Bodenwerder

Bodenwerder
Bodenwerder
Location of the town of Bodenwerder within Holzminden district
Coordinates	51°58′N 9°31′E
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
District	Holzminden
Municipal assoc.	Bodenwerder-Polle
Mayor	Karl-Gerhard Sievers (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area	28.92 km2 (11.17 sq mi)
Elevation	76 m  (249 ft)
Population	5,546 (31 December 2011)
- Density	192 /km2 (497 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	HOL
Postal code	37619
Area code	05533
Website	www.bodenwerder.de

Bodenwerder is a municipality in Holzminden district, Lower Saxony, Germany. It lies on the river Weser, upstream from Hamelin, at a point where the river has carved a gap in the hills. It is famous as the birthplace and residence of Baron Münchhausen and the Münchhausen museum and monument are notable tourist attractions.

The settlement was first granted the status of a town in 1287 by Ritter Heinrich II von Homburg. There was already an important bridge over the river here in 1289, which connected Hameln-Paderborn to Einbeck-Frankfurt. Around 1340 one of the Homburg Bodos was Lord of the Manor and originated a planned town with walls and towers. From him derives the town's name, which means "Bodo's Eyot".

In 1750, Baron Münchhausen retired to his estate here and told his famous stories to his friends. He died in 1797. His house was acquired by the town in 1935, which was used as the town hall; a room containing a Münchhausen museum was added.

The Münchhausen prize for literature is awarded in May each year.

Bodenwerder is also the seat of the Samtgemeinde ("collective municipality") Bodenwerder-Polle.

People

• Jonatan Briel, writer and film director
• Karl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen