Marburg is a city located in the hilly state of Hesse. From the high point of the castle to the shores of the river Lahn, the dynamic environment of the city has deeply impacted the way people have lived throughout history and in the modern day. Here we will explore the impacts of the geography of the city on the lives of the population past and present!
Marburg is mostly in a valley except for a very large hill on which sits the old city, known as the Oberstadt (‘upper city’). There are many residential areas on the hills next to the valley. Within the valley is a river called the Lahn that flows through the whole city southwards. Rivers are historically very important to most German cities, so much so that many cities are known by the river that they are on! Marburg is often called Marburg an der Lahn, or Marburg on the Lahn. While most just say “Marburg”, for other cities it is more important. Frankfurt is the closest major city to me, but there is also another city in Germany called Frankfurt. To resolve this problem, they call the city close to me Frankfurt am Main (it is on the river Main) and the other city Frankfurt an der Oder (on the river Oder).
