations are protected from genericisation . Hence Cheddar cheese was deemed to be a generic name, but the PDO "West Country farmhouse Cheddar cheese" was allowed. Feta was deemed not to have become generic, and was registered as a PDO to the disappointment of cheesemakers outside of Greece. The protected designation of origin
6006-735: Is the Odenwald . Parts of the southern Thuringian Forest border on Franconia. The most important hill ranges in the interior of the region are the Steigerwald and the Franconian Jura with their sub-ranges of Hahnenkamm and Franconian Switzerland . The highest mountain in Franconia is the Schneeberg in the Fichtel Mountains which is 1,051 m above sea level (NHN) . Other well-known mountains include
6160-466: Is the name of an area, a specific place or, in exceptional cases, the name of a country, used as a description of an agricultural product or a foodstuff. In other words, to receive the PGI status, the entire product must be traditionally and at least partially manufactured (prepared, processed or produced) within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties. The TSG quality scheme aims to provide
6314-408: Is the name of an area, a specific place or, in exceptional cases, the name of a country, used as a designation for an agricultural product or a foodstuff, In other words, to receive the PDO status, the entire product must be traditionally and entirely manufactured (prepared, processed and produced) within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties. The protected geographical indication
Bratwurst - Misplaced Pages Continue
6468-642: Is the other "big" and similarly famous fossil locality in the Solnhofen Formation, situated on the southern edge of the Jura in Upper Bavaria . Here, as well as Archaeopteryx , the theropod dinosaurs, Compsognathus and Juravenator , were found. An inglorious episode in the history of paleontology took place in Franconia: fake fossils, known as Beringer's Lying Stones , were acquired in
6622-546: Is traditionally grilled over a charcoal fire and eaten with mustard and bread. The name Thüringer Rostbratwurst is also recognised as a PGI under EU law. Triggered by the discovery in 2000 of an account entry of 1404 first mentioning the Bratwurst in Thuringia in the town of Arnstadt , the association "Friends of the Thuringian Bratwurst " was founded in 2006. In the same year, the association established
6776-522: The denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) used in Italy, the denominação de origem controlada (DOC) used in Portugal , the denumire de origine controlată (DOC) system used in Romania and the denominación de origen (DO) system used in Spain. The regulations still allow member states to use their own languages in packaging, but geographical indications law is still the sole domain of
6930-654: The Alemanni occupied the areas up to the Danube . Fortified settlements such as the Gelbe Bürg at Dittenheim controlled the new areas. More such Gau forts have been detected north of the former Limes as well. Which tribe their occupants belonged to is unknown in most cases. However, it is likely that it was mainly Alemanni and Juthungi , especially in the south. By contrast, it was the Burgundians who settled on
7084-659: The Alps exerted a northwards-oriented pressure. These are rocks of pre- Permian vintage, which were folded during various stages of Variscan orogeny in the Late Palaeozoic - before about 380 to 300 million years ago - and, in places, were metamorphosed under high pressure and temperature or were crystallized by ascending magma in the Earth's crust . Rocks which were unchanged or only lightly metamorphosed, because they had been deformed at shallow crustal depths, include
7238-738: The Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee. The brats, which sold for 35 cents, were grilled and placed into a container of a special tomato sauce with green pepper and onions before being served. The bratwursts were so popular, Sperling said, that Duke Snider of the Brooklyn Dodgers took a case back to New York City. American Family Field in Milwaukee sells more bratwurst than hot dogs. Current American Family Field foodservice provider Delaware North (through their Sportservice subsidiary) markets Secret Stadium Sauce at retail as
7392-802: The Danube ; the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal crosses the European Watershed . The man-made Franconian Lake District has become a popular destination for day-trippers and tourists. The landscape is characterized by numerous Mittelgebirge ranges of the German Central Uplands . The Western natural border of Franconia is formed by the Spessart and Rhön Mountains , separating it from the former Rhenish Franconian lands around Aschaffenburg (officially part of Lower Franconia), whose inhabitants speak Hessian dialects . To
7546-775: The Eger . The Main-Danube Canal connects the Main and Danube across Franconia, running from Bamberg via Nuremberg to Kelheim . It thus complements the Rhine, Main and Danube, helping to ensure a continuous navigable waterway between the North Sea and the Black Sea . In Franconia, there are only a few, often very small, natural lakes . This is due to fact that most natural lakes in Germany are glacial or volcanic in origin, and Franconia escaped both influences in recent earth history. Among
7700-706: The Elbe Germanic tribes from the north, the Celtic culture began to fall into decline. The southern parts of present-day Franconia soon fell under Roman control; however, most of the region remained in Free Germania . Initially, Rome tried to extend its direct influence far to the northeast; in the longer term, however, the Germanic-Roman frontier formed further southwest. Under the emperors, Domitian (81–96), Trajan (98–117) and Hadrian (117–138),
7854-463: The Erstes Deutsches Bratwurstmuseum (First German Bratwurst Museum) in the village of Holzhausen . A two-metre-high wooden monument of a Bratwurst in a bun on a local traffic roundabout advertises the museum. In 2016, a kosher version of Thuringian bratwurst made with veal and chicken packed into goat intestines was introduced at the annual Onion Festival in Weimar. The 20 cm (8 in)-long Nordhessische Bratwurst (from northern Hessen )
SECTION 50
