View source for Magdeburg

{{Short description|Capital city of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany}}
{{Expand German|topic=geo}}
{{About|the German city}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox German place
| German_name = <small>{{native name|nds|Meideborg}}</small>
| type = City
| coordinates = {{coord|52|07|54|N|11|38|21|E|region:de|display=it}}
| image_flag = Flagge Magdeburg.svg
| image_coa = Wappen Magdeburg.svg
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
  | total_width            = 280
  | border                 = infobox
  | perrow                 = 1/2/2
  | caption_align          = center
  | image1                 = Aerial view of Magdeburg.jpg
  | caption1               = Aerial view of part of the city center
  | image2                 = Fassade Magdeburger Dom.jpg
  | caption2               = [[Magdeburg Cathedral]]
  | image3                 = Magdeburg asv2022-08 img40 Grüne Zitadelle.jpg
  | caption3               = [[:de:Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg|Green Citadel]]
  | image4                 = MD-Altstadt Alter Markt 6 Rathaus-01 Cropped.jpg
  | caption4               = [[:de:Rathaus Magdeburg|Town Hall]]
  | image5                 = JahrtausendturmMagdeburg cropped.jpg
  | caption5               = [[Jahrtausendturm|Millennium Tower]]
  }}
| state = Sachsen-Anhalt
| district = Kreisfreie Stadt
| elevation = 43
| area = 201.03
| Gemeindeschlüssel = 15003000
| postal_code = 39104–39130
| area_code = 0391
| licence = MD
| divisions = 40 boroughs
| website = [https://www.magdeburg.de/ magdeburg.de]
| mayor= {{ill|Simone Borris|de|vertical-align=sup}}<ref>[https://wahlergebnisse.magdeburg.de/ Mayoral election results, 2022], accessed 4 October 2022. {{in lang|de}}</ref>
| leader_term = 2022&ndash;29
| party = Independent
| Bürgermeistertitel= Mayor
}}

'''Magdeburg''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|æ|ɡ|d|ə|b|ɜːr|g|audio=Magdeburg rec.ogg}} {{respell|MAG|də|burg}}, {{IPA|de|ˈmakdəbʊʁk|lang|Magdeburg rec2.ogg}}, {{IPA|de|ˈmaχdəbʊɐ̯ç|local|generic=yes}}; {{langx|nds|Meideborg|label=[[Low Saxon]]}} {{IPA|nds|ˈmaˑɪ̯debɔɐ̯x|}}) is the [[Capital city|capital]] of the [[States of Germany|German state]] of [[Saxony-Anhalt]]. The city is on the [[Elbe]] river.<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Magdeburg |volume=17 |page=301}}</ref>

[[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]], the [[Holy Roman Emperor]] and the founder of the [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg]], was buried in the city's [[Magdeburg Cathedral|cathedral]] after his death.<ref name=EB1911/> Magdeburg's version of [[German town law]], known as [[Magdeburg rights]], spread throughout [[Central Europe|Central]] and Eastern Europe. In the [[Late Middle Ages]], Magdeburg was one of the largest and most prosperous German cities and a notable member of the [[Hanseatic League]]. One of the most notable people from the city was [[Otto von Guericke]], famous for his experiments with the [[Magdeburg hemispheres]].

Magdeburg has experienced three major devastations in its history. In 1207 the first catastrophe struck the city, with a fire burning down large parts of the city, including the [[Magdeburg Cathedral#Previous building|Ottonian cathedral]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Brandkatastrophen und deren Bedeutung für die Verbreitung gotischer Sakralarchitektur |url=http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/7156/1/Kremb_Das_Feuer_der_Erneuerung_2020.pdf |website=archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de |publisher=Jens Kremb|language=de |access-date=28 January 2023}}</ref> The [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]] [[Sack of Magdeburg|sacked Magdeburg]] in 1631,<ref name=EB1911/> resulting in the death of 25,000 non-combatants, the largest loss of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. During [[World War II]] the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] bombed the city in 1945 and destroyed much of the city centre. Today, around 46% of the city consists of buildings from before 1950.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Errorpage | url=https://zensus2011.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publikationen/Aufsaetze_Archiv/2015_12_NI_GWZ_endgueltig.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921225126/https://www.zensus2011.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publikationen/Aufsaetze_Archiv/2015_12_NI_GWZ_endgueltig.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4 | access-date=2025-06-25 | archive-date=2021-09-21}}</ref>

After World War II, the city belonged to the [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]] from 1949 to 1990. Since then, many new construction projects have been implemented and old buildings have been restored.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bilanz zum Stadtumbau |url=https://www.magdeburg.de/index.php?ModID=7&FID=37.19724.1&object=tx%7C37.19724.1 |website=magdeburg.de |publisher=Magdeburg |language=de |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> Magdeburg celebrated its 1,200th anniversary in 2005.

Magdeburg is on [[Bundesautobahn 2|Autobahn 2]] and [[Bundesautobahn 14|Autobahn 14]], connecting [[Eastern Europe|Eastern]] and [[Western Europe]] as well as northern and southern Germany. Significant industries include [[machine industry|machines]], [[healthcare industry|healthcare]], [[mechanical engineering]], [[environmental technology]], [[circular economy]], [[logistics]], [[culture industry|culture]], [[wood industry|wood]] and [[information and communications technology]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Key industries |url=https://www.magdeburg.de/Home/Business-Economy/Business-location/Key-industries/?La=2 |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=www.magdeburg.de |archive-date=26 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126224705/https://www.magdeburg.de/Home/Business-Economy/Business-location/Key-industries/?La=2 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The paper industry in Saxony-Anhalt |url=https://www.invest-in-saxony-anhalt.com/paper-industry |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=www.saxony-anhalt.com}}</ref>

There are numerous [[Culture|cultural institutions]] in the city, including the [[Theater Magdeburg]] and the [[Kulturhistorisches Museum Magdeburg|Museum of Cultural History]]. The city is also the location of two universities, the [[Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg]] and the [[Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hs-magdeburg.de/home.html |title=Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal |website=hs-magdeburg.de}}</ref>

==History==
{{For timeline}}

===Early years===
[[File:Ankunft Ottos I. und Ediths in Magdeburg.jpg|left|thumb|Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] and his wife Edith arrive near Magdeburg (Hugo Vogel 1898, Ständehaus Merseburg).]]
Founded by [[Charlemagne]] in 805 as Magadoburg (probably from [[Old High German]] ''magado'' for ''big'', ''mighty'' and ''burg'' for ''fortress''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onomastik.com/on_geschichte_magdeburg.php |title=Magdeburg: Jungfrau oder Groß? Der Ortsname erklärt |publisher=Onomastik.com |access-date=24 July 2010 |language=de}}</ref>), the town was fortified in 919 by King [[Henry the Fowler]] against the [[Hungarian people|Magyars]] and [[Slavic peoples|Slavs]]. In 929 King [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] granted the city to his English-born wife [[Eadgyth|Edith]] as [[dower]]. Queen Edith loved the town and often resided there;<ref name="Catholic">{{Catholic |wstitle=Magdeburg |inline=1 |volume=9 |first=Klemens |last=Löffler}}</ref> at her death she was buried in the crypt of the [[Benedictine]] abbey of [[Saint Maurice]], later rebuilt as the cathedral. In 937, Magdeburg was the seat of a royal assembly. Otto I repeatedly visited Magdeburg, establishing a convent here about 937<ref name=EB1911/> and was later buried in the cathedral. He granted the abbey the right to income from [[tithe]]s and to [[corvée]] labour from the surrounding countryside.

