Sponheim is a municipality in the district of Bad Kreuznach in Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany.

Sponheim
View of Sponheim with the abbey
View of Sponheim with the abbey
Coat of arms of Sponheim
Location of Sponheim within Bad Kreuznach district
Sponheim is located in Germany
Sponheim
Sponheim
Sponheim is located in Rhineland-Palatinate
Sponheim
Sponheim
Coordinates: 49°50′45″N 7°43′35″E / 49.84583°N 7.72639°E / 49.84583; 7.72639
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictBad Kreuznach
Municipal assoc.Rüdesheim
Government
 • Mayor (2019–24) Bernhard Haas[1]
Area
 • Total14.35 km2 (5.54 sq mi)
Elevation
230 m (750 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total756
 • Density53/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
55595
Dialling codes06758
Vehicle registrationKH
Websitewww.sponheim.de

History

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Abbey of Sponheim c. 1650

Sponheim was the capital of the County of Sponheim.

Sponheim Abbey

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There was a Benedictine abbey which was founded in 1101 by Stephan II, Count of Sponheim not far from the comital residence at Castle Sponheim. Johannes Trithemius was one of the abbots.[3] Traveling from university to his home town in 1482, he was surprised by a snowstorm and took refuge in the Benedictine abbey of Sponheim near Bad Kreuznach. He decided to stay and was elected abbot in 1483, at the age of twenty-one. In his time, the abbey library increased from around fifty items to more than two thousand. However, his efforts were not met with praise, and his reputation as a magician did not further his acceptance. Increasing differences with the convent led to his resignation in 1506.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Direktwahlen 2019, Landkreis Bad Kreuznach, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 2 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.
  3. ^ Gaier, Ulrich (1968). "Sebastian Brant's "Narrenschiff" and the Humanists". Modern Language Association. 83 (2): 266. doi:10.2307/1261181. ISSN 0030-8129. JSTOR 1261181.