#17327647885958008-435: The Haller Ebene plateau, South Franconian dialects are spoken. Furthermore, in those easternmost parts of the Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis which had formerly belonged to the Bishopric of Würzburg , the inhabitants have preserved their Franconian identity. Franconian areas in East Hesse along Spessart and Rhön comprise Gersfeld and Ehrenberg . The two largest cities of Franconia are Nuremberg and Fürth . Though located on
8162-405: The Hohenlohe Plain . In the south of Franconia are smaller parts of the flat Nördlinger Ries , one of the best preserved impact craters on earth. Franconia's flora is dominated by deciduous and coniferous forests. Natural forests in Franconia occur mainly in the ranges of the Spessart, Franconian Forest, Odenwald and Steigerwald. The Nuremberg Reichswald is another great forest , located within
8316-461: The Lower Carboniferous shale and greywacke of Franconian Forest. The Fichtel mountains, the Münchberg Plateau and the Spessart, by contrast, have more metamorphic rocks ( phyllite , schist , amphibolite , gneiss ). The Fichtel mountains are also characterized by large granite bodies, called post-kinematic plutons which, in the late phase of Variscan orogeny, intruded into the metamorphic rocks. In most cases these are S-type granites whose melting
8470-423: The Ochsenkopf (1,024m ), the Kreuzberg (927.8m ) and the Hesselberg (689.4m ). The outliers of the region include the Hesselberg and the Gleichberge . The lowest point in Franconia is the water level of the river Main in Kahl which lies at a height of 100 metres above sea level. In addition to the hill and mountain ranges, there are also several very level areas, including the Middle Franconian Basin and
8624-406: The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (Paris Convention), which has effect in European Union law by Art. 7 of the Regulation on the Community trade mark (No 40/94) and by Art. 3 of the Directive to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trademarks (89/104/EEC); however, marks which also serve to identify the quality of a product originating in
8778-409: The Rhaetian Limes was built as a border facing the Germanic tribes to the north. This defensive line ran through the south of Franconia and described an arc across the region whose northernmost point lay at present-day Gunzenhausen . To protect it, the Romans built several forts like Biriciana at Weißenburg , but by the mid-third century, the border could no longer be maintained and by 250 A.D.
8932-503: The Rhine ) and even included Frankfurt ("ford of the Franks"). In the early 10th century, the Babenbergs and Conradines fought for power in Franconia. Ultimately this discord led to the Babenberg Feud which was fuelled and controlled by the crown. The outcome of this feud meant the loss of power for the Babenbergs, but indirectly resulted in the Conradines winning the crown of East Francia. Sometime around 906, Conrad succeeded in establishing his ducal hegemony over Franconia, but when
9086-481: The South German Scarplands . The regional geological element of the South German Scarplands is the Franconian Platform ( Süddeutsche Großscholle ). At the so-called Franconian Line , a significant fault line , the Saxo-Thuringian-Moldanubian basement was uplifted in places up to 2000 m above the Franconian Platform. The western two-thirds of Franconia is dominated by the Triassic with its sandstones , siltstones and claystones (so-called siliciclastics ) of
9240-452: The Spessart (largest city: Aschaffenburg ) do consider themselves Franconian, although not speaking the dialect. Heilbronn-Franconia's largest city of Heilbronn and its surrounding areas are South Franconian -speaking, and therefore only sometimes regarded as Franconian. In Hesse , the east of the Fulda District is Franconian-speaking, and parts of the Oden Forest District are sometimes regarded as Franconian for historical reasons, but
9394-447: The Temnospondyle Mastodonsaurus ingens (possibly identical with the mastodonsaurus, Heptasaurus cappelensis ) from the Upper Bunter at Gambach. As early as the first decade of the 19th century George, Count of Münster began systematic fossil gathering and digs and in the Upper Muschelkalk at Bayreuth . For example, the Oschenberg hill near Laineck became the type locality of two relatively well-known marine reptiles of
SECTION 60
#17327647885959548-425: The Wettin duchy of Saxe-Meiningen . In the east, the Fichtel Mountains lead to Vogtland , Bohemian Egerland ( Chebsko ) in the Czech Republic , and the Bavarian Upper Palatinate . The hills of the Franconian Jura in the south mark the border with the Upper Bavarian region ( Altbayern ), historical Swabia , and the Danube basin. The northern parts of the Upper Bavarian Eichstätt District , territory of
9702-408: The bunter sandstone ; the limestones and marls of the Muschelkalk and the mixed, but predominantly siliciclastic, sedimentary rocks of the Keuper . In the Rhön , the Triassic rocks are overlain and intruded by volcanic rock ( basalts , basanites , phonolites and trachytes ) of the Tertiary . The eastern third of Franconia is dominated by the Jurassic rocks of the Franconian Jura , with
9856-496: The dative plural form of Franke , a member of the Germanic people known as the Franks . The name of the Franks in turn derives from a word meaning "daring, bold", cognate with old Norwegian frakkr , "quick, bold". Franks from the Middle and Lower Rhine gradually gained control of (and so gave their name to) what is now Franconia during the 6th to 8th centuries. English distinguishes between Franks (the early medieval Germanic people) and Franconians in reference to
10010-400: The ethnic group , which is mainly to be found in this region. They are to be distinguished from the Germanic people of the Franks , and historically formed their easternmost settlement area. The origins of Franconia lie in the settlement of the Franks from the 6th century in the area probably populated until then mainly by the Elbe Germanic people in the Main River area, known from
10164-467: The imperial city declared itself "Swabian" in 1442 — and Crailsheim on the Jagst river. The main towns in Thuringia are Suhl and Meiningen . Franconia may be distinguished from the regions that surround it by its peculiar historical factors and its cultural and especially linguistic characteristics, but it is not a political entity with a fixed or tightly defined area. As a result, it is debated whether some areas belong to Franconia or not. Pointers to
