Münster - Münster (English spelling)

Japanese: ミュンスター - みゅんすたー（英語表記）Münster

A city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. Population 265,600 (2000). It is the ancient center of the so-called Münsterland, and developed with the cathedral as its nucleus. It is a university town with the Westphalian Wilhelms University, and is also a transportation hub where the railways and autobahns connecting the Rhine region and North Germany, as well as the Dortmund-Ems Canal pass through. It is also a thriving agricultural product distribution center. Industries include agricultural machinery and textiles. The city is centered around the cathedral and its square, the central shopping street Principalmarkt bordering the east side, the Gothic city hall, and Lambert Church, and the university buildings stand out in the area west of the cathedral. The early modern city walls surrounding the old town have been replaced by a lush promenade. The bishop's castle adjacent to the west of the city walls was converted into the university headquarters after serving as the army headquarters. The city was damaged during the Second World War, but was restored to its original state after the war and retains its historical appearance. However, outside the old town, changes have been made, such as the damming of the Aa River to create an artificial lake and the construction of a new university campus on the northwest side. The outskirts of the city are dotted with Wasserburgs (castles surrounded by water), such as Bornholz Castle, which have become tourist destinations.

[Hiroshi Kobayashi]

history

The town originated from a settlement surrounding a monastery founded here at the end of the 8th century (promoted to a bishopric in 804), and its name is derived from the monastery (monastery). Located at a crossing point of the Aa River, it became a commercial and transportation center, and in the mid-10th century it became a city. In the second half of the 13th century, it gained independence from the bishop's control of the city and gained autonomy, and at the same time joined the Hanseatic League. A guild struggle broke out between 1447 and 1457, and guild members were able to participate in city government. During the Protestant Reformation, Lutheranism was introduced at first, but in 1534 Anabaptists led by Jan van Leyden (who came from the Netherlands) occupied the city, and the following year they were suppressed and massacred by the bishop's army. Jan's body was placed in a wire cage (still in existence) and displayed on display in the tower of Lambert's Church. During the Thirty Years' War, preliminary conferences to end the war were held in this town in 1645, and the Treaty of Münster was concluded. In 1648, this was signed by all countries and became the Treaty of Westphalia.

[Yoshio Sehara]

[Reference] | Treaty of Westphalia

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ドイツ西部、ノルトライン・ウェストファーレン州の都市。人口26万5600（2000）。いわゆるミュンスターラントの古くからの中心地で、司教座聖堂を核に発展した。ウェストファーレン・ウィルヘルム大学がある大学都市であり、またライン地方と北ドイツ地方を結ぶ鉄道やアウトバーン、およびドルトムント・エムス運河が通る交通の要衝でもある。農産物の集散も盛ん。工業には農業機械、繊維などがある。市街は聖堂とその広場、その東側を縁どる中心商店街のプリンチパル・マルクト、ゴシック様式の市庁舎、ランベルト教会などが核をなし、聖堂の西側地区には大学の建物群が目だつ。旧市街を取り巻く近世の市壁は緑豊かな遊歩道にかわっている。市壁の西に接した司教領主の城館は、陸軍の司令部を経て大学本部に転用された。市は第二次世界大戦で被災したが、戦後もとの姿に復原して歴史的都市の姿をとどめている。しかし、旧市の外側ではアー川をせき止めて人工湖をつくり、大学の新しいキャンパスを北西側に新設するなどの変化もみられる。市の郊外にはボーンホルツ城など、ワッサーブルク（水に囲まれた城の意）が点在し、観光地となっている。

［小林　博］

歴史

8世紀末この地に設立された修道院（804年司教座に昇格）を囲む集落に起源をもち、地名はその修道院（モナステリウム）に由来する。アー川の渡河地点に位置して商業・交通の中心となり、10世紀なかばには都市となった。13世紀後半には司教の都市支配から独立して自治権を得、同じころハンザ同盟にも加盟した。1447～57年にはギルド闘争が起こり、ギルド員の市政参加が実現した。宗教改革では、初めルター派が導入されたが、1534年ヤン・ファン・ライデン（オランダから来住）ら再洗礼派が市を占拠し、翌年司教軍により鎮圧、虐殺された。ヤンの遺体は金網のかご（現存）に入れられ、ランベルト教会の塔にさらしものにされた。三十年戦争に際して、1645年この町で戦争終結の予備会談が開かれ、ミュンスター条約が結ばれ、1648年これが各国の調印を経てウェストファリア条約となった。

［瀬原義生］

[参照項目] | ウェストファリア条約

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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