Lichtenfels

Lichtenfels

Lichtenfels is a town in Bavaria, Germany, capital of the district of Lichtenfels. It is situated on the upper course of the river Main (pronounced like the English word "mine"), approx. 15 km southeast of Coburg, and 30 km northeast of Bamberg, in an area called Gottesgarten am Obermain (God's garden on the upper River Main).

Lichtenfels became as of middle of the 19. century one center of the basket marketing. The basket makers in the surrounding upper Maintal area brought their products to trade in Lichtenfels, which was and is the biggest retail market. The leading entrepreneur was the basket dealer Joseph Crinkly.

Since 1904 there has been a technical basket college and as of 1912 there was also a braiding course for women. Those fashioned and very frequent outwork baskets came from the whole family.

After the first world war laid Lichtenfels himself to the title German wicker chair. By the practical extinction the basketry in Germany. After the second world war dedicate Lichtenfels to the remain basket dealer, today as an exclusive import of the braiding manufactures.

Lichtenfels is the basket-making capital of Germany and has the only college which still teaches the old craft skills. Each year at the end of September the Korbmarkt (basket market) is held when the town is filled with stalls selling baskets from many countries and one can watch many craftspeople at work. On the Market Place in front of the Town Hall you can see the World's largest gift basket.