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Zell am Harmersbach (German pronunciation: [ˈtsɛl ʔam ˈhaʁmɐsbax], lit. 'Zell on the Harmersbach') is a small town and a historic “Reichsstadt” in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It lies in the Ortenaukreis, between the Black Forest and the Rhine.
Zell was settled on territory owned by Gengenbach Abbey. The monastery was founded by the Lords of Geroldseck, to whose sovereign lands belonged much of the modern Ortenau district. The monastery was consecrated within the Zähringen order, with records dating back to 1139. In 1289, Rudolph I invested the monastery as an Imperial abbey and was placed within the Gengenbach order under the Diocese of Strasbourg. However, ownership and the overlordship remained with the Baron of Hohengeroldseck until 1636, with the death of Baron Jacob and the extinction of his line.
The city separated from Gengenbach Abbey and authority of the Hohengeroldesecks with the support of nearby cities Gengenbach and Offenburg, which had acquired Imperial immediacy in the years 1366 and 1340, respectively. Zell won immediacy toward the end of the 14th century, and suffered gravely from the Peasants War, the Thirty Years War, and the wars of King Louis XIV of France.
In the year 1800, the Imperial city controlled about 50 square miles (English) of territory and shared boundaries with the Free City of Gengenbach on the west, the Imperial Abbey of Gengenbach on the north, the Reichstal or Imperial Valley of the Harmersbach on the east, and the Lordship of Haslach, a possession of the Fürstenberg, on the south.
The Free Imperial City of Zell was mediatized by order of the Final Recess (Reichsdeputationshauptschluss) ratified by the Emperor Francis II on 27 April 1803. The city was annexed to the Margrave of Baden.
Zell is located at the end of the Harmersbachtal (Harmersbach Valley), a tributary valley of the Kinzig. 8 km North Hohengeroldseck Main Castle at Biberach. And 16 km from Lahr, another Hohengeroldseck foundation.
Along with Zell, the districts of Unterharmersbach, Unterentersbach und Oberentersbach are incorporated into the city.
The city is bordered on the north by Nordrach, on the northeast by Oberharmersbach, on the southeast by Fischerbach, on the south by the city of Haslach, in the southwest by Steinach, on the west by Biberach, and on the northwest by the city of Gengenbach.
The city is the seat of the arranged administration partnership with the communities of Biberach, Nordrach and Oberharmersbach.
Zell's coat of arms, a black eagle on gold, is the crest of the Holy Roman Empire and symbolizes Zell's history as an imperial city.
Zell am Harmersbach is twinned with:
The district of Unterharmersbach has maintained a partnership with the Swiss community of Tuggen since 2000.
Zell lies on the Kinzigtäler Jakobusweg and on the Großen Hansjakobweg routes, both of which pass many sites of interest.
Zell is the birthplace of the famous Hahn und Henne (Rooster and Hens) pottery factory.
Zell am Harmersbach lies on the Harmersbach Valley Railway (10.6 km; a branch line of the Black Forest Railway) which connects Biberach and Oberharmersbach.
At Ritter von Buß Educational Center, there is a primary school, a secondary school and technical school. An additional primary school is located in Unterharmersbach. There is also a special educational school in Kernstadt.
There are four kindergartens in the area.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Zell am Harmersbach”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.