The [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg]] was founded in 968<ref name=EB1911/> at the [[synod]] of [[Ravenna]]; [[Adalbert (Archbishop of Magdeburg)|Adalbert of Magdeburg]] was consecrated as its first archbishop. The archbishopric under Adalbert included the bishoprics of [[Bishopric of Havelberg|Havelberg]], [[Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], [[Bishopric of Merseburg|Merseburg]], [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen|Meissen]] and [[Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz|Naumburg-Zeitz]]. The archbishops played a prominent role in the [[Ostsiedlung|German colonisation]] of the Slavic lands east of the [[Elbe]] river.

In 1035 Magdeburg received a patent giving the city the right to hold trade exhibitions and conventions. This formed the basis of [[German town law]] to become known as the [[Magdeburg rights]]. These laws were adopted and modified throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Visitors from many countries began to trade with Magdeburg. The town was burnt down in 1188.<ref name=EB1911/>

In the 13th century, Magdeburg became a member of the [[Hanseatic League]]. With more than 20,000 inhabitants Magdeburg was one of the largest cities in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The town had active maritime commerce on the west (towards [[Flanders]]), with the countries of the [[North Sea]], and maintained traffic and communication with the interior (for example [[Braunschweig]]).<ref name="Catholic"/>

===Early modern period===
{{further|Sack of Magdeburg|Otto von Guericke|Magdeburg hemispheres}}
The citizens constantly struggled against the archbishop, becoming nearly independent from him by the end of the 15th century. Around Easter 1497, the then twelve-year-old [[Martin Luther]] attended school in Magdeburg, where he was exposed to the teachings of the [[Brethren of the Common Life]]. In 1524, he was called to Magdeburg, where he preached and caused the city's defection from [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]]. The [[Protestant Reformation]] had quickly found adherents in the city, where Luther had been a schoolboy. Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] repeatedly outlawed the unruly town, which had joined the [[League of Torgau]] and the [[Schmalkaldic League]].<ref name="Catholic"/>

As it had not accepted the [[Augsburg Interim]] decree (1548), the city, by the emperor's commands, was besieged (1550–1551) by [[Maurice, Elector of Saxony]], but it retained its independence. The rule of the archbishop was replaced by that of administrators belonging to Protestant dynasties. In the following years, Magdeburg gained a reputation as a stronghold of Protestantism and became the first major city to publish the writings of [[Martin Luther]]. In Magdeburg, [[Matthias Flacius]] and his companions wrote their anti-Catholic pamphlets and the ''[[Magdeburg Centuries]]'', in which they argued that the [[Roman Catholic Church]] had become the kingdom of the [[Antichrist]].<ref name="Catholic"/>

In 1629 the city withstood its first siege during the [[Thirty Years' War]], by [[Albrecht von Wallenstein]], a Protestant convert to Catholicism. However, in 1631, [[Holy Roman Empire|imperial]] troops under [[Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly]], [[sack of Magdeburg|stormed the city and massacred the inhabitants]], killing about 20,000 and burning the city.<ref>{{cite news |title=Religijski rat – "Ubili smo Boga u Magdeburgu!" |url=http://vojnapovijest.vecernji.hr/govorilo-se-ubili-smo-boga-u-magdeburgu-1055793 |publisher=[[Večernji list]] |date=28 January 2016|access-date=30 January 2016 |language=sh}}</ref>

After the war, a population of only 4,000 remained. Under the [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648), Magdeburg was to be assigned to [[Brandenburg-Prussia]] after the death of the administrator [[August, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels|August of Saxe-Weissenfels]], as the semi-autonomous [[Duchy of Magdeburg]]. This occurred in 1680.<ref name="Rathmann1806">{{cite book |author=Heinrich Rathmann |title=Geschichte der Stadt Magdeburg von ihrer ersten Entstehung an bis auf gegenwärtige Zeiten |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TXkAAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA238 |year=1806 |publisher=Bey dem Buchhändler Johann Adam Creutz}}</ref><ref name="Rein2016">{{cite book |author=Nathan Rein |title=The Chancery of God: Protestant Print, Polemic and Propaganda against the Empire, Magdeburg 1546–1551 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ReoDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT32 |date=5 December 2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-351-89314-5 |pages=32–}}</ref><ref name="GehrtHund2019">{{cite book |author1=Daniel Gehrt |author2=Johannes Hund |author3=Stefan Michel |title=Bekennen und Bekenntnis im Kontext der Wittenberger Reformation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vtOFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA118 |date=28 January 2019 |publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht |isbn=978-3-647-57095-2 |pages=118–}}</ref>

[[File:Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|[[Gaspar Schott]]'s sketch of [[Otto von Guericke]]'s [[Magdeburg hemispheres]] experiment]]
The city made an astonishingly quick recovery, due especially to the energy and dedication of its mayor [[Otto von Guericke]], who was also a noted scientist. Just six years after the end of the terribly destructive war, Magdeburg was the scene of the famous scientific experiment known as The ''[[Magdeburg hemispheres]]'' by which the existence of [[vacuum]] – hitherto [[Horror vacui (physics)|hotly debated]] – was empirically proven, with enormous implications for the later developments of physics.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle= Guericke, Otto von |volume= 12 | page= 670 |quote=...he attempted the creation of a vacuum...}}</ref>

In the 1680s, communes of [[French people|French]] [[Huguenots]] and [[Walloons]] were founded in the city, which, as of 1700, constituted of 1,282 and 1,731 people, respectively.<ref>{{cite book|last=Muret|first=Eduard|title=Geschichte der Französischen Kolonie in Brandenburg-Preußen, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Berliner Gemeinde. Aus Veranlassung der Zweihundertjährigen Jubelfeier am 29. Oktober 1885|year=1885|location=Berlin|language=de|pages=237–245}}</ref>

===19th century===
In the course of the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the fortress surrendered to [[First French Empire|French]] troops in 1806. The city was annexed to the French-controlled [[Kingdom of Westphalia]] in the 1807 [[Treaties of Tilsit|Treaty of Tilsit]]. King [[Jérôme Bonaparte|Jérôme]] appointed Count Heinrich [[von Blumenthal]] as mayor. In 1815, after the Napoleonic Wars, Magdeburg was made the capital of the new [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] [[Province of Saxony]].

