DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Freistaat Bayern	Bavaria
Regierungsbezirk: Mittelfranken
Stadt: Ansbach

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Ansbach is situated at an elevation of 405 m at the confluence of the Onolzbach stream into the river Fränkische Razeat, about 40 km southwest of Nuremberg and about 150 km northwest of Munich. Ansbach is the seat of the administration of the district of the same name as well as of Barvaria's administrative of Middle Franconia. The municipality has a population of about 41,700 (2021).

The earliest known written document that refers to Onoltesbach dates from AD 790. A Benedictine monastery had been founded in this place in 748. In 1221 the place was first mentioned as a town. In 1331, Ansbach was urchased by the burgraves of Nuremberg from the Hohenzollern dynasty. From 1385 onward, Ansbach was the residence of various branches of the Hohenzollern. When the Hohenzollern obtained the ranks of Electors of Brandenburg in 1415, Ansbach was not united with Brandenburg, but remained independent as the margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach (or, rather, Onoltzbach until 1732). In 1791, Karl-Alexander of Brandenburg-Ansbach (in personal union also Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth) abdicated in favour of his relative, King Friedrich Wilhelm II in Prussia. In 1806 Ansbach became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria (in exchange for the duchy of Berg), Bayreuth followed in 1810.

Ansbach residence developed from a medieval building. Located outside the old city walls, the olde structure was expanded by Friedrich I, Elector of Brandenburg into a water castle. Structural remains are preserved in the northwest wing of the present building. Margrave Georg Friedrich of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Kulmbach ordered the Swabian architect Blasius Berwart to build a palace. It was erected in Renaissance style from 1565 to 1575. Major constructions followed between 1705 and 1738 when the palace was changed to its present form. Today, the palace is the administrative seat of the government of Middle Franconia. The Great Hall and the Orangerie in its garden serve as venues for the biennial music festival Bachwoche Ansbach.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansbach; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansbach_Residence]