10318-421: The 13th century, the following states, among others, had formed in the territory of the former Duchy: On 2 July 1500 during the reign of Emperor Maximilian I , as part of the Imperial Reform Movement , the Empire was divided into Imperial Circles . This led in 1512 to the formation of the Franconian Circle . Seen from a modern perspective, the Franconian Circle may be viewed as an important basis for
10472-480: The 1720s by Würzburg doctor and naturalist, Johann Beringer , for a lot of money and then described in a monograph , along with genuine fossils from the Würzburg area. However, it is not entirely clear whether the Beringer forgeries were actually planted or whether he himself was responsible for the fraud. Franconia has a humid cool temperate transitional climate, which is neither very continental nor very maritime. The average monthly temperatures vary depending on
10626-492: The 1920s. In general, each local butcher shop would take orders and hand make bratwurst fresh to be picked up on a particular day. The fat content of the sausages was substantial, making daily pick up necessary to avoid spoilage; some of the fat is lost on cooking over charcoal. Bratwurst has also become popular as a mainstay of sports stadiums, especially baseball parks, after Bill Sperling introduced bratwurst to Major League Baseball in Milwaukee County Stadium in 1954, when
10780-472: The 1970s but the archaeocyathids among them were apparently overlooked at that time. Better known and more highly respected fossil finds in Franconia come from the unfolded sedimentary rocks of the Triassic and Jurassic. The bunter sandstone , however, only has a relatively small number of preserved whole fossils. Much more commonly, it contains trace fossils , especially the tetrapod footprints of Chirotherium . The type locality for these animal tracks
10934-406: The 19th century onwards, which is why the circumstances of the emergence of a Frankish identity are disputed. Franconia has many cultural peculiarities which have been adopted from other regions and further developed. The following regions are counted as part of Franconia today: the Bavarian provinces of Lower Franconia , Upper Franconia and Middle Franconia , the municipality of Pyrbaum in
11088-749: The 8th century. Despite its name, Franconia is not the homeland of the Franks, but rather owes its name to being partially settled by Franks from the Rhineland during the 7th century following the defeat of the Alamanni and Thuringians who had dominated the region earlier. At the beginning of the 10th century a Duchy of Franconia (German: Herzogtum Franken ) was established within East Francia , which comprised modern Hesse , Palatinate , parts of Baden-Württemberg and most of today's Franconia. After
11242-650: The 9th century as East Francia ( Francia Orientalis ). In the Middle Ages the region formed much of the eastern part of the Duchy of Franconia and, from 1500, the Franconian Circle . The restructuring of the south German states by Napoleon , after the demise of the Holy Roman Empire , saw most of Franconia awarded to Bavaria. The German name for Franconia, Franken , comes from
11396-608: The Altmühl. There are also numerous Special Areas of Conservation and protected landscapes . In Franconia there are very many tufas , raised stream beds near river sources within the karst landscape that are known as 'stone runnels' ( Steinerne Rinnen ). There are protected examples at Heidenheim and Wolfsbronn . Like large parts of Germany, Franconia only has a few large species of wild animal. Forest dwellers include various species of marten , fallow deer , red deer , roe deer , wild boar and fox . In natural areas such as
11550-483: The Bavarian part of Franconia were found in the cave ruins of Hunas at Pommelsbrunn in the county of Nuremberg Land . In the late Bronze Age , the region was probably only sparsely inhabited, as few noble metals occur here and the soils are only moderately fertile. In the subsequent Iron Age (from about 800 B.C.) the Celts became the first nation to be discernible in the region. In northern Franconia they built
11704-769: The Bavarian regions of Upper Palatinate and Upper Bavaria . The Franconian territories of Baden-Württemberg are the regions of Tauber Franconia and Hohenlohe (which belong to the Heilbronn-Franconia Region with its office in Heilbronn and form part of the Stuttgart Region ) and the area around the Badenian Buchen in the Rhein-Neckar Region . The Franconian parts of Thuringia ( Henneberg Franconia ) lie within
11858-548: The EU (and certain jurisdictions outside the EU), food such as gorgonzola , Parmigiano-Reggiano , feta , the Waterford blaas , Herve cheese , Melton Mowbray pork pies , Piave cheese , Asiago cheese , camembert , Provence honey , Herefordshire cider , cognac , armagnac , and champagne can only be labelled as such if they come from the designated region. To qualify as roquefort , for example, cheese must be made from milk of
12012-573: The EU and the importing countries, while protected indications may not always supersede other intellectual property rights such as trademarks. On 15 November 2011, the European Court of Auditors presented its report Do the design and management of the geographical indications scheme allow it to be effective? to the European Parliament. The preambles to the regulations cite consumer demand for quality foodstuffs, and identify
12166-667: The EU has not submitted any Geographical Indications for registration. As the Geographic indication scheme of the EU is not limited to products from EU locations, also products from outside the EU have received the designation. For example Colombian coffee was protected by the PDO in August 2007. Following an agreement during the 1990s by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation and the Australian and EU governments,
12320-539: The EU. The EU Commission has the final word on applications for protection. A new EU Regulation on geographical indication protection for craft and industrial products was published on 27 October 2023 and entered into force on 16 November 2023. Producers and manufacturers of these products will be able to file applications for GI protection with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) from 1 December 2025. Only
12474-587: The Fichtel mountains there are populations of lynx and capercaillie , and beaver and otter have grown in numbers. There are occasional sightings of animals that had long been extinct in Central Europe, for example, the wolf . Only in the extreme northeast of Franconia and in the Spessart are there Variscan outcrops of the crystalline basement , which were uplifted from below the surface when