===20th century===
In 1912, the old fortress was dismantled, and in 1908, the municipality [[Ohrekreis|Rothensee]] became part of Magdeburg.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City & History – Navigation md.de |url=https://www.magdeburg.de/Home/CitizenPortal/City-History/index.php?NavID=37.446&object=tx%7C115.14.2&La=2 |access-date=2021-01-20 |website=www.magdeburg.de}}</ref>

During [[World War I]], Polish leader [[Józef Piłsudski]] and his close associate [[Kazimierz Sosnkowski]] were imprisoned in the city by Germany in 1917–1918.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dzieje.pl/artykuly-historyczne/jozef-pilsudski-w-magdeburgu-czyli-wiezien-stanu-nr-1|title=Józef Piłsudski w Magdeburgu, czyli więzień stanu nr 1|website=Dzieje.pl|author=Waldemar Kowalski|access-date=7 November 2023|language=pl}}</ref>

During the [[Weimar Republic]] the {{langx|de|Magdeburger Tageszeitung|label=none}} was published as a local newspaper in Magdeburg.

During [[World War II]], Magdeburg was the location of 30 [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labour]] detachments of the [[Stalag XI-A]] [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|prisoner-of-war camp]] for some 4,500 [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] POWs,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Megargee|first1=Geoffrey P.|last2=Overmans|first2=Rüdiger|last3=Vogt|first3=Wolfgang|year=2022|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|page=464|isbn=978-0-253-06089-1}}</ref> a camp for [[Sinti]] and [[Romani people]] (see also ''[[Romani Holocaust]]''),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2602|title=Lager für Sinti und Roma Magdeburg|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=7 November 2023|language=de}}</ref> and three [[List of subcamps of Buchenwald|subcamps]] of the [[Buchenwald concentration camp]], in which mostly Jewish men and boys and Soviet, [[Nazi crimes against the Polish nation|Polish]] and Jewish women were imprisoned.<ref name=ab>{{cite web|url=https://www.aussenlager-buchenwald.de/details.html?camp=55|title=Magdeburg (Polte, Frauen)|website=aussenlager-buchenwald.de|access-date=24 November 2023|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aussenlager-buchenwald.de/details.html?camp=57|title=Magdeburg (Polte, Männer)|website=aussenlager-buchenwald.de|access-date=24 November 2023|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aussenlager-buchenwald.de/details.html?camp=53|title=Magdeburg-Rothensee|website=aussenlager-buchenwald.de|access-date=24 November 2023|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Megargee|first=Geoffrey P.|year=2009|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|pages=388–390|isbn=978-0-253-35328-3}}</ref> In April 1945, dozens of prisoners were massacred by the ''[[Volkssturm]]'' and [[Hitler Youth]], and surviving prisoners were sent on [[Death marches during the Holocaust|death marches]] towards the [[Ravensbrück concentration camp|Ravensbrück]] and [[Sachsenhausen concentration camp|Sachsenhausen]] concentration camps.<ref name=ab/>

{{anchor|Allied air attacks}}Magdeburg was heavily bombed by British and American air forces during the Second World War. The RAF bombing raid on the night of 16 January 1945 destroyed much of the city centre. The death toll is estimated at 2,000–2,500. Near the end of [[World War II]], the city of about 340,000 became capital of the [[Province of Magdeburg]]. [[Brabag]]'s Magdeburg/Rothensee plant that produced [[Synthetic fuel|synthetic oil]] from [[lignite]] coal was a target of the [[Oil Campaign of World War II]]. The {{lang|de|[[Gründerzeit]]}} suburbs north of the city, called the Nordfront, were destroyed as well as some of the city's main streets with its Baroque buildings.

It was occupied by [[Ninth United States Army|9th US Army]] troops on 18 April 1945 and was left to the [[Red Army]] on 1 July 1945. [[Post-war]] the area was part of the [[Allied Occupation Zones in Germany|Soviet Zone of Occupation]] and many of the remaining pre-World War II city buildings were destroyed, with only a few buildings near the cathedral and in the southern part of the old city being restored to their pre-war state. Before the [[German reunification|reunification of Germany]], many surviving ''Gründerzeit'' buildings were left uninhabited and, after years of degradation, waiting for demolition. 
From 1949 until German reunification on 3 October 1990, Magdeburg belonged to the [[German Democratic Republic]].

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Magdeburg Stadtplan 1900.jpg|Map of Magdeburg, 1900
File:Magdeburg Geschäftshaus der Magdeburger Feuerversicherungs-Gesellschaft in Magdeburg.jpg|"Breiter Weg", approx. 1900
File:Fountain and Breiter Weg, Magdeburg, Germany, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany-LCCN2002720637.jpg|"Hasselbachplatz", approx. 1900
File:Siegelmarke Kreis Versicherungskommissar - Magdeburger Land - Feuer - Societaet W0251229.jpg|Sealing stamp (1850–1923)
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-14898-0002, Magdeburg, Blick auf die zerstörte Altstadt.jpg|City center after World War II
File:MagdeburgStalinist.jpg|Magdeburg's centre has a number of [[Stalinist architecture#East Germany|Stalinist]] buildings from the 1950s.
</gallery>

===Since German reunification===
In 1990 Magdeburg became the capital of the new state of [[Saxony-Anhalt]] within reunified Germany. Huge parts of the city and its centre were also rebuilt in a modern style. Its economy is one of the fastest-growing in the former East German states.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stadtentwicklung-sachsen-anhalt.de/inhalt/situation/ |title=Zur Situation der Städte |access-date=2 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102121020/http://www.stadtentwicklung-sachsen-anhalt.de/inhalt/situation/ |archive-date=2 November 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2005 Magdeburg celebrated its 1200th anniversary.

The city was hit by the [[2013 European floods]]. Authorities declared a state of emergency and said they expected the Elbe river to rise higher than in 2002. In Magdeburg, with water levels of {{convert|5|m|spell=in}} above normal, about 23,000 residents had to leave their homes on 9 June.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/10/germans-evacuated-river-elbe Thousands evacuated as Elbe bursts dam in German floods] 10 June 2013</ref>

On 20 December 2024, at least five people were killed and more than 200 injured at the [[Magdeburg Christmas market]] when [[2024 Magdeburg car attack|a car was driven into the crowd]].<ref>{{cite web|url=
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy09y32rlnxo|title=Magdeburg Christmas market attack: What we know|date=21 December 2024|work=BBC}}</ref> The suspect, who was arrested at the scene, was identified in German media as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi psychiatrist living in Germany since 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy09y32rlnxo|title=Who is the suspect? What we know so far about Magdeburg market attack|date=21 December 2024|work=BBC}}</ref>

In March 2022, [[Intel]] announced plans to build its largest plant in Europe in the south of the city by 2027; however, the project was postponed by two years in September 2024 and ultimately cancelled by Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan in July 2025 as part of a cost-cutting programme.<ref name="Intel_cancel_2025">{{cite web |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Intel-gives-up-Magdeburg-fab-and-announces-end-of-foundry-10499170.html |title=Intel gives up Magdeburg fab and announces end of foundry |website=heise online |date=2025-07-25 |access-date=2026-05-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-germany-magdeburg-gets-6-8bn-euros-funding | title=Intel Germany Mega Site Gets €6.8bn in European Chips Act Funding | date=7 June 2022 }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Landtag-sachsen-anhalt-2012.jpg|Magdeburg is the capital and seat of the [[Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt]].
File:UB Magdeburg.JPG|Library of the [[Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg]]
File:Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg.jpg|The Green Citadel of Magdeburg, built in 2005
File:Stadion Magdeburg Luftbild 2.JPG|The [[MDCC-Arena]] - a Soccer stadium, built in 2006
File:Haus BreiterWeg Magdeburg.JPG|Restored building - [[Baroque architecture]]
</gallery>

