View source for Werdau

{{short description|Town in Saxony, Germany}}
{{Infobox German location
|type               = Stadt
|image_photo       = Werdau - townhall (aka).jpg
|image_caption     = The [[City and town halls|town hall]] in Werdau, built in 1911
|image_coa            = Wappen Werdau.png
|coordinates       = {{coord|50|44|N|12|23|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Werdau in Z.svg
|state        = Sachsen
|district         = Zwickau
|elevation              = 334
|area            = 65.60
|postal_code               = 08412
|area_code           = 03761
|licence               = Z, GC, HOT, WDA
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 14524300
|divisions         = 5
|website           = [http://www.werdau.de/ www.werdau.de]
|mayor             = Sören Kristensen<ref>[https://wahlen.sachsen.de/buergermeisterwahl-2019-wahlergebnisse.php Wahlergebnisse 2019], Freistaat Sachsen, accessed 10 July 2021.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2019&ndash;26
|party             = Independent
}}

'''Werdau''' ({{IPA|de|ˈvɛʁdaʊ̯|-|De-Werdau.ogg}}) is a town in [[Germany]], part of the [[Landkreis]] [[Zwickau (district)|Zwickau]] in [[Saxony]]. It is situated on the river [[Pleiße]], 8&nbsp;km from [[Zwickau]].

The town was mentioned as early as 1304, and in 1398 it was purchased by [[Frederick I, Elector of Saxony|Frederick, then margrave of Meissen]], who afterwards became [[Electorate of Saxony|Elector of Saxony]].<ref>{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Werdau|volume=28|page=52}}</ref>

The textile industry was the dominant industry in Werdau since the 14th century. The industrial character of the town further increased in the 20th century with the large-scale truck production by the [[Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau|IFA]] conglomerate. Both industries were not competitive after the [[German reunification]] in 1990, leading to a sharp [[deindustrialisation]]. The character of the town changed dramatically over the last 20 years after almost all factories were demolished and the characteristic East-German residential [[Plattenbauten]] were scaled back.

In 1905, the city held a contest for the design of a new town hall, as the old one built in 1727 had become too small. The tower and floorplan of one design was combined with the façade of another, and ground was broken for construction on 1 August 1908. It was inaugurated on 26 April 1911, with [[Frederick Augustus III of Saxony]] in attendance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thomasgraz.net/glass/gl-1635.htm|title=Werdau |last=Griesbacher|first=Thomas|access-date=2009-01-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://74.125.95.100/translate_c?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.werdau.de/werdau/content/34/16052003135312.asp&prev=/search%3Fq%3DWerdau%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7ADBR_en&usg=ALkJrhjRv3vVOyNJLTT_gVJAa9qhSsY2Yw|title=Town Hall|year=2008|publisher=Werdau.de|language=de|access-date=2009-01-11}}</ref>

[[Werdau station]] is located on the [[Leipzig–Hof railway]].

<gallery perrow="5">
File:Marienkirche Werdau.jpg|Marien-Church
File:Stadtmuseum Werdau.JPG|City Museum
File:Werdau - Cemetery chapel (aka).jpg|Cemetery chapel
File:Werdau advertising clock (aka).jpg|Advertising clock
File:Katholische Kirche Werdau.jpg|Catholic Church
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Cities and towns in Zwickau (district)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Zwickau (district)]]


{{Zwickau-geo-stub}}