12628-763: The Franconian countryside. In the southeast, Franconia is shielded from the rest of Bavaria by the Franconian Jura . In the east, the Fichtel Mountains form the border; in the north are Franconian Forest , the Thuringian Forest , the Rhön Mountains and the Spessart form a kind of natural barrier. To the west are the Franconian Heights and the Swabian-Franconian Forest . In the Franconian part of South Hesse
12782-702: The German emperors of the 19th and 20th century. Under the Hohenstaufen kings, Conrad III and Frederick Barbarossa , Franconia became the centre of power in the Empire. During the time when there was no emperor, the Interregnum (1254–1273), some territorial princes became ever more powerful. After the Interregnum, however, the rulers succeeded in re-establishing a stronger royal lordship in Franconia. Franconia soon played an important role again for
12936-510: The German magazine, Focus , on quality of life in 2014, the districts of Eichstätt and Fürth were among the top positions in the table. In the Glücksatlas by Deutsche Post Franconia achieved some of the highest scores, but the region slipped in 2013 to 13th place out of 19. Franconia is named after the Franks , a Germanic tribe who conquered most of Western Europe by the middle of
13090-571: The Lower and Middle Main. Many of these hill forts appear to have been destroyed, however, no later than 500 A.D. The reasons are not entirely clear, but it could have been as a result of invasions by the Huns which thus triggered the Great Migration . In many cases, however, it was probably conquest by the Franks that spelt the end of these hilltop settlements. With their victories over
13244-497: The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) logo will be applicable for craft and industrial products. In countries where laws on protected geographical status are enforced, only products which meet the various geographical and quality criteria may use the protected indication. It is also prohibited to combine the indication with words such as "style", "type", "imitation", or "method" in connection with
13398-837: The Southwest Thuringia Planning Region. The Franconian regions in Hesse form the smaller parts of the districts of Fulda ( Kassel region ) and the Odenwaldkreis ( Darmstadt region ), or lie on the borders with Bavaria or Thuringia. The two most important rivers of the region are the Main and its primary tributary, the Regnitz . The tributaries of these two rivers in Franconia are the Tauber , Pegnitz , Rednitz and Franconian Saale . Other major rivers in
13552-660: The Steigerwald caused controversy and its designation was rejected in July 2011 by the Bavarian government . The reason was the negative attitude of local population. Conservationists are now demanding protection for parts of the Steigerwald by nominating it for a World Heritage Site. There are several nature parks in Franconia, including the Altmühl Valley Nature Park , which, since 1969, has been one of
13706-547: The Triassic period, later found in other parts of Central Europe: the "flat tooth lizard", Placodus and the "false lizard", Nothosaurus . In Franconia's middle Keuper (the Feuerletten ) is one of the best known and most common species of dinosaurs of Central Europe: Plateosaurus engelhardti , an early representative of the sauropodomorpha . Its type locality is located at Heroldsberg south of Nuremberg. When
13860-523: The Triassic, the Franconian part of these depressions was often part of the mainland, in the Jurassic it was covered for most of the time by a marginal sea of the western Tethys Ocean . At the time when the limestones and dolomites of the White Jura were being deposited, this sea was divided into sponge reefs and intervening lagoons. The reef bodies and the fine-grained lagoon limestones and marls are
14014-468: The UK has its own Protected Geographical Indication scheme, independently of the EU one, but based on the same requirements. All existing EU geographic indications on 31 December 2020 are protected under UK law (as well as EU law), but this is not the case for designations registered after that date. The register of wines, agricultural products and spirits with a European Union Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
14168-484: The area between about -1 to -2 °C in January and 17 to 19 °C in August, but may reach a peak of about 35 °C for a few days in the summer, especially in the large cities. The climate of Franconia is sunny and relatively warm. For part of the summer, for example, Lower Franconia is one of the sunniest areas in Germany. Daily temperatures in the Bavarian part of Franconia are an average of 0.1 °C higher than
14322-481: The area denominated. The exact delimitation of the areas and any other regulations are left to the Member States concerned. By way of derogation, the designations Königsberger Bärenfang and Ostpreußischer Bärenfang are permitted for certain German drinks even though they refer to Königsberg ( Kaliningrad ) and East Prussia which are no longer part of Germany. The Regulation laying down general rules on
14476-664: The area of Franconia. In 1991 UNESCO recognised the Rhön as a biosphere reserve . Among the most picturesque geotopes in Bavaria, are the Franconian sites of Fossa Carolina , the Twelve Apostle Rocks ( Zwölf-Apostel-Felsen ), the Ehrenbürg , the cave ruins of Riesenburg and the lake of Frickenhäuser See . The European Bird Reserves in Franconia are found mainly in uplands like the Steigerwald, in large forests like Nuremberg's Imperial Forest or along rivers like
14630-404: The average for Bavaria as a whole. Relatively less rain falls in Franconia, and likewise in the rest of North Bavaria rain than is usual for its geographic location; even summer storms are often less powerful than in other areas of South Germany. In southern Bavaria about 2,000 mm of precipitation falls annually and almost three times as much as in parts of Franconia (about 500–900 mm) in
14784-532: The case of Upper and Lower Bavaria , refers to their situation with respect to the river Main . Thus Upper Franconia lies on the upper reaches of the river, Lower Franconia on its lower reaches and Middle Franconia lies in between, although the Main itself does not flow through Middle Franconia. Where the boundaries of these three provinces meet (the ' tripoint ') is the Dreifrankenstein ("Three Franconias Rock"). Small parts of Franconia also belong to