==Geography==
Magdeburg is one of the major towns along the [[Elbe Cycle Route]] (Elberadweg). Its area is {{cvt|201.03|km2}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statistik.sachsen-anhalt.de/themen/gebiet-und-wahlen/gebiet/tabellen-bodenflaeche|title=Tabellen Bodenfläche|publisher=[[Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt]]|access-date=20 November 2022}}</ref>
[[File:Magdeburg, administrative districts.svg|thumb|left|500px|Districts of Magdeburg]]

===Districts===
The city of Magdeburg is divided into 40 ''[[Stadtteil]]e'' (districts).<ref name=demog>[https://www.magdeburg.de/PDF/Bev%C3%B6lkerung_Demografie_2021_Heft_110.PDF?ObjSvrID=37&ObjID=49447&ObjLa=1&Ext=PDF&WTR=1&_ts=1632221131 Bevölkerung & Demografie 2021], Magdeburger Statistik.</ref> Three of these, the former municipalities Beyendorf-Sohlen, Pechau and Randau-Calenberge, have a special status as ''Ortschaften''.<ref name=Hauptsatzung>[https://www.magdeburg.de/PDF/Hauptsatzung_Lesefassung.PDF?ObjSvrID=37&ObjID=29045&ObjLa=1&Ext=PDF&WTR=1&_ts=1621502073 Lesefassung der Hauptsatzung der Landeshauptstadt Magdeburg] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004095435/https://www.magdeburg.de/PDF/Hauptsatzung_Lesefassung.PDF?ObjSvrID=37&ObjID=29045&ObjLa=1&Ext=PDF&WTR=1&_ts=1621502073 |date=4 October 2021 }}, 9 November 2017.</ref> The ''Stadtteile'' of Magdeburg are:<ref name=demog/>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%"
|- class="background:#EAECF0;"
|
* Alt Olvenstedt
* Alte Neustadt
* Altstadt
* Barleber See
* Berliner Chaussee
* Beyendorfer Grund
* Beyendorf-Sohlen
* Brückfeld
* Buckau
* Cracau
* Diesdorf
* Fermersleben
* Gewerbegebiet Nord
|
* Großer Silberberg
* Herrenkrug
* Hopfengarten
* Magdeburg-Industriehafen
* Kannenstieg
* Kreuzhorst
* Leipziger Straße
* Lemsdorf
* Neu Olvenstedt
* Neue Neustadt
* Neustädter Feld
* Neustädter See
* Nordwest
* Ottersleben
|
* Pechau
* Prester
* Randau-Calenberge
* Reform
* Rothensee
* Salbke
* Stadtfeld Ost
* Stadtfeld West
* Sudenburg
* Sülzegrund
* Werder
* Westerhüsen
* Zipkeleben
|}
{{clear|left}}

===Climate===
Magdeburg has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Dobk'') according to [[Köppen climate classification]]. The weather is damp and chilly in winters, with 71.7 days per year in which the minimum temperature is below the freezing point, and 15.6 days with maximum temperature below the {{Convert|0|C|F|abbr=on}} mark.<ref name=WMO/> Magdeburg is warm and relatively wet in summer and can sometimes become hot. Annually, 48.9 days have maximum temperature above {{Convert|25|C|F|abbr=on}}, of which 12 days have daily maximum above {{Convert|30|C|F|abbr=on}}.<ref name=WMO/>

On average, there are 20.9 days with [[thunder]] and 0.8 days with [[hail]], annually. Thunder is more common in spring and summer than other times of the year, while hail exclusively occurs in spring and summer months.<ref name=WMO/>

The Magdeburg weather station has recorded the following extreme values:<ref name=sklima/>
* Its highest temperature was {{convert|38.2|C|F}} on [[2022_European_heatwaves#July_heatwave_2|20 July 2022]].
* Its lowest temperature was {{convert|-29.6|C|F}} on 27 January 1942.
* Its greatest annual precipitation was {{convert|831.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1926.
* Its least annual precipitation was {{convert|299.8|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1911.
* The longest annual sunshine was 2,168.1 hours in 2018.
* The shortest annual sunshine was 1,393.0 hours in 1984.

