page_title: Rossgarten
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Rossgarten / History
caption_attribution_description: Königsberg
context_page_description: Rossgarten was a quarter of northeastern Königsberg, Germany. It was also occasionally known as Altrossgarten to differentiate it from Neurossgarten in northwestern Königsberg. Its territory is now part of the Leningradsky District of Kaliningrad, Russia.
context_section_description: Rossgarten was first mentioned as the Roß- und Rindergarten (horse and cattle pasture) in the 1300 town charter of Löbenicht. It grew to encompass the eastern shore of the Schlossteich and reached the southern shore of the Oberteich. Neighboring districts were Burgfreiheit to the southwest, Neue Sorge to the south, the Herzogsacker fields to the east, and the 17th century Königsberg fortifications to the north. Located outside of the walls was Kalthof to the east and the Pferderennbahn, or horse racing track, in Carolinenhof to the northeast.
  According to observations by Caspar Hennenberger, in 1539 the territory was still undeveloped, with an inn and warehouses the only buildings of note. In 1540 Albert I, Duke of Prussia, approved development of a new suburb known first as Neue Huben and then as Roßgarten. It was declared a Freiheit subordinate to Königsberg Castle in 1542. East Prussian noble families who lived in Rossgarten included the Buddenbrock, Gröben, Götzen, Kunheim, Ostau, Rauter, Schlieben, and Tettau. Many Dutch linen weavers settled in the new suburb by 1553. Latvian merchants also settled in Rossgarten.
  As the quarter expanded, Rossgarten was divided into southern Vorder-Roßgarten ("nearer Rossgarten") and northern Hinter-Roßgarten ("further Rossgarten"). In 1576 Vorder-Roßgarten received its court seal depicting a grazing white horse in a green pasture from Duke Albert Frederick. Hinter-Roßgarten's seal, which depicted a black bull in a green meadow with a blue field, was granted in 1596 by Margrave George Frederick.
  Altstadt, Löbenicht, Kneiphof, and their respective suburbs were merged to form the united city of Königsberg in 1724. However, Königsberg Castle and its suburbs, including Rossgarten, were included within the new city limits but remained under royal, not municipal, control. Rossgarten was merged into the city during the Städteordnung of Stein on 19 November 1808 during the era of Prussian reforms. Much of Rossgarten was destroyed by the 1944 bombing of Königsberg in World War II and the 1945 Battle of Königsberg.
caption: Roßgärter Markt and Königstraße
exif: {}