14938-540: The construction of numerous churches and castles in this area goes back to the work of this Roman Catholic military order. The residence place of the bailiwick was at Ellingen until 1789 when it was transferred to today's Bad Mergentheim . Other orders such as the Knights Templar could not gain a foothold in Franconia; the Order of St. John worked in the Bishopric of Würzburg and had short term commands. As of
15092-581: The corresponding stratigraphic interval is called the Franconian Chirotherium Beds ( Fränkische Chirotherienschichten ). Among the less significant body fossil records of vertebrates are the procolophonid Anomoiodon liliensterni from Reurieth in the Thuringian part of Franconia and Koiloskiosaurus coburgiensis from Mittelberg near Coburg, both from the Thuringian Chirotherium Sandstone, and
15246-543: The county of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz , the northwestern part of the Upper Bavarian county of Eichstätt (covering the same area as the old county of Alt-Eichstätt), the East Franconian counties of South Thuringia , parts of Fulda and the Odenwaldkreis in Hesse, the Baden-Württemberg regions of Tauber Franconia and Hohenlohe as well as the region around the Badenian Buchen . In individual cases
15400-676: The dark shales of the Black Jura , the shales and ferruginous sandstones of the Brown Jura and, the weathering-resistant limestones and dolomitic rocks of the White Jura , which stand out from the landscape and form the actual ridge of the Franconian Jura itself. In the Jura, mostly siliciclastic sedimentary rocks formed in the Cretaceous have survived. The Mesozoic sediments have been deposited in largescale basin areas. During
15554-434: The definition, description and presentation of aromatised wines, aromatised wine-based drinks and aromatised wine-product cocktails (No 251/2014) institutes a system of protected denominations for aromatised drinks which is very similar to that for spirits. The association of general names with specific countries is weaker: a drink labelled simply " Sangria " must have been produced in Spain or Portugal, for example, but it
15708-637: The direct Carolingian male line failed in 911, Conrad was acclaimed King of the Germans , largely because of his weak position in his own duchy. Franconia, like Alamannia was fairly fragmented and the duke's position was often disputed between the chief families. Conrad had granted Franconia to his brother Eberhard on his succession, but when Eberhard rebelled against Otto I in 938, he was deposed from his duchy, which disintegrated in 939 on Eberhard's death into West or Rhenish Franconia ( Francia Rhenensis ), and East Franconia ( Francia Orientalis ) and
15862-611: The dissolution of the so-called Stem duchy of Franconia, the Holy Roman Emperors created the Franconian Circle (German Fränkischer Reichskreis ) in 1500 to embrace the principalities that grew out of the eastern half of the former duchy. The territory of the Franconian Circle roughly corresponds with modern Franconia. The title of Duke of Franconia was claimed by the Würzburg bishops until 1803 and by
16016-519: The early 7th century. Saint Kilian , who together with his companions, Saint Colman and Saint Totnan are considered to be the apostles to the Franks, suffering martyrdom in Würzburg in the late 7th century, probably did not encounter any pagans in the ducal court. It was probably Saint Boniface who carried the Christian mission deep into the heart of the ordinary population of Franconia. In
16170-723: The eastern parts of Heilbronn-Franconia in Baden-Württemberg . Those parts of the Vogtland lying in Saxony (largest city: Plauen ) are sometimes regarded as Franconian as well, because the Vogtlandian dialects are mostly East Franconian. The inhabitants of Saxon Vogtland, however, mostly do not consider themselves Franconian. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the Hessian -speaking parts of Lower Franconia west of
16324-508: The first producer). New Season Comber Potatoes or Comber Earlies were awarded PGI status in 2012. Only immature potatoes grown in the restricted geographical area surrounding the town of Comber in Northern Ireland harvested between the start of May and the end of July can be marketed as Comber Earlies. There is no automatic protection for these names on products both made and sold outside the EU, except for Northern Ireland, where
16478-561: The geographic restriction was approved. Similarly, Stilton cheese can only be produced in the three English counties of Derbyshire , Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire . Stilton village is in the traditional county of Huntingdonshire , now a district of Cambridgeshire , so Stilton cheese cannot be produced in Stilton (although it is unclear whether the cheese was ever produced there. Quenby Hall in Leicestershire claims to be
16632-407: The grill above the cooking fire) are Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) under EU law since 2003, and may therefore only be produced in the city of Nürnberg, where an "Association for the Protection of Nürnberger Bratwürste " was established in 1997. Pork -based and typically seasoned with fresh marjoram which gives them their distinctive flavour, these sausages are traditionally grilled over
16786-596: The heartlands of the Alamanni and Thuringians in the 6th century, the present region of Franconia also fell to the Franks . After the division of the Frankish Empire , East Francia ( Francia orientialis ) was formed from the territories of the dioceses of Mainz , Worms , Würzburg and Speyer . Later, the diocese of Bamberg was added. In the 7th century, the Slavs started to populate the northeastern parts of
16940-591: The high medieval stem duchy , following Middle Latin use of Francia for France vs. Franconia for the German duchy. In German the name Franken is equally used for both, while the French are called Franzosen , after Old French françois , from Latin franciscus , from Late Latin Francus , from Frank , the Germanic people. The Franconian lands lie principally in Bavaria, north and south of
17094-597: The historical Bishopric of Eichstätt , are also counted as part of Franconia. In the west, Franconia proper comprises the Tauber Franconia region along the Tauber river, which as of 2014 is largely part of the Main-Tauber-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg. The state's larger Heilbronn-Franken region also includes the adjacent Hohenlohe and Schwäbisch Hall districts . In the city of Heilbronn , beyond