{{Weather box	
|location = Magdeburg (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1881–present)	
|metric first = Y	
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 16.5
|Feb record high C = 19.9
|Mar record high C = 25.1
|Apr record high C = 31.9
|May record high C = 35.9
|Jun record high C = 37.5
|Jul record high C = 38.2
|Aug record high C = 37.9
|Sep record high C = 35.0
|Oct record high C = 28.3
|Nov record high C = 21.1
|Dec record high C = 18.1
|year record high C = 38.2
|Jan avg record high C = 11.5
|Feb avg record high C = 13.1
|Mar avg record high C = 18.1
|Apr avg record high C = 23.9
|May avg record high C = 28.1
|Jun avg record high C = 31.2
|Jul avg record high C = 32.8
|Aug avg record high C = 33.0
|Sep avg record high C = 27.4
|Oct avg record high C = 22.1
|Nov avg record high C = 15.6
|Dec avg record high C = 11.9
|year avg record high C = 34.8
|Jan high C = 4.0
|Feb high C = 5.4
|Mar high C = 9.6
|Apr high C = 15.4
|May high C = 19.6
|Jun high C = 22.7
|Jul high C = 25.0
|Aug high C = 24.9
|Sep high C = 20.2
|Oct high C = 14.4
|Nov high C = 8.3
|Dec high C = 4.8
| year high C =	14.5
|Jan mean C = 1.4
|Feb mean C = 2.1
|Mar mean C = 5.2
|Apr mean C = 9.9
|May mean C = 14.1
|Jun mean C = 17.2
|Jul mean C = 19.3
|Aug mean C = 19.0
|Sep mean C = 14.8
|Oct mean C = 10.0
|Nov mean C = 5.4
|Dec mean C = 2.3
|year mean C = 10.0
|Jan low C = -1.4
|Feb low C = -1.1
|Mar low C = 1.1
|Apr low C = 4.3
|May low C = 8.3
|Jun low C = 11.4
|Jul low C = 13.6
|Aug low C = 13.4
|Sep low C = 10.0
|Oct low C = 6.1
|Nov low C = 2.5
|Dec low C = -0.3
|year low C = 5.6
|Jan avg record low C = -10.8
|Feb avg record low C = -8.6
|Mar avg record low C = -4.7
|Apr avg record low C = -2.0
|May avg record low C = 2.2
|Jun avg record low C = 6.2
|Jul avg record low C = 9.0
|Aug avg record low C = 8.1
|Sep avg record low C = 4.4
|Oct avg record low C = -0.7
|Nov avg record low C = -3.6
|Dec avg record low C = -8.6
|year avg record low C = -13.0
|Jan record low C = -29.6
|Feb record low C = -25.7
|Mar record low C = -17.6
|Apr record low C = -6.9
|May record low C = -3.2
|Jun record low C = 0.5
|Jul record low C = 5.2
|Aug record low C = 3.8
|Sep record low C = -0.5
|Oct record low C = -8.3
|Nov record low C = -21.9
|Dec record low C = -22.6
|year record low C = -25.4
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 38.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 26.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 34.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 27.8
|May precipitation mm = 56.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 51.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 60.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 59.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 43.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 40.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 36.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 39.5
|year precipitation mm = 515.8
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm	
|Jan precipitation days = 15.9
|Feb precipitation days = 13.9
|Mar precipitation days = 14.7
|Apr precipitation days = 11.4
|May precipitation days = 13.0
|Jun precipitation days = 12.6
|Jul precipitation days = 13.8
|Aug precipitation days = 13.0
|Sep precipitation days = 11.9
|Oct precipitation days = 14.2
|Nov precipitation days = 15.3
|Dec precipitation days = 16.7
|year precipitation days = 165.4
|Jan snow depth cm = 6.2
|Feb snow depth cm = 4.4
|Mar snow depth cm = 2.6
|Apr snow depth cm = 0.3
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 0
|Nov snow depth cm = 0.9
|Dec snow depth cm = 5.1
|year snow depth cm = 9.7
|unit snow days = 1.0 cm
|Jan snow days = 8.4
|Feb snow days = 6.3
|Mar snow days = 2.1
|Apr snow days = 0.2
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 1.0
|Dec snow days = 5.0
|year snow days = 
|Jan sun = 59.7
|Feb sun = 80.8
|Mar sun = 126.9
|Apr sun = 189.5
|May sun = 228.8
|Jun sun = 235.4
|Jul sun = 230.6
|Aug sun = 215.7
|Sep sun = 162.7
|Oct sun = 116.0
|Nov sun = 59.7
|Dec sun = 49.1
|year sun = 1754.8
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 84.7
|Feb humidity = 80.6
|Mar humidity = 75.9
|Apr humidity = 68.1
|May humidity = 68.3
|Jun humidity = 69.1
|Jul humidity = 68.3
|Aug humidity = 68.5
|Sep humidity = 75.1
|Oct humidity = 81.8
|Nov humidity = 86.4
|Dec humidity = 85.9
|source 1 = [[NCEI]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231012163020/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Magdeburg_10361.csv
|archive-date = 12 October 2023
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Magdeburg_10361.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
|work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] / SKlima.de<ref name=sklima>{{cite web 
|url = http://sklima.de/datenbank_auswertung.php?tab=2
|title = Monatsauswertung 
|website = sklima.de 
|publisher = SKlima 
|language = de 
|access-date = 14 October 2024}}</ref>
}}

==Population==
{{historical populations|1400|30000|1620|25000|1825|36647|1855|61500|1871|84401|1885|114291|1890|202234|1900|229667|1910|279629|1919|285856|1925|293959|1933|306894|1939|336838|1940|346600|1945|225030|1950|260305|1956|259320|1961|262437|1966|267817|1971|271906|1976|279430|1981|287362|1986|288975|1990|280536|2001|229755|2011|228144|2022|241517|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.
Source:<ref>[[:de:Einwohnerentwicklung von Magdeburg|Link]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2019}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://citypopulation.de/en/germany/cities/|title=Germany: States and Major Cities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information|website=citypopulation.de}}</ref>}}
{{clear|left}}

As of December 2024, Magdeburg has a population of 244,329.<ref name="bevoelkerung2024">{{cite web |title=Bevölkerung der Gemeinden – Stand: 31. Dezember 2024 |url=https://statistik.sachsen-anhalt.de/themen/bevoelkerung-und-haushalte/tabellen-bevoelkerung/ |website=Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt |language=de |access-date=2026-05-20}}</ref> Its population grew rapidly after the end of 19th century due to industrialization. In 1885, the population was 100,000, and doubled after only five years. Magdeburg reached its greatest population in 1940, at approximately 346,000. At that time the city was poised to become a giant metropolis, but the events of WWII changed its future. After the war, in the [[East Germany]] era, Magdeburg recovered its industrial base to a degree, particularly the [[Machine industry]], and became one of the important cities of East Germany. In 1991, when Magdeburg became the capital of the state of [[Saxony-Anhalt]], its population was about 275,000. After the [[German Reunification]], the population of Magdeburg declined due to some loss of industries, when many residents moved to former [[West Germany]]. Since 2011, the population has stabilized at around 240,000.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Rank
! Nationality
! Population (2022)
|-
|1||{{flag|Syria}}|| 5,341
|-
|2||{{flag|Ukraine}}|| 4,893
|-
|3||{{flag|Romania}}|| 2,379
|-
|4||{{flag|India}}|| 1,431
|-
|5||{{flag|Vietnam}}|| 1,348
|-
|6||{{flag|Afghanistan}}|| 1,253
|-
|7||{{flag|Poland}}|| 1,013
|-
|8||{{flag|Croatia}}|| 947
|-
|9||{{flag|Italy}}|| 833
|-
|10||{{flag|Turkey}}|| 674
|}

==Politics==
===Mayor and city council===
The mayor of Magdeburg is [[independent politician]] Simone Borris since 2022. The most recent mayoral election was held on 24 April 2022, with a runoff held on 8 May, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Simone Borris
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]] ([[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]], future!, [[Human Environment Animal Protection|MUT]])
| 33,065
| 44.3
| 39,201
| 64.8
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Jens Rösler
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]/[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]]
| 20,080
| 26.3
| 21,298
| 35.2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Tobias Krull]]
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 9,327
| 12.2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Nicole Anger
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 5,230
| 6.8
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| Frank Pasemann
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 3,802
| 5.0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Till Isenhuth
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 1,676
| 2.2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| 
| align=left| Sarah Biedermann
| align=left| [[Free Voters]]
| 1,289
| 1.7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance for Human Rights, Animal and Nature Protection}}| 
| align=left| Bettina Fassl
| align=left| [[Alliance for Human Rights, Animal and Nature Protection|Animal Protection Alliance]]
| 1,103
| 1.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| André Jordan
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]]
| 860
| 1.1
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 76,432
! 99.6
! 60,508
! 99.4
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 302
! 0.4
! 340
! 0.6
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 76,734
! 100.0
! 60,848
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 189,916
! 40.4
! 189,471
! 32.1
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://wahlergebnisse.magdeburg.de/OB2022/ City of Magdeburg]
|}

