residenz
Sign in to saveResidenz () is a German word for "domicile", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence. A related term, Residenzstadt, denotes a city where a sovereign ruler resided, and thus carries a similar meaning to the contemporary expressions seat of government or capital. As there were many sovereign (imperially immediate) rulers in the Holy Roman Empire, ranking from lord (Herr) to prince elector and king, there are many cities, palaces, and castles in the empire's former territory which used to be a Residenz, some of which are still so referred to today. The former status of a
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Residenz () is a German word for "domicile", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence. A related term, Residenzstadt, denotes a city where a sovereign ruler resided, and thus carries a similar meaning to the contemporary expressions seat of government or capital. As there were many sovereign (imperially immediate) rulers in the Holy Roman Empire, ranking from lord (Herr) to prince elector and king, there are many cities, palaces, and castles in the empire's former territory which used to be a Residenz, some of which are still so referred to today. The former status of a city as a Residenz is frequently reflected in the architecture of its center. During the baroque period especially, many prestigious buildings were erected; sometimes even new towns were founded. Most former Residenzstädte still serve as cultural and administrative centers today.
Examples of buildings or cities: thumb|The '' under construction in 1731 thumb|Meersburg, the seat of the prince-bishops of Constance Munich Residenz, the former residence of the Dukes and Kings of Bavaria. Munich remains the capital of the German state of Bavaria. , the former residence of the prince-bishops of Würzburg. Würzburg today is capital of the Lower Franconia government district of Bavaria. Alte Residenz'', the former residence of the archbishops of Salzburg. Salzburg today is the capital of the state of Salzburg in Austria. Prussia's Residenzstädte, where the royal family maintained residences, were Berlin, Königsberg, Potsdam, and Breslau.