17248-698: The inhabitants of Bavaria and Swabia . Unlike the other stem duchies, Franconia became the homeland and power base of East Frankish and German kings after the Ottonians died out in 1024. As a result, in the High Middle Ages , the region did not become a strong regional force such as those which formed in Saxony, Bavaria and Swabia . In 1007, the later canonized Henry II founded the Bishopric of Bamberg and endowed it with rich estates. Bamberg became
17402-414: The kings of Bavaria until 1918. Examples of Franconian cities founded by Frankish noblemen are Würzburg , first mentioned in the 7th century, Ansbach , first mentioned in 748, and Weissenburg , founded in the 7th century. Fossil finds show that the region was already settled by primitive man , Homo erectus , in the middle Ice Age about 600,000 years ago. Probably the oldest human remains in
17556-631: The largest in Germany. Other nature parks are the Swabian-Franconian Forest Nature Park in Baden-Württemberg, and the nature parks of Bavarian Rhön , Fichtel Mountains , Franconian Heights , Franconian Forest , Franconian Switzerland-Franconian Jura , Haßberge , Spessart and Steigerwald in Bavaria, as well as the Bergstraße-Odenwald Nature Park which straddles Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse. Nature parks cover almost half
17710-453: The largest waterbodies are reservoirs , which are mostly used as water reserves for the relatively dry landscapes of Franconia. These include the waters of the Franconian Lake District , which was established in the 1970s and is also a tourist attraction. The heart of these lakes is the Großer Brombachsee , which has an area of 8.7 km and is thus the largest waterbody in Franconia by surface area. Several Central Upland ranges dominate
17864-407: The material from which the majority of the Franconian Jura is composed today. Following a drop in the sea level towards the end of the Upper Jurassic, larger areas also became part of the mainland at the beginning of the subsequent Cretaceous period. During the Upper Cretaceous, the sea advanced again up to the area of the Franconian Jura. At the end of the Cretaceous, the sea then retreated again from
18018-411: The measures to be taken against goods found to have infringed such rights), and infringing goods may be seized by customs on import. Within the European Union , enforcement measures vary: infringement may be treated as counterfeit , misleading advertising , passing off or even as a question of public health . Outside Europe, the protection of PGS products usually requires bilateral agreements between
18172-461: The membership of some areas is disputed. These include the Bavarian language area of Alt- Eichstätt and the Hessian-speaking region around Aschaffenburg , which was never part of the Franconian Imperial Circle. The affiliation of the city of Heilbronn , whose inhabitants do not call themselves Franks, is also controversial. Moreover, the sense of belonging to Franconia in the Frankish-speaking areas of Upper Palatinate , South Thuringia and Hesse
18326-427: The metropolitan region of Nuremberg. Other large areas of forest in the region are the Mönchswald , the Reichsforst in the Fichtel Mountains and the Selb Forest . In the river valleys along the Main and Tauber, the countryside was developed for viticulture. In Spessart there are great oak forests. Also widespread are calcareous grasslands , extensively used pastures on very oligotrophic , poor sites. In particular,
18480-435: The mid-9th century the tribal Duchy of Franconia emerged, one of the five tribal or stem duchies of East Francia . The territory of the stem duchy was far bigger than modern Franconia and covered the whole of present-day Hesse, northern Baden-Württemberg, southern Thuringia, large parts of Rhineland-Palatinate and parts of the Franconian provinces in Bavaria. It extended as far west as Speyer , Mainz , and Worms (west of
18634-443: The monarchy at the time of Rudolf of Habsburg ; the itineraries of his successors showing their preference for the Rhine-Main region. In 1376 the Swabian League of Cities was founded and was joined later by several Franconian imperial cities . During the 13th century the Teutonic Order was formed, taking over its first possession in Franconia in 1209, the Bailiwick of Franconia. The foundation of many schools and hospitals and
18788-464: The name of widely popular products became generic, and therefore could not be protected afterwards. Cheddar cheese , for instance, originating in the English village of Cheddar , is produced in many countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Hence the "Cheddar" name is not protected, but the more specific name "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar" is. Other products are protected in Europe but not elsewhere: Buffalo Mozzarella for instance
18942-421: The north rise the Rennsteig ridge of the Thuringian Forest , the Thuringian Highland and the Franconian Forest , the border with the Upper Saxon lands of Thuringia . The Franconian lands include the present-day South Thuringian districts of Schmalkalden-Meiningen , Hildburghausen and Sonneberg , the historical Gau of Grabfeld , held by the House of Henneberg from the 11th century and later part of
19096-571: The oldest in Bavaria, are archaeocyatha , sponge -like, goblet-shaped marine organisms, which were discovered in 2013 in a limestone block of Late Lower Cambrian age, about 520 million years old. The block comes from the vicinity Schwarzenbach am Wald from the so-called Heinersreuth Block Conglomerate ( Heinersreuther Blockkonglomerat ), a Lower Carboniferous wildflysch . However, the aforementioned archaeocyathids are not three-dimensional fossils, but two-dimensional thin sections . These thin sections had already been prepared and investigated in
19250-452: The others' GIs and the nations' traditional terms of winemaking were meant to have been protected by 1997. However, this has been proceeding slowly, and while some GIs have been protected in Australia, others are still available for use (primarily for products that have always been called that). It seems unlikely it will have any effect on colloquial speech in the short term. China recognizes Geographical Indication Products. One such product