The most recent city council election was held on 9 June 2024, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! ±
! Seats
! ±
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| 75,972
| 23.8
| {{increase}} 5.2
| 13
| {{increase}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| 72,626
| 22.8
| {{increase}} 8.4
| 13
| {{increase}} 5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| 47,852
| 15.0
| {{decrease}} 1.9
| 8
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| 32,549
| 10.2
| {{decrease}} 5.1
| 6
| {{decrease}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| 30,119
| 9.4
| {{decrease}} 5.9
| 5
| {{decrease}} 4
|-
| 
| align=left| Magdeburg Garden Party (Gartenpartei)
| 14,711
| 4.6
| {{increase}} 0.4
| 3
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Human Environment Animal Protection Party}}| 
| align=left| [[Human Environment Animal Protection Party|Animal Protection Party]] (Tierschutzpartei)
| 14,328
| 4.5
| {{increase}} 1.2
| 3
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| 13,141
| 4.1
| {{decrease}} 1.3
| 2
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| future!
| 6,984
| 2.2
| {{decrease}} 0.7
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance for Human Rights, Animal and Nature Protection}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance for Human Rights, Animal and Nature Protection|Animal Protection Alliance]] (Tierschutzallianz)
| 5,495
| 1.7
| {{increase}} 0.4
| 1
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Volt Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Volt Germany]] (Volt)
| 3,343
| 1.0
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Pößel ([[Independent politician|Independent]])
| 809
| 0.3
| New
| 0
| New
|-
! colspan=2| Valid votes
! 319,022
! 100.0
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Invalid balots
! 1,620
! 1.5
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Total ballots
! 109,729
! 100.0
! 
! 56
! ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Electorate/voter turnout
! 187,588
! 58.5
! {{increase}} 5.1
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://wahlergebnisse.magdeburg.de/ City of Magdeburg]
|}

==Education==
{{Main|Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg}}
The [[Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg]] (German: Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg) was founded in 1993 and is one of the newest universities in Germany. The university in Magdeburg has about 13,000 students in nine faculties. There are 11,700 papers published in international journals from this institute.

The [[Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences]] was founded in 1991. There are 30 direct study programs in five departments in Magdeburg and two departments in Stendal. The university has more than 130 professors and approximately 4,500 students at Magdeburg and 1,900 at Stendal.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Blick auf die Otto-von-Guericke Universität Magdeburg.JPG|Aerial view of the University area
File:Campus Tower und Fakultät für Elektro- und Informationstechnik.jpg|Campus Tower of the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
File:UB MD innen.JPG|Magdeburg library
File:Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal (FH).jpg|Building No.1 of the University of Applied Sciences in Magdeburg
File:Konservatorium.jpg|[[Music school|Conservatory]] – "Georg-Philipp-Telemann"
</gallery>

==Culture and architecture==
[[File:Weihnachtsmarkt Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|right|Christmas-Market Magdeburg]]

===Entertainment===
Magdeburg has a municipal theatre, [[Theater Magdeburg]].

Magdeburg is well known for the [[Magdeburg Christmas market]], which is an attraction for 1.5&nbsp;million visitors every year. Other events are the ''Stadtfest'', ''[[Christopher Street Day]]'', ''Elbe in Flames'', and the ''Europafest Magdeburg''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Magdeburg-Tourist – PFD |url=https://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/media/custom/557_6496_1.PDF?1572334142 |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=www.magdeburg-tourist.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Christopher Street Day – Magdeburg |url=https://csdmagdeburg.de/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=csdmagdeburg.de}}</ref> The autumn fair (formerly men's fair) of Magdeburg goes back to Germany's oldest folk festival. The tradition dates back to September 1010, when the holy feast of the Theban Legion was celebrated in Magdeburg (then called Magathaburg).<ref>{{cite web |title=The oldest folk festival in Germany |url=https://ottopix.de/messeplatz-max-wille/ |access-date=3 October 2018 |last=Ottopix |date=2 October 2018}}</ref>

====Event venues====
[[File:GETEC Arena Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|The [[GETEC Arena]]]]
[[File:Magdeburg, Blick vom Jahrtausendturm zur Seebühne.jpg|thumb|View of the Lake-Stage in Elbauenpark]]
[[File:Magdeburg asv2022-08 img27 Hubbrücke.jpg|thumb|Magdeburg Vertical-lift bridge (Hubbrücke)]]
* Altes Theater am Jerichower Platz – Former theater, used for parties and large conferences
* AMO – Culture and congress building
* Buttergasse – Night club near the city centre at "Alter Markt" – house-, electro, pop and black music
* Concert hall Georg Philipp Telemann at "Kloster unser lieben Frauen"
* Factory – Former factory building, German and international pop, rock, metal, and indie music artists are featured
* Festung Mark – Part of the former city fortification, now reconstructed for parties and conventions
* Feuerwache – Former fire station, repurposed for events
* [[GETEC Arena]] – Biggest multi-purpose hall in Saxony-Anhalt, home of handball team [[SC Magdeburg]]
* halber85 – Conventions, partys, conferences
* Kunstkantine – Factory cafeteria, monthly electro-music parties
* [[MDCC-Arena]] – Home of [[1. FC Magdeburg]]
* Messe Magdeburg – Official trade fair site
* Prinzzclub – Night club at Halberstädter Straße – house-, electro, and black music
* Seebühne at Elbauenpark
* Stadthalle – Concert hall
* Studentenclub Baracke – Night club especially for students – house-, electro, rock, pop, indie and black music
* Tessenow Loft – Conventions, partys, conferences

===Museums===
* Magdeburg Museum of Cultural History
* Otto-von-Guericke-Museum Lukasklause
* [[Jahrtausendturm]]
* Magdeburg Museum of Nature
* Magdeburg Museum of Technology
* Art Museum in the Monastery of Our Lady
* Magdeburg Circus Museum
* Magdeburg Hairdressing Museum
* Steamboat Württemberg – a museum ship

===Architecture===
[[File:02 Magdeburg 004.jpg|thumb|right|Cathedral of Magdeburg]]
[[File:Magdeburg St Petri 02.jpg|thumb|right|The three churches at night]]
[[File:Eingang Zoo Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance – Zoo Magdeburg]]

====Cathedral====
{{Main|Cathedral of Magdeburg}}

One of Magdeburg's most impressive buildings is the [[Protestant Church in Germany|Lutheran]] Cathedral of Saints [[Catherine of Alexandria|Catherine]] and [[Saint Maurice|Maurice]] with a height of {{cvt|104|m|2}}, making it the tallest church building of eastern Germany. It is notable for its beautiful and unique sculptures, especially the "Twelve Virgins" at the Northern Gate, the depictions of [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I the Great]] and his wife [[Eadgyth|Editha]] as well as the statues of [[Saint Maurice|St Maurice]] and [[Catherine of Alexandria|St Catherine]]. 
The predecessor of the cathedral was a church built in 937 within an abbey, called St. Maurice. Emperor Otto I the Great was buried here beside his wife in 973. St. Maurice burnt to ashes in 1207. The exact location of that church remained unknown for a long time. The foundations were rediscovered in May 2003, revealing a building {{cvt|80|m|2}} long and {{cvt|41|m|2}} wide.

The construction of the new church lasted 300 years. The cathedral of Saints Catherine and Maurice was the first [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] church building in Germany. The building of the steeples was completed as late as 1520.

While the cathedral was virtually the only building to survive the massacres of the Thirty Years' War, it suffered damage in World War II. It was soon rebuilt and completed in 1955.

