Council

TOWN TWINNING

Kulmbach, Bavaria, Germany

The town of Kulmbach lies in Northeast Bavaria in a region known as Upper Frankonia. It occupies a picturesque spot among three mountain ranges and at the confluence of two rivers. Dark forests and clear mountain streams surround it.

The town is dominated by a castle known and the Plassenburg (built before 1135) which is perched on a hilltop overlooking the red-tiled roofs and colourful towers of the town. The ancient mediaeval walls can still be seen in several parts of the town. The town hall, built in 1752, occupies a square surrounded by old houses formerly belonging to the merchants of the town.

Industry

Like Kilmarnock, Kulmbach is an industrial town in an agricultural setting. It produces textiles, agricultural machinery and vehicles, clothing and fabric for furniture making. There are several light engineering companies, and the town is famous for its Kulmbacher beer. It also has a world-wide reputation for the exquisite metal figurines made in the area, the world's largest collection of which are held in the town's museum.

Twinning

The twinning link goes back to 1948 when Herr Hagen visited Kilmarnock and various representatives of Kulmbach Council visited the area from time to time. The informal link was encouraged by The British Council which, immediately after the Second World War, was trying to promote friendship links between Scotland and Bavaria. As a result Scotland has more twinnings with Germany (Bavaria in particular) than any other country in the world.

Twinning took place in 1974. There are two main breweries in Kulmbach, Kulmbacher Brauerei and Kommunbrau Brewery. The annual Bierfest begins on the last Saturday in July and continues through until the first weekend in August. The Alstadtfest takes place on the first weekend in July and is organised by the bars, restaurants and pubs in the old part of the town..

The Kilmarnock Pipe Band are enormously popular in Kulmbach and have played extensively to ‘rave reviews’ not only in Kulmbach but in two of its other twin towns; Saalfeld in what used to be a part of East Germany and Rust in Austria. Kulmbach is a very picturesque town, the ideal spot for a holiday.