19404-411: The product is only one of the criteria for use of the protected terms: the product must also meet various quality criteria. The label " Traditional Specialities Guaranteed " (TSG) is a similar protected term which does not impose any restrictions on the geographical origin of the product. The protection of geographical indications was extended to foodstuffs and other agricultural products in 1992. Given
19558-410: The production of wine ("the product obtained exclusively from the total or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, whether or not crushed, or of grape must ") are considerably longer than EU trade mark law : the main text, the Regulation on the common organisation of the market in wine (No 1493/1999), runs to over 46,000 words. To be considered as a "quality wine", the wine must come from
19712-403: The protected indications or to do anything which might imply that the product meets the specifications, such as using distinctive packaging associated with the protected product. Protected indications are treated as intellectual property rights by the Customs Regulation 1383/2003 (Regulation concerning customs action against goods suspected of infringing certain intellectual property rights and
19866-409: The rain shadow of the Spessart, Rhön and Odenwald. Franconia, as part of Germany, has a high quality of life . In the Worldwide Quality of Living Survey by Mercer in 2010, the city of Nuremberg was one of the top 25 cities in the world in terms of quality of life and came sixth in Germany. In environmental ranking Nuremberg came thirteenth in the world and was the best German city In a survey by
20020-416: The region are the Jagst and Kocher in Hohenlohe-Franconia, which empty into the Neckar north of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg, the Altmühl and the Wörnitz in Middle Franconia, both tributaries of the Danube , and the upper and middle reaches of the Werra , the right-hand headstream of the Weser . In the northeast of Upper Franconia rise two left-hand tributaries of the Elbe : the Saxon Saale and
20174-419: The region from the east, because the area of today's Upper Franconia was very sparsely populated ( Bavaria Slavica ). However, in the 10th and 11th centuries, they largely gave up their own language and cultural tradition. The majority of the population of Franconia was pagan well into the Early Middle Ages , The first people to spread the Christian faith strongly were wandering Irish Anglo-Saxon monks in
20328-472: The region. In addition, large parts of South and Central Germany experienced a general uplift -or in areas where the basement had broken through a substantial uplift - the course of formation of the Alps during the Tertiary. Since then, Franconia has been mainly influenced by erosion and weathering (especially in the Jura in the form of karst ), which has ultimately led to formation of today's landscapes. The oldest macrofossils in Franconia, which are also
20482-543: The region. Otherwise, the protection afforded by the two terms is equivalent. An application for a PDO or a PGI is first made to the authorities of the relevant Member State. It is judged by the Member State against the criteria in the Regulation and, if found to be acceptable, forwarded to the European Commission for final approval. Applications are published at both the national and Community stages of examination, and third parties can object to proposed PDOs or PGIs which they feel would harm their business. A recurrent objection
20636-502: The relevant regulation applies. However, there are a number of bilateral agreements with the EU for some level of enforcement. Agreements of this type exist between the EU and Australia (wine, 1994) (but not cheese), Canada (wine and spirits, 2003), China , Chile (wine and spirits, 2002), Colombia (2007, coffee) Mexico (1997, spirit drinks), and South Africa (2002, wine and spirits). Besides dedicated agreements on geographical indications, mutual recognition of geographical indications
20790-416: The remains of Plateosaurus were first discovered there in 1834, it was the first discovery of a dinosaur on German soil, and this occurred even before the name "dinosauria" was coined. Another important Plateosaurus find in Franconia was made at Ellingen . Far more famous than Plateosaurus , Placodus and Nothosaurus is the Archaeopteryx , probably the first bird geologically. It was discovered in
20944-402: The sausages are served is also locally different, but most commonly they are regarded as a simple snack served with or in a white bread roll made from wheat flour and eaten with mustard . As a pub dish, it is often accompanied by sauerkraut or potato salad and sometimes served with dark, crusty country bread made predominantly from rye flour, less commonly with a Brezel ( pretzel ). It
21098-427: The sense of a common Franconian identity that exists today. The Franconian Circle also shaped the geographical limits of the present-day Franconia. In the late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period, the Imperial Circle was severely affected by Kleinstaaterei , the patchwork of tiny states in this region of Germany. As during the late Middle Ages, the bishops of Würzburg used the nominal title of Duke of Franconia during
21252-400: The sinuous River Main which, together with the left (southern) Regnitz tributary, including its Rednitz and Pegnitz headstreams, drains most of Franconia. Other large rivers include the upper Werra in Thuringia and the Tauber , as well as the upper Jagst and Kocher streams in the west, both right tributaries of the Neckar . In southern Middle Franconia, the Altmühl flows towards
21406-402: The southeastern periphery of the area, the Nuremberg metropolitan area is often identified as the economic and cultural centre of Franconia. Further cities in Bavarian Franconia include Würzburg , Erlangen , Bayreuth , Bamberg , Aschaffenburg , Schweinfurt , Hof , Coburg , Ansbach and Schwabach . The major (East) Franconian towns in Baden-Württemberg are Schwäbisch Hall on the Kocher —
21560-401: The southern Franconian Jura , with the Altmühl Valley , is characterized by poor grassland of this type. Many of these places have been designated as a protected areas . Franconia has several regions with sandy habitats that are unique for south Germany and are protected as the so-called Sand Belt of Franconia or Sandachse Franken . When the Altmühlsee reservoir was built, a bird island
21714-467: The southern Franconian Jura, inter alia at the famous fossil site of Solnhofen in the Solnhofen Platform Limestone ( Solnhofener Plattenkalk , (Solnhofen-Formation, early Tithonian , Upper Jurassic). In addition to Archaeopteryx , in the very fine-grained, laminated lagoon limestones are the pterosaur Pterodactylus and various bony fishes as well as numerous extremely detailed examples of invertebrates e.g. feather stars and dragonflies . Eichstätt