The square in front of the cathedral (also called the ''Neuer Markt'', or "new marketplace") was occupied by an imperial palace (''Kaiserpfalz''), which was destroyed in the fire of 1207. The stones from the ruin were used for the building of the cathedral. The presumed remains of the palace were excavated in the 1960s.

====Other sights====
* ''Unser Lieben Frauen ''Monastery (Our Lady), 11th century, containing the church of St. Mary. Today a museum for Modern Art. Home of the National Collection of Small Art Statues of the GDR (Nationale Sammlung Kleinkunstplastiken der DDR).
* The ''Magdeburger Reiter'' ("Magdeburg Rider", 1240), the first free-standing equestrian sculpture north of the Alps. It probably depicts the Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]].
* City hall (1698). This building had stood on the market place since the 13th century, but it was destroyed in the Thirty Years' War; the new city hall was built in a [[Renaissance]] style influenced by Dutch architecture. It was renovated and re-opened in Oct 2005.
* [[Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt|Landtag]]; the seat of the government of Saxony-Anhalt with its [[Baroque]] façade built-in 1724.
* Monuments depicting [[Otto von Guericke]] (1907), [[Eike von Repgow|Eike von Repkow]] and [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben]].
* Ruins of the greatest fortress of the former [[Kingdom of Prussia]].
* Rotehorn-Park
* Elbauenpark containing the highest wooden structure in Germany.
* St. Sebastian's Cathedral, the seat of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Magdeburg]].
* St. John Church (Johanniskirche)
* The [[Gruson-Gewächshäuser]], a [[botanical garden]] within a [[greenhouse]] complex
* The [[Magdeburg Water Bridge]], Europe's longest water bridge
* "Die Grüne Zitadelle" or The Green Citadel of Magdeburg, a large, pink building of a modern architectural style designed by [[Friedensreich Hundertwasser]] and completed in 2005.
* Jerusalem Bridge
* [[Magdeburg Zoo|Zoo Magdeburg]]
* St. Johannis Church
* St. Petri Church, with stained glass by [[Charles Crodel]]

{{wide image|Blick von der Johanniskirche 11.jpg|1150px|align-cap=center|View to a part of the city centre, seen from the tower of the St.-Johannis Church}}

== Sports ==
{{image frame|content={{Photomontage
| photo1a = FC Magdeburg 1.jpg
| alt1a = 
| photo1b = SC Magdeburg Handball Pano 3.jpg
| alt1b = 
| size = 300
| spacing =
| color = #f8f9fa
| border = 
| color_border = #f8f9fa
| text = <div align="center">[[1. FC Magdeburg|FCM]] and [[SC Magdeburg|SCM]] venues</div>
| text_background =
| foot_montage =
}}}}

Magdeburg has a proud history of sports teams. [[1. FC Magdeburg]] plays in the [[2. Bundesliga]], the second division of German football. They are the only East German football club to have won the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]. The now-defunct clubs [[SV Victoria 96 Magdeburg]] and [[Cricket Viktoria Magdeburg]] were among the first football clubs in Germany.

There is also the very successful [[handball]] team, [[SC Magdeburg]]. They won multiple times the [[Handball-Bundesliga|Handball-Bundesliga (HBL)]], [[DHB-Pokal]], [[DHB-Supercup]], [[EHF European League]], [[EHF Champions League]], [[EHF Men's Champions Trophy]] and the [[IHF Men's Super Globe]].

The [[Discus throw|discus]] was re-discovered in Magdeburg in the 1870s by [[Christian Georg Kohlrausch]], a gymnastics teacher.
==Transport==
The city is served by [[Magdeburg–Cochstedt Airport]], located approximately {{convert|37|km|abbr=on}} southwest of Magdeburg. However, there are no schedule flights to and from the airport. The nearest airports are [[Leipzig/Halle Airport]], located {{convert|109|km|abbr=on}} south east, [[Hannover Airport]], located {{convert|155|km|abbr=on}} north west, and [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]], located {{convert|160|km|abbr=on}} east of the city centre.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Magdeburg is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerstädte |url=https://www.magdeburg.de/Start/B%C3%BCrger-Stadt/Stadt/St%C3%A4dtepartnerschaften |website=magdeburg.de |publisher=Magdeburg |language=de |access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*{{flagicon|BIH}} [[Sarajevo]], Bosnia and Herzegovina (1977)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Braunschweig]], Germany (1987)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], United States (2003)
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Zaporizhzhia]], Ukraine (2008)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Radom]], Poland (2008)
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Harbin]], China (2008)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Le Havre]], France (2011)
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Kiryat Motzkin]], Israel (2024)
{{div col end}}

== People ==
===A–K===
[[File:Otto-von-Guericke-TS.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Otto von Guericke]]]]
[[File:Telemann.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Georg Philipp Telemann]]]]
*[[Erich Albrecht]] (1907-1997), germanist and writer
*[[Ernst Anders]] (1845–1911), portrait and genre painter
*[[Richard Assmann]] (1845–1918), meteorologist
*[[Theodor Avé-Lallemant]] (1806–1890), music critic and writer on music
*[[Alfons Bach]], (1904–1999), industrial designer<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |last=Pace |first=Eric |title=Alfons Bach, 95, Designer of Tubular Furniture |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/23/arts/alfons-bach-95-designer-of-tubular-furniture.html |work=Arts |date=23 August 1999 |access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref>
*[[Kurt Behrens]] (1884–1928), springboard diver
*[[Arno Bieberstein]] (1884–1918), swimmer
*[[Jessica Böhrs]] (born 1980), actress and singer
*[[Henry Busse]] (1894–1955), trumpeter and bandleader, emigrated to the US at 18
*[[Adelbert Delbrück]] (1822–1890), banker and lawyer
* [[Margarethe Düren]] (1904–1988), German operatic soprano
*[[Friedrich Ernst Fesca]] (1789–1826), violinist and composer
*[[Otto Fräßdorf]] (1942–2025), footballer
*[[Hans Gericke]] (1912–2014), architect
*[[Frank Giering]] (1971–2010), actor
*[[Harry Giese]] (1903–1991), actor and spokesman in Nazi newsreels
*[[Georg Gradnauer]] (1866–1946), newspaper editor and politician
*[[Alfred Grünberg]] (1901–1942), worker, KPD member and resistance fighter against Nazism
*[[Otto von Guericke]] (1602–1686), mayor and inventor of the [[Magdeburg hemispheres]]. The [[Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg]] is named after him
*[[Carl Gustav Friedrich Hasselbach]] (1809–1882), mayor and member of the Prussian House of Lords; a square in the centre of Magdeburg is named after him
*[[Ulrike Helzel]], soprano
*[[Gottlieb von Haeseler]] (1701–1752), entrepreneur in the Duchy of Magdeburg
*[[Ingolf Huhn]] (born 1955), theatre and opera manager
*[[Hartmann Wilhem Otto]] (1876–1960), immigrated to the US, where he changed his name to William Hartman and served as a Rough Rider in the Spanish–American War together with Theodore Roosevelt
*[[Christian Georg Kohlrausch]] (1851–1934), gymnastics teacher and re-discoverer of [[discus throw]]ing
*[[Anna-Maria Henckel von Donnersmarck]] (born 1940), political activist
*[[Carl Hindenburg]] (1820–1899), cycling official and first president of the German Cyclist Federation (DRB)
*[[Heinrich Jost]] (1889–1948), typeface designer
*[[Eberhard Jüngel]] (1934–2021), German Lutheran theologian
*[[Georg Kaiser]] (1878–1945), writer
*[[Nadine Kleinert]] (born 1975), retired shot putter, Olympic and World Championship silver medallist
*[[Wilhelm Kobelt]] (1865–1927), member of the Reichstag and local politician in Magdeburg
*[[Rolf Kohnert]] (born 1938), engineer, 3 times Australian masters cycling champion
*[[Stefan Kretzschmar]] (born 1973), handball player and Olympic medallist
*[[Hans Kühne]] (1880–1969), chemist on the board of I.G. Farben and defendant during the Nuremberg trials

