Eckersdorf

Eckersdorf is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany.

The municipality of Eckersdorf is located on the northern edge of an area called "Little Switzerland" (German: Fränkische Schweiz), close to the world-famous festival town of Bayreuth. The highest elevation in the region of Eckersdorf is the Sophienberg with an altitude of 593 m.

Eckersdorf became a municipality in 1978 due to municipal reform. According to the local government, there are currently 22 official districts within the municipality.^[4]

The communities surrounding Eckersdorf are Thurnau, Bayreuth, Mistelbach, and Mistelgau.

Eckersdorf was mentioned for the first time in 1149 in the "Giechburgvertrag". The Counts of Andechs-Meranien possessed the area of Eckersdorf until they died in 1248. The lords of Berg Plassenberg obtained property in the Eckersdorf area in 1420. A century later, the lords fully possessed Eckersdorf. In 1552, after the last member of the family died, Eckersdorf came under the control of the Lords of Lüchau, and then in 1757, it became part of Markgrafschaft Bayreuth. During the administrative reforms in Bavaria in 1818, the current municipality of Eckersdorf was established. Eckersdorf was part of the Prussian Principality of Bayreuth, and became a French possession through the Treaties of Tilsit until it was incorporated into Bavaria in 1810.^[5]

Duchess Elisabeth Friederike Sophie of Brandenburg-Bayreuth had built the Fantaisie Castle (built between 1758 and 1765 by Johann Jakob Spindler). It houses an original replica of the Spindler Cabinet, an inlaid work of art by the brothers Johann Friedrich and Heinrich Wilhelm Spindler. The original is located in the Bavarian National Museum in Munich.

The town hall of Eckersdorf dates back to 1830.

The Eckersdorf Protestant Lutheran church of St. Ägidius dates back to its present form with its high pointed tower in 1791.

• Elisabeth Friederike Sophie of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1732–1780): Princess of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Duchess of Württemberg.
• Peter Glotz (1939–2005): German politician (SPD), writer, and professor. He lived in Eckersdorf from 1945 to 1959.
• Richard Wagner (1813–1883): Famous composer. He lived at Hotel Fantaisie near Schloss Fantaisie from April to September 1872.
• Asha Noppeney (born 1954): disabled athlete and sports activist, and writer. She was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany^[6] and the Bavarian Order of Merit.^[7]