Brandenburg

The city of Brandenburg is situated on both banks of the Havel River in the district of Potsdam in the eastern German state of Brandenburg. The first settlement was on the south bank of the Havel and was founded by the West Slavic Hevelli tribe in the 6th century. It was captured by the German Henry I the Fowler in 928, but was not subdued until later. The Germans settled mainly on the north bank of the Havel It was rebuilt by the Ascanian Albert I in the 12th century, and gave its name to his margraviate. In 1715, the two settlements merged into one city. It was heavily damaged in World War II, but some historic architecture survived, notably the great cathedral originally built in 1165 in the Romanesque style, later rebuilt in Gothic style in the 14th century and extensively restored in the 1960s, St. Katherine's Church dating from the 14th century, and St. Jacob's Chapel built 1320. The modern city is a busy river port and shipbuilding center. Its manufacturing is based on local steel making and steelworking, and produces many kinds of machinery. Its 2004 estimated population was 131,900.