Bückeburg

Bückeburg
Aerial view of Bückeburg Palace
Bückeburg
Location of the town of Bückeburg within Schaumburg district
Coordinates	52°15′39″N 9°02′57″E
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
District	Schaumburg
Town subdivisions	13
Mayor	Reiner Brombach (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area	68.84 km2 (26.58 sq mi)
Elevation	63 m  (207 ft)
Population	20,407 (31 December 2011)
- Density	296 /km2 (768 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	SHG
Postal code	31675
Area code	05722
Website	www.bueckeburg.de

Bückeburg is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, on the border with North Rhine Westphalia. It was once the capital of the tiny principality of Schaumburg-Lippe and is today located in the district of Schaumburg close to the northern slopes of the Weserbergland ridge. Population: 21,030.

The palace

Bückeburg Palace (Schloss Bückeburg) was the residence of the Princes of Schaumburg-Lippe. Although the Princely family surrendered political power in 1918, they still live there today. The palace, part of which is open to the public, is an important major tourist sight and houses important works of art and an important library. The history of the building spans 700 years, with the most important contributions stemming from the 16th, 17th, and 19th centuries.

The Princely Mausoleum in the palace grounds is open to the public as well. Built in 1915 in Neo-Romanic style and resembling the Roman Pantheon, it is the world's largest private sepulchre still in use. The cupola is adorned by an impressive gold mosaic, the second largest of its kind after the one in the Hagia Sophia.

Museum

Bückeburg is also home to a helicopter museum, which features the early drawings of flying objects by Leonardo da Vinci as well as 40 actual helicopters. The German Army's Army Aviators School using Bückeburg Air Base is located here.

Church

The Town Church of Bückeburg (Bückeburger Stadtkirche) was one of the first Lutheran churches built after the Reformation. It is known for its pulpit and especially for the ornately decorated bronze-cast font, made by the Dutch artist Adriaen de Vries.

Composer Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732–1795), a son of J.S. Bach, worked at the Bückeburg court from before 1751 until his death, first as a harpsichordist, then, from 1759, as Konzertmeister (director) of the Hofkapelle (court orchestra) there. Bach is buried in the churchyard of the Stadtkirchengemeinde-Bückeburg.

Bach set several texts by Johann Gottfried Herder, who was at the Bückeburg court as its superintendent and chief preacher from 1771–1776.

British residents

Bückeburg is a former British garrison town, and had a number of British residents until recently. British homes surrounded the outskirts of Bückeburg, but there are fewer than 50 of them. The majority of Bückeburg's British residents work at the local English school in Rinteln, Prince Rupert School.

External links

• Bückeburg Homepage
• Schloss Bückeburg
• Helicopter Museum Bückeburg
• Obernkirchen Children's Choir