===L–Z===
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F002352-0002, Bonn, Bundestag, Pariser Verträge, Ollenhauer.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Erich Ollenhauer]], [[Bundestag]] 1954]]
[[File:Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben]] 1782]]
*Ernst Lehmann (1908–1945), SPD politician, active in the resistance against Nazism
*Otto Lehmann (1900–1936), resistance fighter against Nazism
*[[Werner Marcks]] (1896–1967), lieutenant general in World War II
*[[Olaf Malolepski]] (born 1946), singer-songwriter
*[[Cläre Mjøen]] (1874–1963), German and Norwegian translator and women's rights activist
*[[Johann Carl Simon Morgenstern]] (1770–1852), philologist who coined the term [[Bildungsroman]]
*[[Felix von Niemeyer]] (1820–1871), physician, royal Württemberg personal physician
*[[Leo Nowak (bishop)|Leo Nowak]] (1929–2026), Roman Catholic bishop of Magdeburg (1994–2004)
*[[Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard]] (born 1942), biologist, the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1991 and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1995
*[[Oleh Kuznetsov]] (born 1963), Ukrainian football coach and former professional player
*[[Richard Ölze]] (1900–1980), painter
*[[Erich Ollenhauer]] (1901–1963), leader of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] 1952–1963
*[[Menahem Pressler]] (1923–2023), pianist
*[[Ernst Reuter]] (1889–1953), Mayor of Magdeburg 1931–1933, then Mayor of West Berlin in 1948–1953
*[[Willy Rosen]] (1894–1944) composer and songwriter
*[[Arthur Ruppin]] (1876–1943), Zionist thinker and leader
*[[Gustav Schäfer (drummer)|Gustav Schäfer]] (1988–), drummer and musician for [[Tokio Hotel]]
*[[Ekkehard Schall]] (1930–2005), actor and theatre director
*[[Marcel Schmelzer]] (born 1988), footballer
*Karl Schmidt (1902–1945), resistance fighter against Nazism
*[[Petra Schmidt-Schaller]] (born 1980), actress
*[[Manfred Schoof]] (born 1936), jazz trumpeter
*[[Wolfgang Schreyer]] (1927–2017), writer
*[[Margarete Schön]] (1895–1985), stage and film actress
*[[Ivan Shyshkin]] (born 1983), Ukrainian footballer
*[[Kurt Singer]] (1886–1962), philosopher
*[[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben]] (1730–1794), American patriot
*[[Christoph Christian Sturm]] (1740–1786), preacher and author, wrote the majority of his devotional works here
*[[Bruno Taut]] (1880–1938), city architect 1921–1923, completed two housing projects in Magdeburg
*[[Georg Philipp Telemann]] (1681–1767), composer
*[[Klaus Thunemann]] (1937–2025), bassoon professor
*[[Henning von Tresckow]] (1901–1944), major general in the ''Wehrmacht'', active in the military resistance
*[[Lothar von Trotha]] (1848–1920), military commander notorious for presiding over the [[Herero and Namaqua genocide|near-extermination of the Herero]] in [[German South-West Africa]]
*[[Karl Wallenda]] (1905–1978), highwire acrobat
*[[Camillo Walzel]] (1829–1895), [[libretto|librettist]] and theatre director
*[[Wilhelm Weitling]] (1808–1871), [[utopian Socialist|utopian Communist]]
*[[Dieter Zahn]] (born 1940), [[double-bassist]]
*[[Dejan Zavec]] (born 1976), Slovenian welterweight boxer, IBF Welterweight Champion
*[[Heinrich Zschokke]] (1771–1848), author and reformer
*[[George William Ziemann]] (1809–1881), Christian missionary who served in Magdeburg in the infantry

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Blick über Magdeburg.JPG|View over a part of Magdeburg in 2012
File:Magdeburger Dom Cathedral (40705658233).jpg|[[Cathedral of Magdeburg]]
File:Haus 60a - Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg.jpg|Main building of the university hospital
File:St. Johannis (Magdeburg-Altstadt).ajb.jpg|St.-Johannis Church
File:Hauptbahnhof MD.jpg|[[Magdeburg Hauptbahnhof]] (Central Station)
File:Opernhaus magdeburg 11.JPG|[[Theater Magdeburg|Magdeburg Opera]]
File:.00 1533 Magdeburg - Gebäude Justizzentrum.jpg|Judiciary center
File:Elbauenpark.jpg|View over [[Elbauenpark]] with [[Jahrtausendturm]]
File:Elbufer Magdeburg mit Dom.jpg|[[Elbe]] river in Magdeburg
File:Magdeburg Nordbrueckenzug.jpg|Jerusalem Bridges
File:Magdeburg Kanalbrücke aerial view 13.jpg|[[Magdeburg Water Bridge]]
File:Magdeburg Hasselbachplatz 2006-11-18.jpg|The Hasselbachplatz, an important transport hub
File:Allee-Center Magdeburg Innen.jpg|The "Allee-Center" shopping complex is one of seven shopping centres.
File:Magdeburg Sternbrucke 2.jpg|Embankment of the city park
File:Kulturhistorisches-Museum-Magdeburg.JPG|Museum of culture and history
File:2019-09-27 17-45 G90T3345 AL Commons Landtag.jpg|The parliament of Saxony-Anhalt
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Germany|Europe|Geography}}
* The [[Magdeburg hemispheres]], an experimental apparatus used to demonstrate the force of [[atmospheric pressure]] in 1656 by scientist [[Otto von Guericke]]
* [[Timeline of Magdeburg]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikivoyage|Magdeburg}}
* [https://www.magdeburg.de/ Official website] 
* [https://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/ Website for tourists]
* [https://magdeburg360.de/ Virtual city tour Magdeburg]
* [https://ottopix.de/ The city of Otto]

{{Capitals of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany}}
{{List of European capitals by region}}
{{Germany districts saxony-anhalt}}
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Bezirke DDR Seats}}
{{Hanseatic League}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Magdeburg| ]]
[[Category:German state capitals]]
[[Category:Martin Luther]]
[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]
[[Category:Populated riverside places in Germany]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Elbe]]
[[Category:Urban districts of Saxony-Anhalt]]