21868-601: The specific product; or (b) identify the traditional character or specific character of the product. A TSG creates an exclusive right over the registered product name. Accordingly, the registered product name can be used by only those producers who conform to the registered production method and product specifications. "The legal function of the TSG is to certify that a particular agricultural product objectively possesses specific characteristics which differentiate it from all others in its category, and that its raw materials, composition or method of production have been consistent for
22022-503: The specified areas of production and determine the rules and appellations which apply: the European Commission restricts itself to publishing the information provided by the Member States. Appellations are usually the geographical name of the area in which the wine is produced, although there are some historical exceptions: muscadet and blanquette in France, cava and manzanilla in Spain and vinho verde in Portugal. The appellations are not necessarily unique: Cava may refer either to
22176-418: The three schemes may be marked with the logo for that scheme to help identify those products. The schemes are based on the legal framework provided by the EU Regulation No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs. This regulation applies within the EU as well as in Northern Ireland. Protection of the registered products
22330-414: The time of the Imperial Circle. In 1559, the Franconian Circle was given jurisdiction over coinage ( Münzaufsicht ) and, in 1572, was the only Circle to issue its own police ordinance. Members of the Franconian Circle included the imperial cities, the prince-bishoprics, the Bailiwick of Franconia of the Teutonic Order and several counties. The Imperial Knights with their tiny territories, of which there
22484-760: The true origin of the product is indicated or if the appellation is used in translated form or accompanied by terms such as "kind", "type"... This legislation expanded the 1951 Stresa Convention, which was the first international agreement on cheese names. Seven countries participated: Austria , Denmark , France , Italy , Norway , Sweden , and Switzerland . Selected products include Prosciutto Toscano (PDO) from Italy, bryndza podhalańska (PDO) and oscypek (PDO) from Poland, Marchfeldspargel (PGI) from Austria, Lübecker Marzipan (PGI) from Germany, Scotch Beef and Lamb (PGI) from Scotland, bryndza (PGI) and Oštiepok (PGI) from Slovakia, Kaszëbskô malëna ( Kashubian garden strawberry ) (PGI) from Poland. In certain cases,
22638-402: The widely different national provisions, this "general regime" gives much more power to the European Commission (compared to the special regimes) to ensure harmonised protection across the European Union. It is currently governed by the Regulation on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (No 510/2006). To qualify for
22792-405: The width of the river apart—it does not fall within the required geographical restriction. The brewery then applied to the European Union authorities to have the geographical restriction revoked. If the restriction had not been revoked, the brewery would have been forced either to move back to Newcastle, or stop calling its beer "Newcastle" brown ale. Ultimately, the brewery's application to revoke
22946-767: Was a part of the Electoral Rhenish Circle , the area of Coburg belonged to the Upper Saxon Circle and the Heilbronn area to the Swabian Circle . In the 16th century, the College of Franconian Counts was founded to represent the interests of the counts in Franconia. Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union#Protected geographical indication (PGI) Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin ( PDO ), protected geographical indication ( PGI ), and traditional speciality guaranteed ( TSG ), promote and protect names of agricultural products and foodstuffs, wines and spirits. Products registered under one of
23100-458: Was a particularly large number in Franconia, were outside the Circle assembly and, until 1806, formed the Franconian Knights Circle ( Fränkischer Ritterkreis ) consisting of six Knights' Cantons . Because the extent of Franconia, already referred to above, is disputed, there were many areas that might be counted as part of Franconia today, that lay outside the Franconian Circle. For example, the area of Aschaffenburg belonged to Electoral Mainz and
23254-475: Was caused by heated-up sedimentary rocks sunk deep into the Earth's crust. While the Fichtel and Franconian Forest can be assigned to the Saxo-Thuringian Zone of Central European Variscan orogeny, the Spessart belongs to the Central German Crystalline Zone. The Münchberg mass is variously attributed to the Saxo-Thuringian or Moldanubian Zones. A substantially larger part of the shallow subsurface in Franconia comprises Mesozoic , unmetamorphosed, unfolded rocks of
23408-400: Was created and designated as a nature reserve where a variety of birds nest. Another important reserve is the Black Moor in the Rhön , which is one of the most important bog areas in Central Europe. A well known reserve is the Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth at Wunsiedel , a felsenmeer of granite blocks up to several metres across. The establishment of the first Franconian national park in
23562-474: Was directly subordinated to the Reich. Only after that was the former Francia Orientalis considered to be under the sphere of the bishops of Würzburg as the true Franconia, its territory gradually shrinking to its present area. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of parts of present-day Upper and Middle Franconia, who were not under the control of Würzburg, probably also considered themselves to be Franks at that time, and certainly their dialect distinguished them from
23716-440: Was historically the first to be developed at both national and Community levels. It is also the only protection which is recognised by the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), administered by the World Trade Organization , although the European Union is pushing for other geographical indications to be included in the Doha Round of world trade negotiations. European Union rules governing
#594405